Prepared Fleeceflower Root Classic Formulas … Natural Herb Library

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Tonifies the Liver and Kidney and nourishes essence and blood ... Zhi Shou Wu is used for dizziness, weak lower back and knees, tinnitus, and depletion patterns associated with aging or long illness.
Nourishes blood and supports the hair ... traditional use especially emphasizes premature graying, hair thinning, and dryness linked to Liver-Blood and Kidney-essence insufficiency.
Strengthens sinews and bones ... the processed form is preferred when long-term deficiency has led to weakness, soreness, or reduced structural resilience.

Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan (七宝美髯丹) ... famous essence-and-blood tonic formula for premature graying, weakness, dizziness, and hair depletion in which He Shou Wu is a central herb.
Shou Wu Yan Shou Dan (首乌延寿丹) ... longevity-tonic lineage emphasizing the prepared root for chronic deficiency and aging-related weakness.
Liver-Kidney tonic pairings with Gou Qi Zi, Nu Zhen Zi, or Hei Zhi Ma ... common traditional strategies when hair, tendons, and essence-blood all need support.

Materia medica tradition sharply distinguishes raw and prepared He Shou Wu ... raw for toxin and bowel-moistening use, prepared for nourishing the Liver, Kidneys, blood, and hair.
Processing with black soybean is one of the best-known examples of paozhi changing both therapeutic emphasis and toxicity handling.
PREPARATION NOTE: this page is specifically for the processed tonic form and should not be flattened back into raw He Shou Wu.