Yao Shan

Dioscorea opposita Thunb. Shan Yao (Chinese yam) (leaf, tuber, root) Allantoin, arginine, choline, glutamine, leucine, tyrosine, diosgenin, sinodiosgenin.50 Leaf juice for snakebite, root for asthma, cachexia, cough, debility, diarrhea, neurasthenia, polyuria, tuber is anthelmintic. 

Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix), Shan Yao (Dioscoreae rhizoma), Jing Mi (non-glutinous rice) and Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae radix preparata)... 

Shan Yao has a similar function to Dang Shen but is gentle. Since it has an astringent taste, it is also able to stabilize the Stomach-Yin and can treat thirst. 

Shan Yao is neutral and sweet, and enters the Spleen meridian. It can either tonify the Spleen-Qi or stabilize the Yin. It is especially selected in the formula as deputy to enhance the ability of the chief to tonify the Qi and treat both Qi and Yin deficiency in the Middle-Jiao. Shan Yao also possesses a slightly astringent property, which is helpful in stopping diarrhea. Furthermore, this herb also enters the Lung and Kidney meridians, and is often applied to tonify and stabilize the Qi and Yin of these organs. The common symptoms are lack of appetite, fatigue, loose stool, shortness of breath, thirst and sweating. 

Large amount of leukorrhea use Shan Yao [Dioscoreae rhizoma) and Che Qian Zi [Plantaginis semen) to eliminate the dampness in the Middle-Jiao. 

Among the deputy herbs, Bai Zhu is used to tonify the Spleen and dry the dampness Shan Yao is used to strengthen the Spleen-Qi and stabilize the Spleen-essence which has been lost due to chronic diarrhea Zhi Gan Cao is used in quite a large dosage to aid the strength of the herbs that tonify the Spleen-Qi, hence its use as deputy in this formula. 

Shan Yao is sweet, neutral and astringent, and enters the Lung, Spleen and Kidney meridians. It can moisten the Lung and tonify the Qi of the three organs and is mainly used as deputy in formulas to treat chronic conditions of Lung-Qi deficiency with Spleen-Qi and Kidney-Qi deficiency. 

The neutral and astringent Shan Yao, which enters the Spleen and Kidney meridians, is an assistant in the formula. As it is able to tonify the Spleen-Qi and stabilize the Kidney-essence, it assists the herbs that tonify the blood from the Liver and Kidney aspects. 

The third pair is Shan Yao and Fu Ling. Shan Yao nourishes and stabilizes the Spleen-Yin, and Fu Ling is able to drain out the dampness from the Spleen. 

Shan Zhu Yu stabilizes the Yin of the Liver and Shan Yao stabilizes the Yin of the Spleen. They act as assistants to help the chief and deputy herbs to make the formula more effective and more comprehensive in nourishing and stabilizing the Yin. 

Shan Yao tonifies and stabilizes the Nutritive essence of the Spleen. 

Fu Ling may remove dampness from the Middle-Jiao as the astringent Shan Yao may retain dampness. 

Shu Di Huang, Shan Zhu Yu, Tu Si Zi, Gou Qi Zi, Dang Gui and Shan Yao also serve as deputies. They tonify the essence and the blood and provide the material basis for Yang development. 

In the group of chief herbs, Shu Di Huang tonifies the Kidney-Yin and essence, Shan Zhu Yu tonifies and stabilizes the Liver-Yin and Shan Yao tonifies and stabilizes the Nutritive-essence of the Spleen. 

Leukorrhea use Jing Jie [Schizcmepetae herba), Huang Qin [Scutellariae radix) and Shan Yao [Dioscoreae rhizoma) to disperse and transform dampness. 

Chao Bai Zhu (dry-fried Atractylodis macrocephalae rhizoma) 75 Fu Ling (Poria) 60 g Ren Shen (Ginseng radix) 45 g Shan Yao (Dioscoreae rhizoma) 30 g Rou Dou Kou (Myristicae semen) 30 g Shan Zha (Crataegi fructus) 30 g Chao Shen Qu (dry-fried Massa medicata fermentata) 30 g... 

There are two groups of deputies Ren Shen, Shan Yao and Fu Ling tonify the Spleen and strengthen the function of Bai Zhu Mai Ya,... 

Rem Dcm Kcm is warm and pungent. It warms the Middle-Jiao, dries dampness and promotes digestion together with Shan Yao it can also stop diarrhea. 

Shan Yao (Dioscoreae rhizoma) 30 g Huang Qi (Astragali radix) 15 g Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae rhizoma) 18 g Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis radix) 9 g Ge Gen (Puerariae radix) 4.5 g... 

There are three assistants Ji Nei Jin aids digestion in order to strengthen the Spleen Ge Gen moves upwards, can ascend and spread the fluid, and enhance the ability of Huang Qi Wu Wei Zi has a sour taste, can stabilize the Qi and Yin, and enhance the ability of Shan Yao, Zhi Mu and Tian Hua Fen. 

Shan Yao [Dioscoreae rhizoma) Tonifies the Spleen-Qi and stabilizes essence. 

For concomitant kidney yang vacuity with cockcrow diarrhea, lower abdominal bloating, and thirst, add Sclerotium Poriae Cocos Fu Ling), Rhizoma Alismatis (Ze Xie), Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae Shan Yao), and Semen Cuscutae (Tu Si Zi). 

If abnormal vaginal discharge is due to downward percolation of spleen/kidney damp heat, add Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae Shan Yao), Semen Euryalis Ferocis Qian Shi), and Semen Plantaginis (Che Qian Zi). 

For diarrhea, add Rhizoma Pinelliae Tematae (BanXia) and Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao). 

For chronic diarrhea which will not stop, add Semen Myristicae Fragrantis (Rou Don Kou), Semen Dolichos Lablabis (Bai Bian Don), Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao), and Fructus Terminaliae Chebulae He Zi). 

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