Plantago asiatica

Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan is a well-known Chinese medicine prescription that people often mention when talking about tonifying the kidney and strengthening yang. According to qualifications, Wuzi Yanzong Pills originated as early as the Tang Dynasty. During the long process of more than one thousand years of use, it has earned the reputation of "the best seed prescription of all time". Wuzi Yanzong Pills are made up of five fruit or seed Chinese medicinal materials, including wolfberry, red berry, dodder seed, schisandra chinensis, and plantain seed. As its name suggests, the pill can nourish the kidney and replenish essence. It has been used by generations to treat impotence and infertility, spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, low back pain, and residual urine caused by kidney and essence deficiency. Because of its functions of increasing essence, replenishing kidney essence and benefiting kidney, it is favored by Chinese medicine practitioners of all generations. At present, it is widely used in the treatment of various symptoms of kidney deficiency and essence deficiency, such as men's diseases, gynecology, internal medicine, and geriatric rehabilitation.

Four of the ingredients in Wuzi Yanzong Pills are kidney-tonifying medicines, among which Cuscuta australis and Lycium barbarum are used in larger quantities as the main medicines.

Cuscuta australis tastes sweet and pungent, and is warm in nature. The pungent taste can moisten the lungs, while the sweet taste can nourish yin and blood. This medicine can nourish the deficiency of yang and yin, and its medicinal effect is not dry or greasy. It has astringent properties while being mild, and it works to warm and nourish the kidney yang, benefit the kidney qi, and lock in semen to stop nocturnal emission. Modern research shows that Cuscuta can improve sperm motility and has great potential in the treatment of male infertility.

Lycium barbarum is sweet in taste and warm in nature. It enters the kidney meridians and is specialized in nourishing the kidney and replenishing essence. It can both nourish insufficient kidney yang and warm and nourish the kidney yang. "Yaojian" records: "It replenishes Yin without causing Yin decline, and it stimulates Yang to make it erect." "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that "it is nourishing and replenishing in nature, and cannot reduce fever. It can only replenish the kidney, strengthen Yang, moisten the lungs, relieve cough, and produce essence and nourish blood. This is a tonic medicine. To put it simply, those who lack essence can be replenished with flavor." Lycium barbarum has the effects of enhancing immunity and delaying aging. Modern medical experiments have confirmed that wolfberry can directly regulate reproductive ability by enhancing immunity and nutrient metabolism, lower cholesterol, protect the urinary system, and significantly increase the number of spermatogonial stem cells.

Thornyberry tastes sweet and sour, is slightly warm in nature, and can consolidate semen, reduce urination, benefit the kidneys and protect the liver. The medicinal effect of blackberry is moderate. It warms the kidney without being dry, locks in essence without coagulating, and has the benefit of astringency while being nourishing. Li Zhongzi, a traditional Chinese medicine doctor in the Ming Dynasty, gave a high evaluation of blackberry in his "Compendium of Materia Medica". He said: "(Blackberry) nourishes the kidney without causing heat and irritability, and locks in essence without causing coagulation. It is a precious product." Modern scientific research has also confirmed the regulatory effect of blackberry on the body's hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Schisandra chinensis is slightly bitter, sweet, and warm in nature. It has the effects of astringency, nourishing qi and yin, and tonifying the kidney, strengthening yang, and calming the mind. People often comment that Schisandra chinensis has five flavors, mostly sour and sweet. Sour and sweet can transform yin, replenish qi and nourish yin body fluid, and nourish the yin of the kidneys. And it has astringent properties, which can stop semen from flowing out.

The above four flavors are well matched, which can nourish the insufficient kidney yang and warm and nourish the kidney yang. They can not only benefit the kidney but also astringe the semen. They nourish both yang and yin, and both nourish and astringe. Therefore, they are neither nourishing nor greasy, neither dry nor red, just right. Little did people know that the last ingredient of Ju Rui is Plantago seed, which has the effect of promoting the production of body fluids and having a smooth and astringent effect. This forces people to savor it carefully.

