Suo Yang - 锁阳 - Herba Cynomorii

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Cynomorii
Common English:	Cynomorium Stem Flesh Lock Yang Stem

Category

Herbs that Tonify the Yang

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet	Warm	Large Intestine Kidney Liver	4.5-16g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Benefits Jing and marrow, Nourishes Liver Yin and Blood, Strengthens the sinews and bones, Strengthens Yang, Tonifies the Kidneys	Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, infertility urinary frequency and spermatorrhea Weak sinews due to Deficient Jing and Blood Atrophy disorder (Wei Syndrome) from damaged Liver and Kidney Yin
Moistens the Intestines, unblocks the bowels and nourishes the Blood	Constipation due to Deficient Qi and Blood

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Hb. Cistanches Rou Cong Rong	Os Tigris Hu Gu Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae Niu Xi Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Shu Di Huang	Ootheca Mantidis Sang Piao Xiao
Impotence or infertility due to insufficiency of the Liver and Kidneys along with exhausted Jing and Blood. Postpartum constipation due to Jin Ye Deficiency.	Weakness, paralysis, motor impairment and atrophy of the musculature associated with atrophy syndromes from severely Deficient Liver and Kidneys.	Premature ejaculation, urinary incontinence, and urinary frequency from Deficient Kidney Yang.
Fr. Mori Sang Shen Mel Feng Mi	Hb. Cistanches Rou Cong Rong Poria Fu Ling Ootheca Mantidis Sang Piao Xiao Mel Feng Mi	Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Shu Di Huang Plastrum Testudinis Gui Ban
Constipation due to Yang Deficiency and insufficient Blood in the elderly or debilitated. (use a large dose)	Nocturnal emission and impotence.	Soreness and weakness of the back and knees.

Notes

1. It serves as a low-cost substitute for Hb. Cistanches Rou Cong Rong in constipation from Qi and Blood Deficiency, although it is less moistening.
2. Excess conditions are not an indication for it.
3. Once regarded as a medicinal for prolonging life, it is now used more for muscular innervation, treating motor impairment and paralysis, particularly in later life.
4. Suo Yang and Hb. Cistanches Rou Cong Rong are both sweet, salty and warm, and both tonify Yang, moisten the Intestines and unblock the bowels. Rou Cong Rong is superior at augmenting Jing and Blood and better for infertility, but it warms Kidney Yang less. Suo Yang moistens Dryness, nourishes the sinews and treats impotence, and it is used for impotence and for atrophy of the sinews and bones. In deficient patients with clumped constipation, Suo yang can take the place of Rou Cong Rong.
5. Suo Yang, Hb. Cistanches Rou Cong Rong and Testes et Penis Callorhini Hai Gou Shen are all salty; they augment the Jing and tonify the Kidney to treat male impotence, and their effects are alike. Suo Yang and Rou Cong Rong enter the Large Intestine channel and both treat constipation, while Hai Gou Shou does not. Instead it enters the Liver and Kidney channels and strengthens the low back and knees when they have been weakened by Kidney Deficiency. Suo Yang has the greater ability to strengthen the sinews. Hai Gou Shen warms more than Rou Cong Rong but nourishes the Jing and Blood less.
6. Wine-fried Cynomorium Jiu Chao Suo Yang has a stronger effect in tonifying Kidney Yang.