Shou Wu Tablets, 250 tablets

Shou Wu Tablets is a formula intended to provide a substantial dose of ho-shou-wu; here, both processed shou wu (more tonifying effect) and raw shou wu (more cleansing effect) are utilized. According to the Chinese-English Manual of Commonly-Used Herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, this herb is mainly used to "invigorate the liver and kidney, benefit essence and blood; for insufficiency of essence and blood manifested as baldness, backache with weakness of the knee joint, immovability of extremities, hemiplegia and paraplegia; for blood deficiency syndrome manifested as sallow complexion, palpitation, dizziness, somnambulism, epilepsy, urticaria, and dermatoxerasia; for hypofunction of the liver and kidney with emission or leukorrhea; recently, also used for hypercholesterinemia and atherosclerosis." Shou Wu Tablets additionally includes the small formula Erzhi Wan (eclipta plus ligustrum) which is a common component of modern therapies to treat premature graying of hair and for hair loss, as well as for menopausal syndrome and other conditions marked by yin deficiency; that formula is said to function more effectively with the addition of morus fruit, which is included here. These ingredients also help to inhibit the agitation of internal wind (due to liver blood and yin deficiency) that leads to tinnitus and dizziness. Alpinia is added to promote digestion of the yin and blood nourishing tonics. This formula is particularly appropriate for signs of premature aging, such as drying of the skin, loss and whitening of the hair, and aching of the lower back and limbs; it can supplement formulas used in treating menopausal hot flashes. See also Sheng Fa Wan (Pine Mountain), which is based on modern Chinese herb treatments for alopecia.*