Shenru Wan
Classical TCM Formula Profile
Ingredients
| Herb Name | English Name | Historical Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Ren Shen | equal parts | |
| human milk | equal parts |
Traditional Indications
Shenru Wan is recorded in Yi Fang Ji Jie as a historical formula for the combined support of qi and blood. The source summarizes its purpose as strongly supplementing qi and blood. These expressions belong to traditional Chinese medical theory and should not be read as biomedical diagnoses or treatment claims.
Preparation & Administration
The two powders are combined with honey and made into pills. The text also records a method for preparing powdered human milk. A small amount of milk from a healthy young woman is placed in a silver or tin ladle, floated over boiling water, and then floated over cold water so that it dries. The dried material is scraped off for use. If a powder does not form readily, the source says to use a method resembling the preparation of a thin starch sheet.
Formula Rationale
The commentary describes human milk as being transformed from yin and blood. It is traditionally credited with moistening dryness, lowering fire, enriching blood, and supplementing deficiency, an idea the text calls ‘using the human to supplement the human.’ The source also records cautions: it may burden the Spleen with dampness, loosen the bowels, or create a greasy sensation in the chest. It therefore favors using it as a freshly prepared powder, obtained from one person rather than mixed sources, because prolonged storage may make it oily.
Traditional Rationale
The formula is classified as acting through the Hand and Foot Taiyin and Foot Jueyin channels. Ren Shen is said to strongly supplement original qi, while human milk is understood as originating from blood. Their combination is presented as a simple but ingenious way to support both qi and blood.