About This Formula*
Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties
Formula Description*
A classical formula that nourishes the Kidneys and Lungs, used for people with dryness-related symptoms such as chronic dry cough, dry throat, night sweats, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and weak lower back and knees. It builds on the foundational Liu Wei Di Huang Wan by adding two herbs that specifically moisturize the Lungs and help the body retain its fluids. It is sometimes called the "Eight Immortals Longevity Pill" and has a long history of use as a gentle tonic for the elderly.
Formula Category*
Main Actions*
- Nourishes Kidney Yin
- Nourishes Lung Yin
- Astringes the Lungs and Stops Cough
- Clears Deficiency Heat
- Generates Fluids
TCM Patterns*
In TCM, symptoms don't appear randomly — they cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Mai Wei Di Huang Wan is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.
The following describes this formula's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.
Why Mai Wei Di Huang Wan addresses this pattern
This is the primary pattern this formula was designed for. When Kidney Yin becomes depleted, it fails to send nourishing fluids upward to moisten the Lungs. The Lungs, in turn, lose their ability to descend Qi properly, leading to dry cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Meanwhile, the underlying Kidney Yin deficiency produces its own set of symptoms: soreness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, and night sweats. The deficient Yin also generates a relative excess of Yang, creating deficiency Heat that manifests as tidal fever, flushed cheeks, and a dry throat.
Mai Wei Di Huang Wan addresses this pattern comprehensively. Shu Di Huang replenishes the depleted Kidney Yin at the root. Mai Dong directly nourishes Lung Yin and clears mild Lung Heat. Wu Wei Zi astringes Lung Qi to stop coughing and prevents further fluid loss. The remaining herbs from the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan base stabilize the Kidneys, support the Spleen, clear deficiency Heat, and drain turbidity, creating a balanced formula that both restores what has been lost and prevents further depletion.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Chronic dry cough with little or no phlegm, sometimes with blood-streaked sputum
Night sweats due to Yin deficiency failing to anchor Yang at night
Persistent dryness and soreness of the throat
Ringing in the ears from insufficient Kidney Yin nourishing the head
Dizziness and lightheadedness from depleted Yin failing to nourish the brain
Weakness and soreness of the lower back and knees, the domain of the Kidneys
Afternoon or evening low-grade fever (tidal Heat)
Shortness of breath, especially on exertion
Thirst with a desire to sip water, from depleted body fluids
Why Mai Wei Di Huang Wan addresses this pattern
While the formula is optimized for combined Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency, it retains all the capabilities of its parent formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan for addressing Kidney Yin deficiency on its own. When Kidney Yin is depleted from aging, chronic illness, or constitutional weakness, the body loses its cooling and moistening capacity. This leads to signs of dryness and deficiency Heat throughout the body.
The Shu Di Huang and Shan Zhu Yu core powerfully replenishes Kidney Yin and Essence, while Shan Yao supports Spleen function to generate new fluids. The draining herbs (Ze Xie, Mu Dan Pi, Fu Ling) prevent stagnation and clear deficiency Heat. The addition of Mai Dong and Wu Wei Zi provides extra fluid generation and retention even when Lung symptoms are not the primary complaint, making this a slightly more moistening version of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan suitable for patients with marked dryness.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Night sweats
Tinnitus and hearing loss
Soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees
Dry mouth with desire to drink
Sensation of heat in the palms, soles, and chest (five-center heat)
How It Addresses the Root Cause*
Mai Wei Di Huang Wan addresses a pattern where Kidney Yin deficiency and Lung Yin deficiency occur together, creating a cascade of symptoms across both the lower and upper body. The root of the problem usually starts in the Kidneys. In TCM, the Kidneys store the body's fundamental Yin, which is the deep reservoir of moisture, coolness, and nourishing substance that keeps all the organs properly hydrated and prevents excessive Heat. When Kidney Yin becomes depleted, whether through chronic illness, aging, overwork, or constitutional weakness, there is no longer enough of this cooling, moistening substance to keep the body in balance.
The Lungs and Kidneys have a particularly important relationship in TCM. The Kidneys are said to "grasp" or receive the Qi that the Lungs send downward, and the Kidneys' Yin moisture nourishes the Lungs from below, like a well feeding moisture upward. When Kidney Yin runs dry, the Lungs lose this nourishing supply and become parched. At the same time, the Lungs themselves may be directly damaged by chronic cough, external dryness, or long-term illness (such as tuberculosis). This dual depletion produces dry cough, shortness of breath, a dry and sore throat, and sometimes blood-streaked sputum.
With insufficient Yin to anchor and cool the body's Yang, a kind of "false Heat" called deficiency fire (虚火) flares up. This explains the afternoon low-grade fevers, night sweats, hot palms and soles, flushed cheeks, dizziness, and tinnitus. The lower back and knees become weak and sore because the Kidneys, which govern the bones and lower back, are depleted. The formula works by replenishing both Kidney and Lung Yin simultaneously, quenching this deficiency fire, and preventing further leakage of the body's precious fluids.
Formula Properties*
Slightly Cool
Predominantly sweet and sour, with mild bitterness. The sweetness nourishes Yin and tonifies, the sourness astringes and preserves fluids, and the slight bitterness helps clear deficiency Heat.
Formula Origin
This is just partial information on the formula's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the formula's dedicated page
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
