1. Prescription Source & History

1. Yougui Pills The Origin

Yougui Pills originated from 'Complete Works of Jingyue' written by Zhang Jingyue, a famous medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty. On the basis of inheriting the academic thoughts of predecessors and combining his own rich clinical experience, Zhang Jingyue made many innovations and developments in the science of prescriptions. Yougui Pills is one of his masterpieces, created on the basis of his in-depth research on the theory of kidney and life gate.

2. Historical Evolution & Inheritance

Since the publication of 'Complete Works of Jingyue', Yougui Pills has always been valued and applied by doctors of all dynasties. With the changes of the times and the continuous development of medicine, Yougui Pills has also undergone some adjustments and improvements in clinical practice. It has been passed down to this day and remains a commonly used prescription in traditional Chinese medicine clinical treatment of insufficient kidney yang and other diseases, relieving the pain of countless patients and witnessing the long history and strong vitality of traditional Chinese medicine prescription science.

2. Introduction to Ingredients (King, Minister, Assistant, Guide)

1. King Ingredient - Rehmannia Root

Prepared Rehmannia Root is sweet in taste and slightly warm in nature, belonging to the liver and kidney meridians. It has a sticky texture and is very powerful in nourishing yin and blood, being able to replenish essence and marrow, and is the key herb for tonifying kidney yin. In Yougui Pills, Prepared Rehmannia Root serves as the monarch herb, laying the foundation for nourishing yin and tonifying the kidney in the prescription, enabling the true yin in the kidney to be sufficient and providing the material basis for the generation of kidney yang.

2. Minister Ingredients - Aconite, Cinnamon

Aconite Root is pungent, sweet and extremely hot, capable of warming the heart yang upward, warming the spleen yang in the middle and warming the kidney yang downward, being the 'first-class herb for restoring yang and rescuing from reversal'. Cinnamon Bark is pungent, sweet and extremely hot, capable of tonifying fire and assisting yang, dispelling cold and relieving pain, warming and dredging the meridians. The combination of the two greatly tonifies the original yang and has a powerful effect on warming the kidney and assisting yang. It assists the monarch herb Prepared Rehmannia Root and enhances the effect of tonifying kidney yang, being the key herbs for warming and tonifying kidney yang in Yougui Pills.

3. Assistant Ingredients - Yam, Dogwood, Wolfberry, Dodder Seed, Deer Horn Glue

Chinese Yam is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, belonging to the spleen, lung and kidney meridians. It can both benefit qi and nourish yin, and nourish the qi and yin of the spleen, lung and kidney. In Yougui Pills, it plays the role of strengthening the spleen and benefiting the stomach, protecting the acquired foundation to support the congenital. Medicinal Cornel is sour, astringent and slightly warm, belonging to the liver and kidney meridians, having the functions of tonifying the liver and kidney, astringing and consolidating, and can prevent the excessive leakage of essence qi in the kidney. Chinese Wolfberry Fruit is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, belonging to the liver and kidney meridians, nourishing the liver and kidney, and improving eyesight. Dodder Seed is sweet, warm and tonifies evenly, belonging to the liver, kidney and spleen meridians, tonifying the kidney and benefiting essence, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight, stopping diarrhea and preventing miscarriage. Deer Horn Glue is sweet and salty in taste, warm in nature, belonging to the liver and kidney meridians, capable of tonifying kidney yang, benefiting essence and blood, and strengthening the muscles and bones. These five herbs work together synergistically, assisting the monarch herb and ministerial herbs, further nourishing kidney yin and yang, replenishing essence and marrow, and enhancing the nourishing effect of the prescription.

4. Guide Ingredient - Angelica Sinensis

Angelica Sinensis is sweet, pungent in taste and warm in nature, belonging to the liver, heart and spleen meridians. It has the functions of nourishing blood and promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, and moistening the intestines and relaxing bowel. In Yougui Pills, on the one hand, Angelica Sinensis nourishes blood to nourish liver blood, and on the other hand, through its promoting blood circulation property, it makes the whole prescription tonifying without stagnation, playing the role of promoting blood circulation, guiding all herbs to reach the disease location, so it is the adjuvant herb.

III. Pathogenesis, Efficacy and Treatment

1. Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis targeted by Yougui Pills is mainly insufficient kidney yang and decline of the fire of the life gate. The kidney is the congenital foundation, containing true yin and true yang. If there is insufficient congenital endowment, or lack of nourishment in the acquired, prolonged illness and weakness of the body, damaging kidney yang, resulting in deficiency of kidney yang and decline of the fire of the life gate, a series of deficiency-cold manifestations will occur. For example, if insufficient kidney yang fails to warm the spleen yang, symptoms of spleen and stomach deficiency-cold may appear; if it fails to warm and nourish the waist and knees, there will be soreness, weakness and cold pain in the waist and knees; if it fails to warm the bladder, frequent and clear urination may occur.

