Liver-Yin deficiency

Before receiving drug treatment, patients with hypertension often have a syndrome of Liver-Yang ascending with Kidney-Yin and Liver-Yin deficiency. 

The drugs for treating hypertension can quickly descend the Qi and Yang of Liver, but they may suppress the Liver-Qi. They may also slow down water metabolism and blood circulation. Therefore the syndrome can change into one of Liver-Qi stagnation with Kidney-Yin and Liver-Yin deficiency, or Liver-Qi stagnation with dampness accumulation in the Middle-Jiao. 

The Liver is located in the Lower-Jiao. It belongs to wood in the Five-Element theory. It houses the soul and regulates the Qi movement and the blood circulation. The syndrome of Liver-Yin deficiency is often observed in chronic diseases, people over 50 years old or people with a constitution of Yin deficiency. 

The Liver-Yin deficiency often follows Liver-blood deficiency. In conditions where Yin and blood are both deficient, they are unable to house the soul, to spread the Qi and to regulate the blood, dream-disturbed sleep, depression, irregular menstruation and tiredness may arise. 

Liver-Yin deficiency may bring about the following consequences ... 

Shu Di Huang is sweet and slightly warm, and enters the Kidney and Liver meridians. It is a strong herb for tonifying the essence and blood, and can therefore nourish the Yin vigorously. It is often used in conditions of Liver-Yin deficiency where blood deficiency arises at the same time. As this herb is rich and cloying in nature and may bring an extra burden to the Stomach, herbs that promote Qi movement in the Middle-Jiao are required. 

Mu Dan Pi is bitter, pungent and slightly cold, and enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney meridians. It is particularly selected in the formula to cool the blood, reduce the empty-heat, dissolve the congealed blood and invigorate the blood. It is used when there are symptoms such as low-grade fever, warm palms and soles, heavy menstruation due to the heat in the blood, or amenorrhea due to Liver-Yin deficiency with stagnation of the blood. 

Yu Jin is pungent, bitter and cold, and enters the Liver, Heart and Lung meridians. It can promote the Qi movement and blood circulation. It is suitable for treating tenderness of the breasts, hypochondriac pain and distension, irritability and irregular menstruation in the condition of Liver-Yin deficiency with Liver-Qi and blood stagnation. 

Liver-Yin deficiency with blood stagnation use Yu Jin (Curcumae radix) and Mu Dan Pi (Moutan cortex) to promote blood circulation. 

Generally speaking, blood, Yin and essence all belong to the Yin because of their substantial form. In a syndrome of Liver-Yin deficiency, liver-blood deficiency is often the initial stage of Liver-Yin deficiency liquid-Yin deficiency is the second stage, and essence deficiency of the Liver and Kidney is the last stage. Thus, to tonify the Liver-Yin, herbs that tonify the blood and nourish the liquid-Yin and the essence are all selected. 

Herbs that tonify the blood form the main part of this formula, indicating the close relationship between the Yin and blood of the Liver. This also suggests that this formula is particularly suitable to be applied at the initial and second stages of Liver-Yin deficiency, which manifest as dizziness, blurred vision or decreased vision, numbness and tingling of the limbs, and cramp of the muscles. A red, dry tongue and a wiry, thready pulse are often observed in this condition. 

This is a formula devised for treating Liver-Yin deficiency with empty-heat and stagnation of the Liver-Qi. The symptoms are dizziness, tinnitus, hot flushes, irritability, palpitations and irregular menstruation. The tongue is red without coating and the pulse is thready, wiry and rapid. These symptoms indicate that the Yin of the Liver is seriously consumed, and is no longer able to hold the Yang. Moreover, the Kidney-Yin is also injured at the time of Liver-Yin deficiency. 

Since the Kidney and the Liver are both located in the Lower-Jiao, and the Kidney-essence and Liver-blood can change into each other, Yin deficiency of the Kidney is often accompanied by Liver-Yin deficiency, and causes corresponding symptoms. 

Herbs that regulate the Liver-Qi are often selected as Liver-Yin deficiency commonly coexists with Kidney-Yin deficiency and frequently causes Liver-Qi stagnation. 

The syndrome of Liver-Yang ascending is caused mainly by Liver-Yin deficiency. It often exists in people who are over 50 years old when the Yin of the Liver becomes weak with age people who are under persistent stress where the restrained heat in the Liver may easily injure the Yin people who suffer from chronic diseases, use certain medicines or have a dietary habit that leads to injury of the Liver-Yin. 

This formula is able to pacify the Liver-wind, clear heat and invigorate blood. It is used for treating the common syndrome or chronic condition of Liver-wind disturbance in a condition of Liver-Yin deficiency with Liver-Yang ascending. The main symptoms are headache, dizziness, irritability and... 

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