Introduction to Zhibai Dihuang Pills: Formulas, Effects, and Comparisons with Other Dihuang Pills

Although Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is less commonly seen in clinical practice compared to Western Medicine, many traditional Chinese medicinal formulas have been passed down through the ages and are still widely used today. Among them, Zhibai Dihuang Pills are a familiar formula to many. This article will explore the formulas, effects, and comparisons of Zhibai Dihuang Pills with other Dihuang Pills.

1. Formula of Zhibai Dihuang Pills

Zhibai Dihuang Pills, originally known as Bujiyin Bawei Pills, are composed of Liuwei Dihuang Pills, which are further enhanced with Zhimu and Huangbo. The formula includes 40g of Zhimu, 40g of Huangbo, 160g of Shudi, 80g of Shanzhuyu (processed), 60g of Mudanpi, 80g of Huaishanyao, 60g of Yiyiren, and 60g of Zexie. It is primarily used to treat conditions such as kidney yin deficiency with excessive fire and lower-jiao damp-heat syndrome. This formula can also be prepared as a decoction, known as Bujiyin Bawei Jian.

2. Effects and Functions of Zhibai Dihuang Pills

Zhibai Dihuang Pills incorporate Zhimu and Huangbo into the original Dihuang Pills formula. Both Zhimu and Huangbo possess the ability to clear heat and reduce fire, thus endowing the formula with the effect of nourishing yin and clearing heat. It is indicated for symptoms such as yin deficiency with excessive fire, tidal fever with night sweats, dry mouth with sore throat, tinnitus with spermatorrhea, and short and dark urine. Zhimu clears heat and reduces fire, generates fluids and moistens dryness, and is used to treat conditions like exogenous febrile diseases, high fever with thirst, dry cough due to lung heat, bone-steaming tidal fever, internal heat consumption with thirst, and constipation due to dry intestine. Huangbo clears heat and dries dampness, reduces fire and eliminates steaming, detoxifies and treats sores, and is used for conditions like damp-heat diarrhea, jaundice, vaginal discharge, damp-heat strangury, beriberi, flaccidity and paralysis, bone-steaming labor fever, night sweats, spermatorrhea, swollen and poisonous sores and ulcers, and eczema with itching.

3. Comparisons of Different Dihuang Pills

Liuwei Dihuang Pills are composed of six herbal ingredients: Shudihuang, Shanzhuyu, Shanyao, Zexie, Mudanpi, and Fuling. Shudihuang nourishes yin and tonifies blood, Shanzhuyu tonifies the liver and kidney, astringes semen and stabilizes detachment, Mudanpi clears heat and cools the blood, promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, Shanyao tonifies the spleen and stomach, generates fluids and benefits the lungs, tonifies the kidney and astringes semen, Fuling promotes diuresis and eliminates dampness, strengthens the spleen and tranquilizes the mind, and Zexie facilitates urination and clears damp-heat. It is primarily used to treat symptoms such as dizziness and tinnitus, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, bone-steaming tidal fever, night sweats, spermatorrhea, and diabetes mellitus caused by kidney yin deficiency.

Guifu Dihuang Pills are formulated by adding Cinnamon and Monkshood Radix to Liuwei Dihuang Pills. They are particularly suitable for treating symptoms such as cold limbs, abdominal pain, clear and long urine, loose stool, impotence, spermatorrhea, or infertility in women caused by kidney yang deficiency. Strictly speaking, Guifu Dihuang Pills are formulated by adding warming and tonifying kidney yang herbs to Liuwei Dihuang Pills, which primarily nourishes kidney yin, thus achieving the purpose of tonifying both yin and yang.