2. Efficacy

Yougui Pills have the effects of warming and tonifying the kidney yang and replenishing essence and marrow. Through the synergistic effect of the drugs in the formula, it greatly tonifies the primordial yang, enriches the yang qi in the kidney, replenishes the essence and marrow, restores the kidney yang, and makes the kidney essence sufficient, thus improving various symptoms caused by insufficient kidney yang.

3. Treatment

It is mainly used to treat the syndrome of deficiency of kidney yang and decline of mingmen fire. Symptoms include weakness of qi and spirit due to old age or prolonged illness, fear of cold and cold limbs, weakness of the waist and knees, impotence and spermatorrhea, or infertility due to yang deficiency, or reduced food intake, loose stools, or involuntary urination, pale tongue with white coating, deep and slow pulse. Clinically, it is commonly seen in the elderly with kidney yang deficiency and sexual function decline, as well as the manifestation of kidney yang deficiency in the late stage of some chronic diseases.

IV. Analysis of Formula Principles

1. Embodiment of Yin-Yang Mutual Root and Use Theory

Yougui Pills embody the theory of mutual rooting and mutual utilization of yin and yang in traditional Chinese medicine. In the formula, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata is used in a large amount to nourish the kidney yin, replenish essence and marrow, which is the basis for tonifying kidney yin, and this is the method of seeking yang from yin. When kidney yin is sufficient, it can transform into kidney yang, just as the saying goes, 'Those who are good at tonifying yang must seek yang from yin, so yang can obtain the assistance of yin and have endless generation and transformation'. At the same time, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and Cinnamomi Cortex greatly tonify the original yang and warm the kidney to assist yang. While tonifying yang, it also helps to nourish kidney yin, embodying the relationship of mutual dependence and mutual promotion between yin and yang.

2. Synergistic Effect of Drugs to Enhance Efficacy

Each flavor of medicine cooperates with each other and plays a synergistic role. Prepared Rehmannia Root is used together with Chinese Yam, Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit, Chinese Wolfberry Fruit, Dodder Seed, etc. to nourish yin and replenish essence, making the essence and qi in the kidney sufficient; Aconite Root and Cinnamon Bark are combined with Cornu Cervi Colla to warm and tonify the kidney yang and enhance the power of warming yang. Angelica sinensis nourishes blood and promotes blood circulation, making the whole formula tonifying without stagnation, with smooth qi and blood, which is beneficial to the absorption of medicine and the exertion of its effect, thus jointly achieving the therapeutic purpose of warming and tonifying the kidney yang and replenishing essence and marrow.

V. Comparison with Other Similar Formulas

1. Comparison with Jinkui Shenqi Pills

Golden Chamber Kidney Qi Pill 是在补肾阳的基础上兼顾肾阴，阴阳双补，方中配伍了茯苓、泽泻、牡丹皮以泄肾浊、清相火，使补中有泻，补而不滞。而 Yougui Pills It focuses on warming and tonifying the kidney yang, replenishing essence and marrow. In terms of the drug composition, it does not contain the three drugs for purging in Jinkui Shenqi Pills, and its power of tonifying the kidney yang is more drastic, being applicable to the syndrome of extremely deficient kidney yang.

2. Comparison with Zuogui Pills

Zuogui Pills It mainly nourishes kidney yin. In the formula, Rehmannia Root (Prepared), Tortoise Shell Glue, Cervus Cornu Colla and other herbs for nourishing yin and filling essence are used heavily. It is applicable to the syndrome of insufficient kidney yin and deficiency of marrow. Yougui Pills On the contrary, it mainly warms and tonifies kidney yang and is a representative formula for treating insufficient kidney yang. The two, one yin and one yang, are opposite and complementary to each other. In clinical application, they should be accurately differentiated and selected according to the specific symptoms and pathogenesis of the patients.

VI. Clinical Applications & Indications

1. Andrological Diseases

In male diseases, Yougui Pills are often used to treat impotence, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, infertility and other diseases caused by insufficient kidney yang. For impotence patients with insufficient kidney yang and decline of the fire of the gate of vitality, resulting in flaccid penis that cannot erect or is erected but not firm, accompanied by symptoms such as aversion to cold and cold limbs, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, Yougui Pills can warm and tonify kidney yang and improve erectile function. For those with premature ejaculation and spermatorrhea due to insufficient kidney yang and insecurity of the sperm gate, accompanied by symptoms such as decreased libido and frequent urination, Yougui Pills can strengthen kidney yang and stop spermatorrhea. For infertile patients with few sperm and poor sperm motility caused by insufficient kidney yang, Yougui Pills can warm and tonify kidney yang, replenish essence and marrow, improve sperm quality and increase the chance of conception.

