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Recommended by holistic veterinarians, Herbsmith Rx Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin is a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) herbal formula designed to help manage Kidney and Liver Yin deficiency in dogs and cats, while also nourishing and moving Blood. A variation of the classical Rehmannia Six formula (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan), Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin builds on that foundational Yin-nourishing base by adding Dang Gui Tou to nourish and move Heart and Liver Blood, Du Zhong to consolidate the Kidneys and support the Kidney Yang that anchors Yin, and Huai Niu Xi to strengthen the lower body and guide the formula's nourishing action downward to its Kidney and Liver targets. In TCVM, Yin deficiency is best understood through its clinical signs: dryness, intolerance to heat, and the generation of deficiency Heat that arises when Yin can no longer cool and anchor Yang. In veterinary practice, the Yin-deficient patient is often the older animal presenting with a dry, hacking cough, nighttime restlessness (Yin governs the nighttime hours), cognitive changes including dementia and senility, or hyperthyroidism; many other Western-defined disorders with Yin deficiency as the TCVM pattern are also appropriate presentations for this formula. Available in powder for dogs (75g, 150g, 500g, 900g, 1200g) for dogs and cats. Dosing varies by body weight; your authorizing veterinarian will provide specific guidance.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
What It Supports
- Kidney and Liver Yin deficiency management: Based on the classical Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Rehmannia Six) formula, the most foundational Kidney and Liver Yin tonic in the TCVM materia medica; Shu Di Huang, Shan Yao, and Shan Zhu Yu nourish Kidney Yin, Essence, and Liver Blood while Ze Xie, Fu Ling, and Mu Dan Pi (the three-herb drainage group of Rehmannia Six) prevent Yin tonic stagnation by draining and clearing.
- Blood nourishment and movement alongside Yin tonification: The formula's key modification from classical Rehmannia Six is the inclusion of Dang Gui Tou, which nourishes Liver and Heart Blood and gently moves Blood; in Yin-deficient patients, the Blood is often also deficient because Yin and Blood share a common root and are mutually generated; nourishing Blood alongside Yin ensures that both the liquid-cooling aspect and the nourishing-circulatory aspect of the Yin-Blood foundation are restored.
- Older animal Yin deficiency presentations: In veterinary practice, supports the management of the clinical presentations most commonly associated with Kidney and Liver Yin deficiency in aging dogs and cats, including dry hacking cough from Lung Yin deficiency with insufficient fluid moistening the airways, nighttime restlessness from deficiency Heat disturbing the Shen during the Yin hours, and cognitive changes from insufficient Kidney Essence and Yin to nourish the brain and Shen.
- Deficiency Heat management: Yin deficiency generates deficiency Heat when Yin can no longer cool and control Yang; this relative Heat produces the heat intolerance, restlessness, nighttime agitation, panting, and, in cats, the hyperthyroid-associated hypermetabolic state that characterizes the advanced Yin-deficient patient; nourishing Yin directly addresses the root of this deficiency Heat generation.
TCVM Principles
- Primary action: Nourish Kidney and Liver Yin, tonify Kidney Essence, nourish and move Liver and Heart Blood, consolidate the Kidneys, clear deficiency Heat, and support the lower Jiao as the foundation of Yin and Essence production.
- Approach: In TCVM, Yin deficiency is best understood as dryness, intolerance to heat, and the generation of deficiency Heat. The Kidneys are the root of all Yin in the body: Kidney Yin (also called Kidney Water or Kidney Essence) provides the foundational cooling, moistening, and nourishing substance from which all other organ Yin is generated. The Liver depends on Kidney Yin to nourish its Blood and control its Yang; when Kidney Yin is insufficient, Liver Yin and Blood become deficient as well, leading to the combined Kidney-Liver Yin deficiency pattern that is among the most commonly encountered patterns in older dogs and cats. The classical Liu Wei Di Huang Wan addresses this pattern with a balanced six-herb formula of three tonifying herbs (Shu Di Huang, Shan Yao, Shan Zhu Yu) and three draining herbs (Ze Xie, Fu Ling, Mu Dan Pi) that prevent the tonics from creating stagnation. Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin preserves this foundational structure and adds Dang Gui Tou to nourish and move Blood alongside the Yin, Du Zhong to consolidate the Kidney's holding function and support the Yang-in-Yin that prevents excessive Yin Cold from accumulating, and Huai Niu Xi to strengthen the Liver and Kidneys and guide the formula's nourishing action to its lower Jiao targets. This formula is appropriate for dogs and cats showing Yin deficiency presentations including dry hacking cough, heat intolerance, nighttime restlessness or insomnia, cognitive decline, and Western-defined conditions with Kidney or Liver Yin deficiency as the underlying TCVM pattern.
