Replenish the Left is a faithful rendition of the classical formula Restore the Left Kidney Decoction (Zuo Gui Yin). It derives its name from the Chinese physiological view that Kidney Yin is stored in the left Kidney, while Yang resides in the right Kidney. It addresses Yin deficiency by tonifying Liver Blood and Kidney Yin and strengthening the Spleen. Depleted Kidney Essence (Jing) results, to varying degrees, in an increase of Internal Fire. This causes body fluids to move recklessly, manifesting as occasional spontaneous emissions and night sweats, indicatively occurring during the night, when Yin predominates. Overwork, coupled with inadequate rest, irregular diet and excessive sexual activity overtax the “Root of Life” energy housed in the Kidneys, creating an underlying pattern of Kidney Yin deficiency, manifesting as dryness in the human body. Such symptoms as occasional dryness of the mouth and throat, skin, hair, eyes and vagina are good indicators that Kidney Yin needs to be replenished. Additionally, the Kidney Qi resides in the lower back, which can occasionally become sore and achy when Yin is depleted. Replenish the Left tonifies Kidney Yin while nourishing Liver Blood and strengthening the Spleen. It is an excellent tonic for the elderly or for anyone experiencing lack of vitality or occasional fatigue. Prepared Rehmannia root, the chief herb in this formula, tonifies the Blood, nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin, tonifies the Essence and strongly enriches the Yin. It combines with Chinese yam rhizome to address occasional dizziness and occasional weakness and soreness of the lower back associated with Liver and Kidney deficiency. Lycium fruit nourishes and tonifies Liver Blood and Kidney Yin and benefits the Essence. Asiatic cornelian cherry tonifies and augments the Kidneys and Liver, and tonifies the Essence and assists Yang. Poria tonifies the Spleen, transforms Phlegm, harmonizes the Middle Burner, quiets the Heart and calms the Spirit. Chinese yam rhizome tonifies and augments the Spleen and Stomach, and tonifies the Yin and Yang of the Kidneys. Honey fried Chinese licorice root and rhizome tonifies the Spleen, augments the Qi, clears Heat and moderates and harmonizes the characteristics of the other herbs in the formula. To further strengthen the Spleen, combine with Four Gentlemen, Six Gentlemen or Shen Ling Spleen Support. For concurrent Liver Qi stagnation and Spleen Qi deficiency, combine with Free and Easy Wanderer. ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTReplenish the Left is a classical, herbal formula taken from Collected Treatises of Zhang Jing-Yue (Jing Yue Quan Shu). Zhang, an early 17th-century scholar, wrote two texts in which he organized and compiled herbal knowledge from previous ages. Replenish the Left (Zuo Gui Yin) is a variation of Six-Ingredient Pill (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan). Six Ingredient Pill includes herbs to drain Fire due to deficiency, while Replenish the Left directly tonifies the Kidneys, addressing imbalances due to deficiency.
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