INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: GU SUI BU - 骨碎補 - RHIZOMA DRYNARIAE

Pharmaceutical Latin: Rhizoma Drynariae
Common English: Drynaria Rhizome
Boneknit Root

CATEGORY

Herbs that Tonify the Yang

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Warm
Kidney
Liver
(Heart)
6-21g
To strengthen the Kidneys: 30g
Tincture: 2-5ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Tonifies Kidney Yang, strengthens the sinews and bones and benefits the ears (also helps regain strength after injuries)

Weak low back and knees, diarrhea, tinnitus, diminished hearing, loose, painful teeth and bleeding gums associated with Kidney Deficiency

Promotes mending of sinews and bones

Traumatic injuries such as falls, fractures, contusions and sprains

Especially useful for ligament injuries and simple fractures

Stimulates hair growth (topical)

Topically as a tincture for alopecia

Invigorates the Blood

Blood Stagnation especially due to trauma

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution for those with Yin Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency with Heat.
  • Use caution for those with lack of Blood Stasis.
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for those with Wind-Dryness.
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency Fire.
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency cramping.
  • Contraindicated for those with painful obstruction.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Do not use with Wind-expelling, drying herbs.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Concurrent administration of Gu Sui Bu with kanamycin has shown to have a preventative effect on drug-induced ototoxicity, however it does not seem to reverse the effects, once deafness has occurred.
  • This herb may be effective in treating tinnitus and numbness caused by streptomycin.

MAJOR COMBINATIONS:

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae
Niu Xi
Cx. Rasus Cinnamomi
Rou Gui Xin

Rx. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao

Hb. Asari
Xi Xin
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Kidney Yang Deficiency causing unremitting low back and lower extremity pain.

Chronic diarrhea and tinnitus.

Kidney Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising causing toothache and loose teeth.

Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Rz. Cimicifugae
Sheng Ma

Rx. Dipsaci
Xu Duan

Rx. Dipsaci
Xu Duan
Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo Yao
Pyrite
Zi Ran Tong

or

Rx. Dipsaci
Xu Duan
Pyrite
Zi Ran Tong
Plastrum Testudinis
Gui Ban
Myrrh
Mo Yao

As a mouth rinse for loose teeth and swollen, painful gums.

Injury to the muscles, sinews and bones by trauma.

Injury to the muscles, sinews, and bones by trauma with a stronger effect.

Cx. Lycii
Di Gu Pi
Hb. Dendrobii
Shi Hu

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Fr. Corni
Shan Zhu Yu
Poria
Fu Ling
Rz. Alismatis
Ze Xie

Tooth pain and redness and pain and swelling of the gums.

Tinnitus, deafness and gradual loosening of the teeth.

 

NOTES:

  1. This herb is especially effective at treating ligament injures and simple fractures and aids in recovering strength during convalescence.
  2. It is primarily used for repairing shattered bones.
  3. Powder this herb and roast in pig’s kidney for chronic Kidney Yang Deficient type diarrhea.
  4. Gu Sui Bu means “mend broken bones”. This herb is most often used for broken bones which usually are accompanied by Blood Stasis.
  5. Some sources say that this herb stops bleeding.
  6. Some sources say that this herb acts as a diuretic.
  7. For toothache, bleeding gums or loose teeth, this herb may be used alone in decoction and in powder as a toothpaste.
  8. Both Gu Sui Bu and Rz. Cibotii Gou Ji tonify the Liver and Kidney sand strengthen the tendons and bones to treat soreness and pain in the lower back and knees and weakness in the sinews and bones due to Liver and Kidney Deficiency. Gou Ji is sweet and warm with a stronger ability to tonify the bones and spine and expel Wind-Dampness. Gu Sui Bu is bitter and warm with a stronger ability to invigorate Blood and stop pain. It can also direct downward to treat tinnitus and toothache due to floating Yang.
  9. Sand-fried Drynaria Sha Chao Gu Sui Bu is more friable, less fibrous and easier to decoct.
  10. Both Gu Sui Bu and Rx. Dipsaci Xu Duan tonify the Liver and Kidney to strengthen tendons and bones and Invigorate the Blood to treat traumatic injuries. They work as a pair to treat bone fractures. They also prevent and treat osteoarthritis by increasing bone mass density. Gu Sui bu more strongly tonifies the Kidneys. Xu Duan also treats restless fetus and stops bleeding.