Discussion on strengthening yin of Chinese herbs with bitter-flavor / 中华中医药杂志

ABSTRACT

Chinese herbs with bitter flavor have the function of purgation and dryness as well as strengthening yin.Strengthening Yin means keeping and maintaining yin fluid.Actually,it is to draw assistance from some Chinese herbs with bitter flavor to purge excessive fire in order to maintain yin qi by heat-clearing and fire-purging,that is to say purging fire to keep or save yin.Strengthening yin of bitter herbs is different from the moistening and nourishing function of sweet-cold herbs.It can be generally divided into three aspects purging ministerial fire and restoring renal yin,clearing heat and purging fire to maintain yin fluid;purging to preserve yin.Strengthening yin doesn't mean the property and flavor of bitter-cold can nourish yin directly.We should not only emphasize clearing fire by using herbs with bitter in flavor and cold in nature,but also pay attention to nourish yin.It is causal relation that exists between purging fire and maintaining yin.The former is only a means and method,and the latter is objection and effect.Because the bitter-flavor can only damage yin by bitterness and dryness but is not good at benefiting yin,we cannot strengthen yin by using bitter herbs in treating yin-deficiency syndrome without excessive fire.