Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan
Star济生肾气丸 (Kidney Qi Pill from Formulas that Aid the Living)
Source: Ji Sheng Fang — Yan Yong-He (Song, 1253)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from Formulas that Aid the Living), from the Ji Sheng Fang (Formulas to Aid the Living) by Yan Yong-He.
Actions: Warms and tonifies Kidney yang; Regulates water and relieves edema.
Presentation: Kidney yang deficiency with water accumulation: severe pitting edema, cold sensations in the lower body, lumbago, fatigue, sensory numbness, and urinary difficulties.
Cautions:
- Contraindicated with yin-deficient fire, excess fire with damaged fluids, or an exterior condition
- May cause mild, self-limiting GI irritation (5/30 and 4/80 patients in two studies), resolving on discontinuation
Pharmacological effects reported:
- Hypoglycemic: marked two-hour fall in plasma glucose in 24 diabetic patients
Source: Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications: Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research. Art of Medicine Press, 2009, p. 675.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Shu Di Huang
as printed: Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata) 15g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base: tonifies underlying Kidney yin | |
|
Shan Zhu Yu
as printed: Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base | |
|
Shan Yao
processing: chao (dry-fried); as printed: Shan Yao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base | |
|
Fu Ling
as printed: Fu Ling (Poria) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base | |
|
Mu Dan Pi
as printed: Mu Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base | |
|
Ze Xie
as printed: Ze Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | Liu Wei base | |
|
Zhi Fu Zi
processing: pao (blast-fried); as printed: Fu Zi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata) 60g [9g]
|
9g | 15% | tonifies Kidney yang, warms lower body, treats chronic cold | |
|
Rou Gui
do not expose to heat; as printed: Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) 15g [3g]
|
3g | 5% | tonifies Kidney yang, strengthens Spleen, warms extremities | |
|
Chuan Niu Xi
processing: jin (soaked) with liquor; as printed: Chuan Niu Xi (Radix Cyathulae) 15g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | promotes urination, relieves edema | |
|
Che Qian Zi
processing: zheng (steamed) with liquor; as printed: Che Qian Zi (Semen Plantaginis) 30g [6g]
|
6g | 10% | promotes urination, relieves edema |
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net neutral (+0.10)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 20%, cool 10%, neutral 30%, warm 20%, hot 20%.
Pairs warm and cool. 40% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 30% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Small but decisive: Rou Gui 3g (hot, 5% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 15%
- sweet 50%
- sour 10%
- bitter 10%
- bland 15%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Kidney 100%
- Liver 55%
- Spleen 40%
- Heart 40%
- Lung 30%
- Bladder 10%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Fine powder with honey into pills the size of Wu Tong Zi; take 70 pills (9g) with rice soup on an empty stomach. May be decocted today with bracketed doses.
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Formula family
Each entry reads as the larger formula written out: “+” adds its other catalogue cores, then the herbs none of them hold. A catalogue formula counts as a core only when at least 80% of its herbs are present, no more than 1 is absent, and the absent herb is not its chief.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
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