OsteoHerbal

Therapeutic Actions

Osteoporosis prevention and treatment
Taken for fractured bones or to prevent, particularly for the elderly who suffer osteoporosis
Weakness of the back and limbs and gums
Chinese Therapeutic Effects

Strengthens the bones
Invigorates the blood
Tonifies the qi of organs
Tonifies yang
Administration

Internal: 3 tablets TID between meals 
May be taken long term 
90 tablets, 750 mg., 10 day supply 
Contraindications: Spleen deficiency (see Additional Formulas). Also this is a warming formula. It should not be used for excess or deficient heat (see Clinical Notes).

Ingredients

Deer antler (corni cervi) (lu jiao), Gui Jiao (gui jiao), Cistanche salsa herb (rou cong rong), Rehmannia (cooked) root (shu di huang), Tortoise shell (from Chinemys reevesii) (gui ban), Spatholobus stem (ji xue teng), Ardisia gigantifolia root (zou ma tai), Cinnamon twig (gui zhi), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong), Red Peony root (chi shao), Chaenomelis fruit (mu gua), Evodia fruit (wu zhu yu), Codonopsis root (dang shen), Tang Kuei root (dang gui), Licorice root (gan cao)

Formula

This is an empirical formula based on Dr. Fung's 60 years of clinical experience.

According to Chinese medicine, aging results in the diminution of the fundamental substances, particularly essence and yang qi. Since the kidney rules the bones, insufficient essence leads to weakened bones, thus many elderly individuals are susceptible to bone fractures under circumstances that would not affect younger persons. This corresponds with the biomedical condition of osteoporosis.

In this formula, the chief materia medica lu jin, strengthens the sinews and bones, as does gui ban. The latter two ingredients also nourish the yin and blood. To restore the kidney's production of essence, cistanche salsa (rou cong rong) is added to the formula.

Blood must also be tonified and nourished in order to maintain production of essence; this is accomplished through the herbs tang kuei (dang gui), and rehmannia (shu di huang). Ligusticum (chuan xiong), spatholobus (ji xue teng), and ardisia (zou ma tai) invigorate the blood; the latter also strengthens the sinews and bones. Due to insufficient fundamental substances, the elderly are also prone to patterns of cold and stasis. Thus, in this formula, ardisia (zou ma tai), cinnamon twig (gui zhi), chaenomelis (mu gua), and evodia (wu zhu yu) are added to dispel cold and stasis. Codonopsis (dang shen) and licorice (gan cao) tonify the yang; the latter herb also harmonizes the herbs in the formula.

Clinical Notes

Do not use when excess heat, deficiency heat, or damp-heat signs are present such as thirst, red tongue, rapid pulse, dark, scanty, or painful urination, insomnia, red eyes, hard-stool constipation, or blood-heat bleeding.

Works particularly well in conjunction with calcium supplementation and weight bearing exercise