Salt Plantago seed is sweet in taste and is the only cold medicine in Ju Rui. It enters the liver, kidney, lung and small intestine meridians. Salt Plantago seed can clear away heat and detoxify, promote urination, eliminate dampness and treat diarrhea, clear the eyes and resolve phlegm. It is mainly used to treat symptoms such as painful stranguria, edema, diarrhea caused by summer heat and dampness, red and swollen eyes, and cough caused by phlegm and heat. So what effects can Plantain Seed have in the Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan recipe? Why not study it together.

"Explanation of Jingyue Complete Book" believes that the two parts of the human body's anterior yin are one for the sperm duct and the other for the water channel, and the two cannot be used at the same time. “The sperm duct is blocked by the water channel, and the water channel is blocked by the sperm channel. Therefore, all medicines that consolidate sperm and strengthen the kidney must be supplemented with diuretics, so that the sperm will be consolidated naturally… All those who have an erection will become impotent after urinating but will not ejaculate. This is a testimony.” Salt Plantago seed enters the bladder, spleen, and kidney meridians, and has the function of clearing water. If the water orifice is open, the essence orifice will be autistic. If the essence orifice is always closed, the essence will not be easily discharged. If the essence is sufficient, it will be accumulated and produced. If the essence is abundant, one will have children. "Ming Yi Bie Lu" also said: "After taking essence-locking medicine for a long time, taking this (Salt Plantain Seed) during sex will allow you to have children, and it can be used in Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan." This means that Salt Plantain Seed can benefit the dampness and lock the essence and gather the essence, and in Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan it plays the role of "Guardian General", not that Salt Plantain Seed itself has the effect of nourishing the kidney and replenishing essence.

Salt Plantago seed can also enter the Shaoyin spleen meridian, and its function is to descend and guide the elimination of dampness, thereby relieving the heat in the bladder. The heat in the bladder may be caused by damp-heat in the bladder, or it may be caused by the restless movement of the liver fire. When the evil fire plays tricks and fans the gate of sperm, it is easy to lead to the path of lust. The sperm chamber is disturbed and forced to go out, which finally affects creativity. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" talks about salt plantain: "A little bit of convenience will leak out cold and dampness, but it will not fan the fire of true yang, so the essence orifices will be closed and not leak out. After a long time, the true fire will be quiet, and the essence will be more solid. When the essence is solid, the yin will be strong, and when the essence is abundant, a child will be born."

When talking about the effect of Wuzi Yanzong Pills in Guangsi Yaoyu, it is commented that it "replenishes essence, replenishes kidney and nourishes essence, and dredges kidney essence", and the effect of dredging kidney essence is even more dependent on Plantago seed. "Bencao Qiuzhen" says: "Water is unblocked by Qi, and essence is discharged by fire. Therefore, when water is gone, fire becomes stronger, and when essence is strong, Qi becomes stronger. In other words, taking this medicine can make people fertile." In addition, when Plantain seed is used with the other four tonic medicines, it can nourish without stagnation, and when paired with Schisandra chinensis, it can have both unblocking and astringent effects. It should not be underestimated because it does not have the function of nourishing, and it should not be deleted casually.

Many friends easily fall into the rut of listing various nourishing and health-preserving medicines when talking about food supplements, especially now that people pay much attention to their physical condition. Most of the traditional Chinese medicines with nourishing effects on the market are relatively inexpensive, which makes it easier for people to get lost in the selection of nourishing medicines. Little do people know that dietary supplements in Chinese medicine are not just a rigid method. They must take into account the body condition and functions of the internal organs of the target patient, and strive to achieve balance without being one-sided. Just like the prescription of Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan, the five components each perform their duties and work together to adjust the body's reproductive function to the best, so that seed breeding is a natural result.