2. Gynecological Diseases

In gynecology, Yougui Pills can be used to treat diseases such as infertility due to cold uterus, delayed menstruation, amenorrhea caused by insufficient kidney yang. For patients with infertility due to cold uterus caused by insufficient kidney yang and cold uterus, which is difficult to conceive by capturing essence, Yougui Pills can warm the uterus and promote conception. For patients with insufficient kidney yang, where qi and blood are insufficiently generated and the blood sea cannot be filled on time, resulting in delayed menstrual cycle, scanty and light-colored menstruation, or even amenorrhea, accompanied by symptoms such as aversion to cold and cold limbs, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, Yougui Pills can warm and tonify kidney yang, nourish blood and regulate menstruation, and adjust the menstrual cycle.

3. Geriatric Diseases

In the elderly, kidney yang gradually declines, often accompanied by symptoms such as aversion to cold and cold limbs, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, frequent urination at night, and decreased sexual function. Yougui Pills can be used as a commonly used formula for regulating insufficient kidney yang in the elderly. By warming and tonifying kidney yang, replenishing essence and marrow, it can improve the physical function of the elderly, enhance the quality of life, and prevent some chronic diseases caused by insufficient kidney yang.

4. Late-stage Chronic Diseases

For some chronic diseases, such as chronic nephritis, chronic bronchitis, diabetic nephropathy, etc., if the course of the disease is prolonged and damages kidney yang, and symptoms of insufficient kidney yang appear, Yougui Pills can be added based on syndrome differentiation and treatment. It helps to warm and tonify kidney yang, improve the general symptoms of patients, enhance the body's resistance, and promote the recovery of the disease.

VII. Modifications

1. Those with spleen deficiency diarrhea

Atractylodes macrocephala and Poria cocos can be added to strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhea. Atractylodes macrocephala is sweet, bitter and warm in nature, belonging to the spleen and stomach meridians, capable of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, drying dampness and promoting diuresis. Poria cocos is sweet, light and neutral, belonging to the heart, spleen and kidney meridians, promoting diuresis to eliminate dampness, strengthening the spleen, and calming the mind. The two cooperate with the original prescription drugs to enhance the effect of strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea, and are applicable to the syndrome of Yougui Pills accompanied by weakness of the spleen and stomach, abnormal transportation and transformation, resulting in diarrhea.

2. Those with frequent nocturia

Alpinia oxyphylla and Mantis egg-case can be added to warm the kidney and reduce urination. Alpinia oxyphylla is pungent and warm in nature, belonging to the spleen and kidney meridians, having the effects of warming the kidney, astringing essence and reducing urination, warming the spleen and promoting appetite and controlling salivation. Mantis egg-case is sweet, salty and neutral, belonging to the liver and kidney meridians, capable of astringing essence and reducing urination, tonifying the kidney and assisting yang. For patients with insufficient kidney yang and loss of bladder control in the syndrome of Yougui Pills, presenting with frequent nocturia, adding these two herbs can effectively improve the symptoms.

3. Those with五更泄泻

Psoralea corylifolia and Nutmeg can be added to warm the kidney and spleen, and strengthen the intestine to stop diarrhea. Psoralea corylifolia is pungent, bitter and warm in nature, belonging to the kidney and spleen meridians, capable of tonifying the kidney and assisting yang, astringing essence and reducing urination, warming the spleen and stopping diarrhea. Nutmeg is pungent and warm, belonging to the spleen, stomach and large intestine meridians, capable of astringing the intestine to stop diarrhea, warming the middle-jiao and promoting qi movement. The combination of the two is aimed at the symptoms of五更diarrhea due to insufficient kidney yang and spleen-kidney yang deficiency, enhancing the effect of warming the kidney and spleen and stopping diarrhea.

VIII. Dosage (Traditional and Modern Concentrated Granules)

1. Traditional method

The traditional usage is to use eight liang of prepared Rehmannia glutinosa, four liang each of Dioscorea opposita and Cornus officinalis, three liang each of Lycium barbarum, Cuscuta chinensis, Cornu cervi colla, and Eucommia ulmoides, two liang each of Cinnamon Twig and Prepared Aconite Root, and three liang of Angelica sinensis, and make it into pills for taking. Generally, take an appropriate amount each time and send it down with warm boiled water. With this traditional method of making pills, after the drugs are processed, the medicinal effects are mild and persistent, being convenient for storage and taking.

2. Modern concentrated granules

Modern concentrated granules are made by extracting and concentrating the drugs in Yougui Pills into granules. When taking, directly flush with boiling water, which is convenient and fast. The dosage depends on the product instructions of different manufacturers and the specific conditions of the patients. Modern concentrated granules retain the active ingredients of the drugs, and are more convenient to take, being more suitable for the modern fast-paced lifestyle, but there may be slight differences in the exertion and duration of the medicinal effects compared with traditional pills.

