You Gui Wan

Functions

You Gui Wan mainly functions to warm and strengthen kidney-yang and to replenish essence and blood. It is primarily used to treat kidney-yang insufficiency, declining fire from the gate of life, cold limbs with aversion to cold, lassitude in the loin and knees, fatigue, lack of appetite, diarrhea, impotence and seminal emission, and cold pain in the lower abdomen.

Dosage Info

Dosage Honeyed pills. 9g/pill. 1 pill bid or tid. for adult. half dose for child below 7 years. 5:1 concentrated extract: 9 grams/day. Dosage reduce by half for children under the age of seven.

Ingredients

• Dang Gui
• Du Zhong
• Rou Gui
• Shan Yao
• Shan Zhu Yu
• Shu Di Huang
• Fu Zi
• Gou Qi Zi
• Lu Jiao Jiao
• Tu Si Zi

Precautions

General: Raw and cold food should be avoided while under treatment with You Gui Wan.

Side Effects: Patients with hyperactivity of fire due to yin deficiency should use with caution.

Pharmacology

Enhancing immunity: In 15 cases of senile coronary heart disease and hypertension treated with You Gui Wan for a month, CD4/CD8 was significantly increased and the imbalance in T4/T8 was improved. (1) Administered to yang-deficient mice with hydroxide cortisone-induced immune hypofunction, You Gui Wan can partially counteract the hormone’s effect on spleen lymphocytes (this effect of You Gui Wan is milder on thymus lymphocytes), significantly raising the lowered plaque number and increasing the in vitro survival rate of spleen cells. (2) , (3)

Regulating trace element levels: Administered to rabbits of modeled kidney-yang deficiency, You Gui Wan can restore the lowered levels of copper, iron, manganese, chromium, nickel, and cobalt in the whole blood to normal. (4) , (5)

Effects on animals of experimental kidney-yang deficiency: You Gui Wan can protect the submicrostructure of liver cell nucleus in animals of experimental kidney-yang deficiency. Rats with adenine-induced kidney-yang deficiency typically experience symptoms such as weight loss, hindered growth and development, aversion to coldness, lethargy, decrease in basal body temperature, diuresis, and hypofunction in eliminating metabolic waste products. They also to have lowered levels of testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone, T3, and T4. Treatment with You Gui Wan can, to varying degrees, ameliorate the aforementioned symptoms and biochemical indicators. (6) Furthermore, rats of experimental kidney-yang deficiency have a significantly higher-than-normal spontaneous discharge in the cerebral gray substance and a slower-than-normal reaction to stimulation. Treatment with You Gui Wan, however, can reverse these changes. (7)

Delaying the aging process of brain tissue: You Gui Wan affects the activities of monoamine oxidase and of free radicals and the function of memory-related receptors. It can decrease the lipofuscin level in brain tissue and significantly enhance the activities and thermal stability of DNA methylase in the brain of rats. (8) You Gui Wan also decreases the level of oxyproline hydroxyproline in the kidney and heart of aged mice and rats, and lowers the level of urine protein in aged rats to that of their juvenile counterparts. (9)

Effects on reproductive organs: You Gui Wan appears to have the duo function of increasing or suppressing the weight of the uterus. (10) In treating infertility due to kidney-yang deficiency, You Gui Wan can promote early follicular growth and development. (11)

Effects on sex hormones in patients with kidney-yang deficiency: You Gui Wan can increase the serum testosterone level and decrease the estradiol level in male yang-deficient patients. In female patients, it can increase the serum estradiol level, but has no effect on the testosterone level. (12)

Clinical Applications

Treating hypothyroidism
A modification of Shen Qi Wan was used to treat 20 cases of hypothyroidism. The modified formula consisted of Shu Di Huang (cooked Rehmannia), Shan Yao (Dioscorea), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus), Ze Xie (Alisma), Fu Ling (Hoelen), Mu Dan Pi (Moutan), Rou Gui (Cinnamon Bark), Fu Zi (Aconite), Che Qian Zi (Placenta), and Mu Tong (Akebia). The results: 12 cases significantly improved, 7 cases improved, and the remaining 1 case did not respond to the treatment, with a total effective rate of 95%. (13)

Treating endometrorrhagia
You Gui Wan was used to treat 86 cases of pubescent functional uterine bleeding without ovulation. The following herbs were used: Shu Di (cooked Rehmannia), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus), Du Zhong (Eucommia), Tu Si Zi (Cuscuta), Gou Qi Zi (Lycium Fruit), Lu Jiao Jiao, Dang Gui (Dang Gui), Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga), Huang Qi (Astragalus Root), Tai Zi Shen (Pseudotellaria Root), Bai Zhu (white Atractylodes), and Duan Mu Li (processed Oyster Shell). After being treated for three menstrual cycles, 38 cases significantly improved, 42 cases improved, and 6 cases did not respond to the treatment, with a total effective rate of 80%. (14)

Treating lumbago due to osteoporosis
One hundred and thirty-six cases of lumbago due to osteoporosis were treated with You Gui Wan. The formula included: Shu Di (cooked Rehmannia), Shan Yao (Dioscorea), Gou Qi (Lycium Fruit), Tu Si Zi (Cuscuta), Du Zhong (Eucommia), Niu Xi (Achyranthes), Rou Gui (Cinnamon Bark), Dang Gui (Dang Gui), Fu Zi (Aconite), Hong Hua (Carthamus), Chuan Shan Jia (Anteater Scales), and Tao Ren (Persica). The formula was processed with honey and made into pills (6g/pill) and taken orally, 1 pill each time, 3 times per day. The results: 76 cases resolved, 45 cases improved, and the remaining 15 cases did not respond to the treatment, with a total effective rate of 89%. (15)

