Table 3.
Nomenclature and classification of selected Yang and Yin tonifying herbs *
| Pharmaceutical name (Chinese pinyin) | Plant part used | Latin botanical name |
| Yang tonifying herbs | ||
| Cortex Eucommiae (Duzhong) | Bark | Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. |
| Fructus Psoraleae (Buguzhi) | Fruit | Psoralea corylifolia L. |
| Herba Cistanches (Roucongrong) | Whole plant | Cistanche salsa (C.A. Meyer) G. Beck. |
| Herba Epimedii (Yinyanghuo) | Whole plant | Epimedium grandiflorum Morr. |
| Radix Dipsaci (Xuduan) | Root | Dipsacus japonicus Miq. |
| Radix Morindae (Bajitian) | Root | Morinda officinalis How |
| Rhizoma Cibotii (Gouji) | Rhizome | Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm. |
| Rhizoma Drynariae (Gusuibu) | Rhizome | Drynaria fortunei (Kunze) J. Sm. |
| Semen Cuscutae (Tusizi) | Seed | Cuscuta chinensis Lam. |
| Herba Cynomorii (Suoyang) | Whole plant | Cynomorium songricum Rupr. |
| Yin tonifying herbs | ||
| Fructus Ligustri (Nuzhenzi) | Fruit | Ligustrum lucidum Ait. |
| Herba Dendrobii (Shihu) | Whole plant | Dendrobium nobile Lindl. |
| Herba Ecliptae (Mohanlian) | Whole plant | Ecliptae prostrata L. |
| Radix Asparagi (Tianmendong) | Root | Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. |
| Radix Ophiopogonis (Maimendong) | Root | Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker-Gawl. |
| Radix Oryzae (Nuodaogenxu) | Root | Oryza sativa L. |
| Rhizoma Polygonati (Yuzhu) | Rhizome | Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce |
| Semen Prinsepiae (Ruiren) | Seed | Prinsepia uniflora Batal. |
| Semen Sesami (Heizhima) | Seed | Sesamum indicum L. |
| 'Fu Zheng' herb | ||
| Ganoderma (Lingzhi) | Fruiting body | Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. Ex Fr.) Karst |
| Yin-Yang tonifying herb | ||
| Cordyceps (Dongchongxiacao) | Whole plant | Cordycep sinensis |
*Adapted from Liang [17]