Cistanche and Deer Penis Soup，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Nourishes the kidneys and replenishes essence. Suitable for infertility caused by kidney deficiency and essence depletion.
the whole decoction leans warm; use with caution in those with yin deficiency and internal heat or lingering excess heat; in the absence of frank deficiency, or where an excess or heat pattern prevails, indiscriminate warming tonic use is inadvisable; the warming-tonic nature is inadvisable during damp-heat, yin deficiency with fire, or episodes of exterior-heat
Commentary
The formula is led by cistanche as the sovereign herb; with warm nature and sweet, salty flavor, having Kidney, Large Intestine tropism, it chiefly tonifies kidney yang, benefits essence and moistens the intestines, striking at the root of the condition. These are joined ministerially by pair of deer penises (with warm nature and sweet, salty flavor, having Kidney tropism, tonifies kidney yang and supplements essence and marrow), and ginger (warm in nature and pungent in flavor, with Lung, Spleen, Stomach tropism, disperses cold, relieves cough and harmonizes the stomach), reinforcing the sovereign’s main effect. Finished with scallions, harmonizing the stomach and supporting dietary nourishment, and cooking wine, acting as the envoy to harmonize the various ingredients, the formula attains a regulated, neither-excess nor-deficient balance. Together the herbs converge on this action, in accord with the kidney deficiency pattern.