Available Forms
- 75g Powder - Canine: Starter size; mix into food twice daily according to body weight dosing. Appropriate for smaller dogs or initial trial before committing to a larger supply.
- 150g Powder - Canine: Mid-size supply for small to medium dogs or a 1-2 month supply for cats.
- 500g Powder - Canine: Standard supply for medium to large dogs; appropriate for ongoing long-term use.
- 900g Powder - Canine: Larger supply for big dogs or multi-pet households; cost-effective for consistent long-term daily use.
- 1200g Powder - Canine: Bulk size for very large dogs or extended treatment courses appropriate to the chronic nature of Yin deficiency.
Ingredients
Active ingredients: Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia glutinosa, prepared) - Cooked Rehmannia root; Dang Gui Tou (Angelica sinensis, head) - Angelica root head (Tang Kuei); Shan Yao (Dioscorea opposita) - Chinese Yam; Du Zhong (Eucommia ulmoides) - Eucommia bark; Huai Niu Xi (Achyranthes bidentata) - Achyranthes root; Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis, honey-prepared) - Honey-prepared Licorice root; Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus officinalis) - Cornus fruit.
Inactive ingredients: Flaxseed (in all powder forms).
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Active Ingredient TCVM Actions
Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin is a seven-herb formula built on the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan structure, with three modifications that add Blood nourishment, Kidney consolidation, and directional guidance to the classical base. The original six-herb structure divides into three tonifying herbs and three draining herbs to ensure the Yin tonic action nourishes without stagnating; the modifications add nourishing depth and directional specificity:
- Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia glutinosa, prepared) - Cooked Rehmannia root: The chief herb and the cornerstone of the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan formula base; the most important Yin and Blood tonic in the TCVM materia medica; nourishes Kidney Yin and Essence, tonifies Liver Blood, fills the Marrow (in TCVM, Marrow includes the substance of the brain and spinal cord), and addresses all aspects of the Kidney-Liver Yin and Blood deficiency pattern; the prepared (cooked/Shu) form is specifically tonifying rather than cooling, making it appropriate for the primarily deficiency presentation of this formula.
- Dang Gui Tou (Angelica sinensis, head) - Angelica root head (Tang Kuei): The formula's primary addition to the classical Rehmannia Six base and the ingredient from which this formula's name derives; the head of the Angelica root specifically tonifies Blood without strongly moving it, making it the appropriate preparation for a primarily nourishing formula; nourishes Liver and Heart Blood to complement Shu Di Huang's Kidney Yin and Essence tonification, addressing the Yin-Blood mutual deficiency that characterizes the combined Kidney-Liver deficiency pattern; the formula's name, Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin, honors this herb's central role in adding Blood nourishment alongside the classical Yin-tonifying structure.
- Shan Yao (Dioscorea opposita) - Chinese Yam: One of the three tonifying herbs in the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan base; tonifies Kidney Yin and Essence, strengthens the Spleen and Lung, and consolidates Essence; its Spleen-strengthening action ensures the digestive foundation needed to produce Yin and Blood from food Essence is intact; also nourishes Lung Yin, making it particularly relevant for Yin-deficient patients presenting with dry cough.
- Du Zhong (Eucommia ulmoides) - Eucommia bark: The second of the formula's key additions to the classical Rehmannia Six base; tonifies Kidney Yang and Yin, strengthens sinews and bones, and consolidates the Kidney's holding function; Du Zhong's Kidney Yang-supporting action addresses the Yang-within-Yin principle: adequate Kidney Yang is needed to activate and warm the Yin so it can be generated and circulated rather than becoming Cold and stagnant; particularly important for the older Yin-deficient patient in whom constitutional Yang is also declining alongside the Yin, and for patients presenting with lower body weakness, lumbar soreness, or joint stiffness alongside the Yin deficiency signs.
- Huai Niu Xi (Achyranthes bidentata) - Achyranthes root: The third of the formula's key additions; strengthens the Liver and Kidneys, nourishes Yin and Blood, invigorates Blood in the lower body, and guides the formula's actions downward to the Kidney and Liver; Huai Niu Xi's downward-directing action is important in this formula because Yin deficiency with deficiency Heat tends to cause Heat and Yang to rise while the lower Jiao becomes increasingly deficient; directing nourishment downward counteracts this tendency and ensures the formula's Yin-tonifying herbs reach the Kidney and Liver rather than being dissipated upward.
- Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis, honey-prepared) - Honey-prepared Licorice root: Tonifies Spleen and Lung Qi, nourishes Yin, harmonizes the formula, and moderates the actions of all other herbs; the honey preparation enhances its Qi and Yin tonifying properties and its ability to support the middle Jiao; as the formula's harmonizing herb, Gan Cao ensures the combined tonifying and draining actions work together smoothly; also provides mild Lung Yin nourishment relevant to the dry cough presentation.
- Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus officinalis) - Cornus fruit: One of the three tonifying herbs in the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan base; nourishes and astringes Liver and Kidney Yin and Essence, stabilizes Kidney Essence to prevent its leakage, and tonifies the Liver; its astringent action is essential in the Yin-deficient patient because deficiency of Essence and Yin involves not only insufficient production but also failure to hold and retain what is produced; Shan Zhu Yu's consolidating and astringent action prevents the continual loss of Yin and Essence that perpetuates the deficiency, making it an indispensable part of any long-term Yin-tonifying formula.
Potential Drug Interactions
Herbsmith Rx Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin contains Shu Di Huang (prepared Rehmannia), which is a rich, cloying Yin tonic that may affect digestion in animals with Spleen Qi deficiency, Dang Gui Tou, which has mild Blood-nourishing and Blood-moving properties, and Du Zhong, which may influence blood pressure. Dogs and cats on prescription medications should use this formula under veterinary supervision.
Medication categories warranting extra caution include thyroid medications (this formula is used in the TCVM management of patterns underlying hyperthyroidism; animals on methimazole or other thyroid medications should be monitored by their veterinarian for any changes in thyroid values or medication requirements), anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications (Dang Gui Tou has mild Blood-moving properties; concurrent use with anticoagulants warrants veterinary monitoring), antihypertensive medications (Du Zhong may have mild blood pressure-influencing properties), and animals on multiple concurrent prescription medications. Your veterinarian can determine appropriateness based on your pet's condition, current medications, and laboratory results.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Yin deficiency look and feel like in dogs and cats, and how does this formula help?
In TCVM, Yin deficiency is best understood as dryness, intolerance to heat, and the generation of deficiency Heat when Yin can no longer cool and anchor Yang. In dogs, common signs include a dry, hacking cough; panting or heat-seeking behavior; restlessness, especially at night (the Yin time of day); increased thirst; a dry coat; and, in older dogs, cognitive changes such as confusion or nighttime vocalization. In cats, signs often include hyperthyroid-associated restlessness and hyperactivity, excessive grooming or a dry coat, weight loss despite a good appetite, and night-waking. Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin nourishes the Kidney and Liver Yin and Blood that form the body's cooling and nourishing foundation, addressing the root deficiency that generates these signs and gradually restoring the Yin-Yang balance needed for normal function.
How is Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin administered, and what are the recommended doses?
Mix the powder directly into your pet's food twice daily. For dogs: under 30 lbs, give 1/2 teaspoon twice daily; 30-80 lbs, give 1 teaspoon twice daily; 80-120 lbs, give 1-1/2 teaspoons twice daily; over 120 lbs, give 2 teaspoons twice daily. For cats: give 1/4 teaspoon twice daily. Administer as prescribed by your authorizing veterinarian, who may adjust dosing based on your pet's specific pattern and response.
How is Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin different from standard Rehmannia Six (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan)?
The classical Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is a six-herb formula with three Yin tonic herbs balanced by three draining herbs, designed to nourish Kidney and Liver Yin without causing stagnation. Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin preserves this foundational six-herb structure and adds three modifications that give it a broader and deeper nourishing action: Dang Gui Tou adds Blood nourishment alongside the Yin tonification to address the Yin-Blood mutual deficiency common in older animals; Du Zhong adds Kidney Yang support and sinew-strengthening to consolidate the Kidney's holding function and address the Yang-within-Yin needed to activate Yin generation; and Huai Niu Xi adds lower body strengthening and guides the formula's nourishing action downward to the Kidney and Liver. The result is a formula that nourishes Yin more broadly, addresses Blood deficiency alongside Yin deficiency, and is particularly well-suited to the older animal with combined Kidney-Liver Yin and Blood deficiency.
How long does it take to see results, and is this formula appropriate for long-term use?
Because Tang Kuei Harmonize Yin addresses a constitutional deficiency pattern rather than an acute condition, improvement typically unfolds gradually over weeks to months. Animals with mild or shorter-standing Yin deficiency may show improvement in heat tolerance, restlessness, and coat quality within 4 to 6 weeks; animals with more severe or long-standing deficiency may require 2 to 3 months of consistent use before the full benefit is apparent. This formula is well-suited for long-term use in Yin-deficient patients, as Yin deficiency is generally a chronic constitutional pattern in older animals that benefits from continued nourishing support. Your authorizing veterinarian can monitor your pet's response and adjust dosing or duration as needed.
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