Classic formula · Tonify yang
You Gui Wan
右归丸 Restore the Right Kidney Pill
The deep yang tonic, the mirror of Zuo Gui Wan. For the person whose Kidney fire has been low for years: exhausted, always cold, a cold weak back, loose teeth and thinning bones, low fertility, loose stools, and a pale puffy face. Richer and warmer than Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, with no draining herbs.
Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan relights a pilot light. You Gui Wan rebuilds the whole stove and then lights it. It is for the person who has been cold so long the structure has started to give.
Also sold as: Right-Restoring Pill · You Gui Yin (the decoction version)
Who You Gui Wan is for
This formula is chosen for 3 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Exhaustion with a dread of cold
- Cold, weak low back and knees
- Loose teeth, weak bones, early aging in a cold person
- Impotence, infertility, or low drive with cold signs
- Loose stools or early-morning diarrhea
- Incontinence or dribbling urine
- Swollen legs
- Pale puffy face
- Tongue
- Pale, swollen, wet.
- Pulse
- Deep, slow, and weak.
What is in You Gui Wan
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shu Di Huang Prepared Rehmannia Root Use caution | 24 g | Chief | Prepared rehmannia fills yin and essence, the material the yang burns. |
| Fu Zi Prepared Aconite Lateral Root High caution | 6 g | Chief | Processed aconite warms the Kidney fire. Small dose, always processed. |
| Rou Gui Cassia Bark Use caution | 6 g | Chief | Cinnamon bark warms the Kidney and the low back. |
| Lu Jiao Jiao Deer Horn Gelatin Use caution | 12 g | Deputy | Deer antler glue fills essence, blood, and marrow. |
| Shan Yao Chinese Yam Rhizome | 12 g | Deputy | Chinese yam steadies the Spleen and holds essence. |
| Shan Zhu Yu Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit | 9 g | Deputy | Cornelian cherry holds the essence in. |
| Gou Qi Zi Chinese Wolfberry Fruit Use caution | 12 g | Deputy | Goji nourishes Liver and Kidney. |
| Tu Si Zi Dodder Seed | 12 g | Assistant | Cuscuta seed warms and holds the Kidney. |
| Du Zhong Eucommia Bark | 12 g | Assistant | Eucommia bark strengthens the low back and knees. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 9 g | Assistant | Angelica nourishes blood so the warming herbs do not dry it. |
How You Gui Wan works
Rehmannia, goji, cornelian cherry, and deer antler glue fill the deep reserve. Aconite and cinnamon light the fire under it. Eucommia and cuscuta carry the warmth to the back and knees. There is no draining herb, so the formula is strong and also heavy, and it suits a person whose digestion can take a rich tonic.
Actions in classic terms
- Warms and tonifies Kidney yang
- Fills essence and nourishes blood
- Strengthens bones and the low back
Common changes to You Gui Wan
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
Cautions with You Gui Wan
- Very warm and very rich. Not for anyone with heat signs: a dry mouth, night sweats, a red tongue, irritability.
- Contains processed aconite and deer antler glue. Tested brands only; never raise the dose on your own.
- Needs a working Spleen. Bloating or no appetite means start with Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan instead.
- Pause during a cold, flu, or fever.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day with warm water, the usual label dose
- Decoction
- One bag a day in two doses. The antler glue is melted into the strained decoction.
- Course
- Three to six months, usually through the cold half of the year.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying You Gui Wan
The box reads You Gui Wan with the characters 右归丸. Ten ingredients including Aconite, Cinnamon bark, Eucommia, and deer antler glue. Vegetarian versions drop the glue and are lighter.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Contains processed aconite and an animal product. Tested brands only.
Formulas often confused with You Gui Wan
- Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan 金匮肾气丸 Lighter and self-draining, with far less warming. The place to start for a cold picture.
- Zuo Gui Wan 左归丸 The mirror formula for the yin side: the same deep tonics with tortoise shell instead of aconite and cinnamon, for a warm dry person.
- Er Xian Tang 二仙汤 A short, sharp formula for menopausal hot flashes on a cold base. Not a long-course tonic.
Conditions where You Gui Wan comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and cautions.
- Zhang Jie-bin, Jing Yue Quan Shu, 1624 Source text.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.