Jue Ming Cong Rong Tea

【Composition】Cassia seeds (Jue Ming Zi) and Cistanche (Rou Cong Rong), 10g each, honey as needed.

【Function】Warms yang, moistens intestines, and relieves constipation.

【Indications】Habitual constipation, senile constipation. Symptoms include dry stools, difficulty passing stool, clear and abundant urine, pale complexion, cold limbs, and abdominal cold pain.

【Preparation】Stir-fry Cassia seeds until yellow, then grind finely with Cistanche. Place in a thermos, steep with boiling water for 20 minutes, add honey, and drink as tea. One dose daily.

【Contraindications】Not suitable for yin deficiency with fire excess or diarrhea. Avoid for constipation caused by excess heat in the intestines.

【Notes】Habitual and senile constipation fall under TCM categories of "damp constipation" or "cold constipation," often due to yang deficiency or aging-related kidney yang weakness. Cold accumulates in the intestines, leading to impaired bowel movement. Cassia seeds, sweet-bitter and slightly cold, target the liver and large intestine, clearing liver heat and lubricating the bowels. They contain anthraquinone glycosides (hydrolyzed into glucose, emodin, rhein, etc.), vitamin A, and fatty oils, proven to have laxative, antibacterial, cholesterol-lowering, and hypotensive effects. Cistanche, sweet-salty and warm, tonifies kidney yang and moistens dryness, making it ideal for age-related blood-deficient constipation. Combined with honey for intestinal lubrication, this formula acts as a mild laxative without depleting vitality. Elderly patients with hypertension or coronary disease may benefit from its dual effects of lowering blood pressure/lipids and improving bowel function.

Cistanche’s Benefits:

Tonifies kidney yang, nourishes essence-blood, and moistens intestines for bowel movement. Used for impotence, infertility, weak knees/lumbago, frail tendons, and dry constipation.

Applications

1. For kidney deficiency (impotence, premature ejaculation, cold lumbago, weak tendons): pair with cooked rehmannia, dodder seed, or cornus. For cold pain or weakness, combine with dipsacus or psoralea.

2. For dry constipation: use with hemp seed or platycladi seed.

Precautions: Contraindicated for yin deficiency with fire excess or diarrhea.