Liver-blood deficiency chief

Shu Di Huang is sweet and slightly warm, and enters the Kidney and Liver meridians. As it is able to tonify the Kidney-essence and the Liver-blood directly, the function of tonifying the blood is quite strong. It is often used as chief in the formula for serious conditions of blood and essence deficiency, such as in those with a poor constitution, retardation of children and degeneration in elderly people. In the formula, this herb should be used with some herbs that regulate the Qi in the Middle- and Lower-Jiao to reduce its rich and heavy nature. 

Since each of the three factors - Liver-Qi stagnation, Uver blood deficiency and Spleen-Qi deficiency - can be a causative factor as well as a consequence of the others, the chief is used to treat the direct cause and the deputies treat the developed conditions and the consequences. Thus, the chief and the deputies can be selected from the following three groups of herbs. 

With regard to the structure of this formula, Liver-Qi stagnation predominates and Chai Hu is used as the chief herb. If blood deficiency is obvious and is the cause of the Liver-Qi stagnation, Dang Gui and Bai Shao should be used as chief herbs. When the Spleen-Qi has been very weak for a long period of time, and has led to blood deficiency and Liver-Qi stagnation, herbs that tonify the Spleen should be used as chief herbs. 

Sheng Di Huang is sweet, bitter and cold, and enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney meridians. As it can directly clear excess heat or empty-heat in the Heart, Liver and Kidney, it can calm the mind and relieve irritability and restlessness. It can cool the blood, thus the function of calming the mind is even stronger. It is frequently used as chief in the formula for treating excess or deficiency syndromes. 

Ren Shen and Bai Zhu are sweet and warm, and Fu Ling is sweet, neutral and bland. They all enter the Spleen meridian. They can directly tonify the Spleen and are selected as chief in the formula when the disharmony is caused directly by chronic Spleen deficiency. Moreover, they can also be used as deputies as they generate the Qi and blood, and can maintain the proper function of the Liver. In addition, they strengthen the Spleen in order to stimulate its resistance at the same time that the Liver-Qi is attacking the Spleen. 

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