In treating 48 cases of senile osteoporosis, another study used Zuo Gui Wan patients with kidney-yin deficiency, and You Gui Wan for patients with kidney-yang deficiency. The results: 9 cases significantly improved, 26 cases improved, 9 cases responded to the treatment, and the remaining 4 cases did not respond to theatment. (16)

Treating sciatica
A modification of You Gui Wan was used to treat 48 cases of sciatica. The results: 66.7% of the patients fully recovered, and overall, 91.7% had benefited from the treatment. (17)

Treating male infertility
A modification of You Gui Wan was used to treat 6 cases of male infertility. The formula was taken in bolus form in the morning and at noon. In the evening, it was taken in decoction form. After 3 weeks, one ingredient, Lu Jiao Jiao, was replaced with Lu Rong, and Ren Shen was added. The results: after being treated for 2-4 months, 83.3% of the patients regained fertility. (18)

Treating Sheehan’s syndrome
15 case of Sheehan’s syndrome were treated with You Gui Yin, You Gui Wan, and modified Jing Gui Shen Qi Wan. For patients with qi deficiency and spleen-yang insufficiency, the following herbs were added: Ren Sheng (or Dang Shen), Huang Qi, Bai Zhu, and San Yao; for patients with both qi and blood deficiencies, the formula Ba Zhen Tang was added to the treatment. The results: 11 cases recovered, 3 cases improved, and the remaining case did not respond to the treatment, with a total effective rate of 93.3%. (19)

References

1. Bao Yan Xi, et al. You Gui Wan’s regulatory effect on the peripheral blood T cells in patients of senile coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. Journal of Applied Integrated Medicine. 1997;10(1):7-8.
2. Shi Yu Hua, et al. You Gui Wan and Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang: The histology and histochemistry of the formulas’ effect on hydroxide cortisone-modeled mouse liver tissue. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 1983;24(5):62-65.
3. Zhang Yu Zheng, et al. You Gui Wan’s regulatory effects on immune cells. Shanghai Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbs. 1985;(6):47-48.
4. Guo Hong, et al. The You Gui Wan treatment for kidney-yang deficiency syndromes and the relevancy of trace elements. Journal of Hubei College of TCM. 1999;1(1):45.
5. Ma Wei, et al. Treating kidney-yang deficiency syndromes with You Gui Wan: The trace element approach. Journal of Trace Elements and Health Research. 1999;16(2):39-42.
6. Zheng Ping Dong, et al. Modeling kidney-yang deficient animal with adenine. China Journal of Medicine and Drug. 1990;5(3):68-69.
7. Sun Qi Xin, et al. You Gui Wan’s effect on cerebral gray matter’s unit discharge in kidney-yang deficient rats. Shaanxi Journal of TCM. 1993;14(11):521-522.
8. Gong Bing, et al. Advances in research on kidney-invigorating Chinese herbs’ anti-aging effect. China Journal of TCM Information. 1999;6(10):22-24.
9. Mao Liang, et al. Huan Jing Jian’s anti-aging effect (VII): Huan Jing Jian and You Gui Wan’s effects on the levels of oxyproline hydroxyproline and urine protein in animal tissue. Shanghai Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbs. 1986;(6):46.
10. Zhao Hong Wu, et al. The effects of Zuo Gui Wan and You Gui Wan on the weight of the mouse’s uterus. Journal of Chinese and Western Pharmacy. 1993;8(3):147-148.
11. Hua Qi Tian, et al. Treating infertility due to kidney-yang deficiency with You Gui Wan. Shaanxi Journal of TCM. 1990;11(1):39.
12. Wang Qi. You Gui Wan’s effect on sex hormones in spleen-yang deficient patients. Journal of Chinese Patented Medicine. 1988;(12):25-26.
13. Li Wen Jing, et al. TCM clinical and experimental research on hypothyroidism. National Journal of Medicine Forum. 1998;13(6):39-41.
14. Guo Feng He. Treating pubescent functional uterine bleeding without ovulation by reinforcing the kidney and regulating the Chong Meridian. Shanxi Journal of TCM. 1996;12(3):19-20.
15. Lan Shao Bing, et al. Treating 136 cases of lumbago due to osteoporosis by reinforcing the kidney and removing blood stasis. Fujian Journal of Chinese Medicine. 1999;30(1):29-30.
16. Chen Kai Yang. On the relationship between kidney deficiency and senile osteoporosis. Journal of Guiyang College of TCM. 1998;20(4):43-44.
17. Xu Ji Xiang. Treating sciatica with a modification of You Gui Wan. Sichuan Journal of TCM. 1985;3(11):51.
18. Chen Jin Guang. Treating male infertility with a modification of You Gui Wan. Henan Journal of TCM. 1988;8(4):31.
19. Zhang Yao Zong. Treating 15 cases of Sheehan’s syndrome: The kidney approach. Journal of Integrated Medicine. 1989;9(11):693-694.