Clears heat and cools the blood - Sheng Di Huang is central to febrile disease patterns with crimson tongue, irritability, heat entering the nutritive-blood level, and blood-heat bleeding.
Nourishes Yin and generates fluids - it is used for thirst, dry mouth, deficiency heat, and residual dryness after warm disease or chronic depletion.
Stops bleeding from blood heat - traditional indications include nosebleed, uterine bleeding, hemoptysis, and rash or macules when heat agitates the blood.
Moistens dryness and benefits the bowels - it is added when heat and Yin damage lead to dry constipation.
Secondary Actions
Classical texts distinguish fresh Xian Di Huang from dried raw Sheng Di Huang, but modern materia medica often discusses them together within the raw Rehmannia family.
Its cold, rich nature makes it inappropriate for weak digestion with dampness or diarrhea unless balanced in formula.
Classic Formulas
Qing Ying Tang - nutritive-level heat formula using Sheng Di Huang to cool blood while protecting Yin.
Qing Wei San - Stomach-fire and bleeding-gum formula in which Sheng Di Huang cools the blood and nourishes Yin.
Bai He Di Huang Tang - classical formula pairing Bai He with fresh Sheng Di Huang juice for post-febrile Yin-deficiency agitation.
Zhi Gan Cao Tang - pulse-restoring formula that uses Sheng Di Huang to enrich Yin and blood.
Classical References
TCM Wiki describes Di Huang as sweet, bitter, and cold, entering the Heart, Liver, Stomach, and Kidney to clear heat, cool blood, stop bleeding, and nourish Yin.
Traditional formula literature repeatedly places Sheng Di Huang in blood-heat bleeding, warm-disease, and Stomach-Yin depletion patterns.
Modern Research
Active Compounds
Catalpol and related iridoid glycosides - signature constituents of raw Rehmannia
Verbascoside / acteoside and related phenylpropanoid glycosides - important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory markers
Polysaccharides - major macromolecular fraction in tonic and immunology research
Saccharide and glycoside fractions - key quality-control constituents discussed in the Rehmannia literature
Studied Effects
A 2024 review summarized Rehmannia glutinosa within a classical anti-depression herb pair and reviewed anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and related pharmacologic interests (PMID 39539631).
Experimental work reported anti-aging effects through maintenance of hematopoietic stem-cell quiescence and reduced senescence (PMID 30891565).
Another study found Rehmannia glutinosa suppressed inflammatory responses elicited by advanced glycation end products, supporting anti-inflammatory relevance of the raw herb family (PMID 22327862).
Spleen deficiency with loose stool or damp encumbrance
Cold-damp middle-burner patterns without heat or fluid injury
Cautions
The distinction between fresh Xian Di Huang and dried raw Sheng Di Huang is blurred in some modern literature, so processing form should be checked when precise formula matching matters.
The herb can be cloying and may aggravate loose stool or abdominal fullness in weak digestion.
MSK page not found - drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database