Pork Kidney and Psoralea Soup，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Warms the kidneys, strengthens the spleen, and astringes. Suitable for chronic colitis accompanied by loose stools and early-morning diarrhea.
the tonifying-warming action may aggravate internal heat; avoid during feverish or inflammatory episodes; as astringent herbs are present, they should not be used early while external pathogens, damp-heat, or food stagnation remain
Commentary
The formula is led by pork kidney as the sovereign herb; neutral in nature and sweet, salty in flavor, with Kidney tropism, it chiefly tonifies kidney qi and promotes urination, striking at the root of the condition. The ministerial support — psoralea (warm in nature and bitter, pungent in flavor, with Kidney, Spleen tropism, tonifies kidney yang, secures essence, warms the spleen and stops diarrhea) — reinforces the sovereign’s main effect and coordinates the drug strength. Together the herbs converge on this action, in accord with the spleen-kidney yang deficiency pattern.