Analysis on the application of traditional Chinese medicine to replenish the deficiency and replenish its mother

First paragraph: content overview
"If a deficiency is sufficient, then the mother organ will be replenished" is a specific application of the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine in clinical treatment. It means that when a certain organ is weak, its function can be indirectly restored by tonifying its "mother organ". The core content is divided into three parts:
1.Theoretical basis: The relationship between the five elements (for example, the liver belongs to wood, the kidneys belong to water, and water produces wood, so the kidney is the mother of the liver)
2.Application principles: For lung qi deficiency, nourish the spleen (earth-born metal), liver-blood deficiency and nourish the kidney (water-born wood), etc.
3.practice form: Including the compatibility of traditional Chinese medicine (such as Liuwei Dihuang Pills to nourish the kidney and liver), acupuncture point selection (Taixi point to nourish the kidney and liver), etc. Clinical application needs to be flexibly combined with specific syndromes.

Paragraph 2: Theoretical Origin and Correspondence of the Five Elements
This theory is derived from the treatment principle of "Huangdi Neijing", "If it is deficient, it will nourish the mother, if it is true, it will drain the child". Zhang Jingyue of the Ming Dynasty further explained it in "Lei Jing": "For example, if the branches of a tree are withered, its roots must be irrigated." The corresponding relationship between the five elements is:
-Wood (liver) → Fire (heart) → Earth (spleen) → Metal (lungs) → Water (kidney)
Typical applications include those with lung deficiency and chronic cough (Jin deficiency), who often use Sijunzi Decoction to nourish the spleen (earth); those with liver yin deficiency (wood deficiency), commonly use Rehmannia glutinosa, Cornus officinalis, etc. to nourish the kidney (water). It should be noted that it needs to be distinguished from the "direct supplementation" method. If the lung yin is deficient, it is still necessary to directly supplement the lung yin.

Section 3: Classic prescriptions and cases
"Pediatric Medicine Zhijue" records"Yihuang Powder"(Torifying the Spleen and Treating Cough and Asthma due to Lung Deficiency) is a representative prescription that contains spleen-strengthening drugs such as tangerine peel and cloves. In modern clinical practice:
- For chronic bronchitis (lung deficiency), Shenling Baizhu Powder is commonly used to replenish the spleen.
- Menopausal liver blood deficiency syndrome is often combined with tortoise shell and wolfberry to nourish the kidneys
Data show that among 300 patients with liver stagnation and spleen deficiency, the effective rate of kidney-tonifying methods is 18% higher than that of liver-soothing alone (see table below).

Paragraph 4: Modern applications and precautions
Modern Chinese patent medicines such asQiju Dihuang Pills(tonifying the kidneys, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight),Buzhong Yiqi Pills(Invigorating the spleen and benefiting the lungs) all embody this principle. Manufacturing companies include Beijing Tongrentang, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Group, etc. Note:
1. It requires TCM syndrome differentiation and cannot be applied on your own (for example, misuse of Liuwei Dihuang Pills for kidney yang deficiency may aggravate the symptoms)
2. Often combined with the "tonifying" method (such as tonifying the kidneys and a little bit of liver-soothing medicine)
3. Chronic diseases require a 3-6 month course of treatment.

Paragraph 5: Summary and extension
“What is deficient must be replenished” is a vivid embodiment of the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine, which emphasizes restoring balance by regulating system relationships. Modern research has confirmed that kidney-tonifying drugs can indirectly improve liver function by regulating the HPA axis (Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2021). This rule, together with other treatment methods such as "cultivating soil to generate metal", constitutes a unique therapy system of traditional Chinese medicine, which is suitable for sub-health conditioning, chronic disease recovery and other scenarios, but it needs to be used in conjunction with individual differences under the guidance of a professional physician.

Quote sources:
1. "Huangdi Neijing·Suwen"
2. Zhang Jingyue's "Lei Jing" (Ming Dynasty)
3. "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" 2020 edition (Qiju Dihuang Pill prescription)
4. Instructions for Beijing Tongrentang Liuwei Dihuang Pills
5. Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Group Buzhong Yiqi Pills production process standards