Gui Lu Er Xian Jiao龟鹿二仙胶
Tortoise Shell and Deer Antler Syrup
Ingredients4 herbs
Indications
Depletion of the true origin with essence and blood insufficient— yin and yang both short, so the formula supplements both rather than choosing between them.
Clinical Manifestations
- Marked wasting and weakness in prolonged depletion
- Impotence, seminal emission or long-standing infertility
- Blurred vision and dizziness with a weak lower back
- Weak legs and general frailty in later life
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Yang deficiency predominant with cold limbs — combine with the strategy of You Gui Wan 右归丸
- Yin deficiency with heat predominant — combine with the strategy of Zuo Gui Wan 左归丸
- Weak digestion unable to handle the gelatin — take a smaller amount dissolved in warm water after food, with Chen Pi 陈皮 as a separate infusion
Contraindications
Not for anyone with an active infection, an exterior pattern, damp-heat or phlegm-damp, and not where the Spleen is too weak to digest a rich gelatin. Sourcing is a genuine issue: tortoise plastron comes from freshwater turtles, several of which are CITES-listed and threatened in the wild, and deer antler must come from licensed farmed deer. Only material with documented legal provenance may be used, and in many countries these products cannot be imported at all.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Not recommended in pregnancy. It is a strongly supplementing formula containing animal-derived materials and is not used during pregnancy; the treating practitioner should choose an alternative.
Related Formulas
References
Source Yi Bian 《医便》 · Ming
- Classical source as recorded in 《医便》 (public domain).
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.