Ren Shen Formulas Used To Treat Indigestion Or Thirst
Ren Shen Formulas could be grouped by their indications: Indigestion and thirst.
By Hyunchang Cho, L.Ac., Ph.D ([email protected])
This is the second part of Ren Shen, which is continued from the August issue. I explained that Ren Shen is for enhancing digestion function rather than tonifying or boosting Qi. Also, I pointed out that Ren Shen replenishes saliva to help alleviate thirst by treating decreased secretion of digestive juice in the upper part of the digestive system. To conclude, Ren Shen mainly treats appetite, digestive function or pain in the digestion system.
In the September issue, I will discuss more regarding the clinical application of Ren Shen.
- Clinical Tips for using Ren Shen
In clinical practice, Ren Shen’s therapeutic effects for healing indigestion are enhanced when combined with other herbs such as Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Gan Jiang, Sheng Jiang, Zhu, and Mang Xiao. On the other hand, when Ren Shen is used with herbs such as Chai Hu, Wu Zhu Yu, Mai Men Dong, and Shi Gao, Ren Shen’s symptoms (Indigestion) will become milder or even absent sometimes, meaning only loss of appetite may appear without Indigestion.
This is why we should separate using Ren Shen formulas founded in Shang Han Lun and Jin Kui Yao Lue by indications for Indigestion and without Indigestion related symptoms. Ren Shen formulas with indigestion are used Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang formuals, Huang Lian Tang, Gan Jiang Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang, Liu Wu Huang Qin Tang, Xuan Fu Hua Dai Zhe Shi Tang, Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang, Hou Sheng Ban Gan Ren Tang, Sheng Jiang Gan Cao Tang, Xin Jia Tang, Ren Shen Tang formulas, Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang, Fu Zi Tang, Gan Jiang Ban Xia Ren Shen Wan, Da Jian Zhong Tang, Fu Ling Yin and such. And Ren Shen formulas without (or with milder forms of) Indigestion related symptoms are Xiao Chai Hu Tang formulas, Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Tang, Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang, Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, Mai Men Dong Tang, Zhi Gan Cao Tang, Mu Fang Ji Tang formulas, Wu Zhu Yu Tang and such.
For Ren Shen formulas with Indigestion as one of their main symptoms, it is easy to recognize Ren Shen’s clinical tips (Indigestion and low appetite) in patients. But with Ren Shen formulas used without Indigestion as one of their main symptoms, such an approach may become more difficult.
(1) Main Symptoms
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* Indigestion from overeating with uncomfortable sensation in the upper stomach region |
Among Shang Han Lun and Jin Kui Yao Lue formulas, the guiding herbs we can consider for Indigestion are Ren Shen, Huang Qin, Zhi Shi (+Zhu), Sheng Jiang, Mang Xiao, Ju Pi, and so on. Among them, Ren Shen is the most widely used herb. For Indigestion, we first consider Ren Shen, and if you cannot find the right formula among Ren Shen formulas, then we move on to the next possible guiding herbs.
Ren Shen’s Indigestion is characterized by:
① Chronic Indigestion and low appetite (chronic and persistent)
② Overeating is especially bad. On 8~9 occasions out of 10, overeating will cause frequent and serious Indigestion.
③ Indigestion will lead to fullness and discomfort of the epigastric region, where the stomach is located.
Ren Shen’s Indigestion is characterized by fullness and discomfort in the epigastric region.
In clinical practice, we must remember:
① When someone insists they have no indigestion issues because they have a habit of eating less, the patient is aware of their weak digestive system and knows overeating would cause a problem. We assume that such a person is prone to indigestion issues.
② When someone complains of overeating causing a headache, without the discomfort of the epigastric region, and insists they have Indigestion, it’s just a headache.
③ When someone complains of overeating causing a fullness, discomfort, and Indigestion of the lower stomach, without the discomfort of the epigastric region, and insists they have Indigestion, it is just discomfort caused by intestinal gas and is called stomach fullness.