IX. Precautions and Taboos

1. Those with yin deficiency and excessive fire should avoid using

Yougui Pills is a formula for warming and tonifying kidney yang. In patients with hyperactivity of fire due to yin deficiency, there is deficiency of yin fluid in the body and upward flaming of deficient fire. If taking Yougui Pills, it will further aggravate the symptoms of hyperactivity of fire due to yin deficiency, such as dry mouth and throat, hectic fever and night sweating, and feverish sensation over the five centers (palms, soles and chest), so it should be contraindicated.

2. Caution for Damp-Heat Excess

In patients with internal exuberance of damp-heat, there is damp-heat pathogen in the body. Yougui Pills is warm in nature and is likely to assist dampness and generate heat, aggravating the condition. Such patients should first clear heat and promote diuresis to remove dampness, and then carefully select Yougui Pills according to the specific situation after the symptoms of damp-heat are alleviated.

3. Caution for Pregnant Women

Pregnant women need to be cautious when taking medicine. Drugs such as Prepared Aconite Root and Cinnamon Twig in Yougui Pills are warm in nature and may have adverse effects on the fetus. Although the specific effects are not yet clearly defined, to ensure the safety of the fetus, pregnant women should use it with caution. If necessary, it must be used under the guidance of a doctor.

4. Dietary Taboos during Medication

During the period of taking medicine, it is necessary to avoid eating raw, cold, greasy, spicy and other stimulating foods. Raw and cold foods are likely to damage the yang qi of the spleen and stomach. Greasy foods are not easy to digest and may affect the absorption of medicine. Spicy foods tend to promote the production of fire and heat, which is contrary to the warming yang nature of Yougui Pills, and all are not conducive to the recovery of the disease.

X. Modern Research Progress

1. Pharmacological Action Research

The formula contains wolfberry fruit, dodder seed, dogwood fruit, Chinese yam, achyranthes bidentata, cyathula officinalis, eucommia bark, Chinese angelica, cassia bark, prepared common monkshood, deer horn glue, tortoise plastron glue, etc. Modern research shows that Yougui Pills can treat various diseases such as aplastic anemia, etc., and have anti-aging effects. Taking Yougui Pills requires the guidance of a doctor, pay attention to taboos, and the pulse condition is mostly deep and slow.

Modern research shows that Yougui Pills have a variety of pharmacological effects. It can regulate the body's endocrine system, increase the serum testosterone level, enhance gonadal function, and thus improve sexual function. It also has a regulatory effect on the immune system, can enhance the body's immunity and improve the body's resistance to diseases. It can also improve the blood circulation of the kidneys, promote the metabolism of kidney cells, and has a certain protective and reparative effect on kidney function.

2. Clinical Efficacy Observation

Yougui Pills can warm and tonify the kidney yang, treat yang deficiency of the kidney yang, kidney yang deficiency, decline of kidney yang, decline of mingmen fire, etc. Its efficacy is to tonify kidney yang, warm and strengthen kidney yang, tonify the kidney, and is applicable to impotence, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, spermatorrhea with night sweats, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, weakness of the waist and knees, weakness of the lower back and legs, fatigue, exhaustion, hectic fever, sexual dysfunction, neurasthenia, lumbar muscle strain, etc. Yougui Pills are paired with Zuogui Pills. Zuogui Pills tonify kidney yin, nourish kidney yin, replenish essence and blood, fill essence and marrow, benefit essence and blood, treat kidney yin deficiency, deficiency of kidney yin, hyperactivity of fire due to yin deficiency, and regulate yin-yang imbalance through the mutual nourishment of yin and yang, seeking yang from yin, seeking yin from yang, the rise of yin with the help of yang, and the assistance of yang with the help of yin.

In clinical research, Yougui Pills have achieved good curative effects in the treatment of diseases related to yang deficiency of the kidney yang. For male diseases such as impotence and premature ejaculation, it can effectively improve the symptoms of patients and improve sexual function. In gynecological diseases such as infertility due to cold uterus, it can increase the chance of pregnancy and improve the reproductive function of patients. When symptoms of yang deficiency of the kidney yang appear in the later stage of some chronic diseases, Yougui Pills can relieve systemic symptoms such as aversion to cold and cold limbs, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, and improve the quality of life of patients.

3. Safety Research

The safety research on Yougui Pills is also continuously deepening. It is found that when used according to normal dosage and usage, Yougui Pills generally have good safety. However, for some special populations, such as the elderly, those with impaired liver and kidney functions, etc., they still need to be closely observed during the medication process and pay attention to the adverse reactions of the medicine. At the same time, with the development of modern research techniques, the understanding of the action mechanism and safety of Yougui Pills will be more comprehensive and in-depth, providing a more reliable basis for its rational clinical application.