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San Ren Tang Modification

by bannink - August 9, 2009

Hi Steve,

I am wondering if Ren Shen is an acceptable herb to add to San Ren Tang as a modification. I have a patient with history of recent onset severe anxiety and noise phobia that was causing such severe anxiety that he was not eating well and losing a significant amount of weight (only ate in secluded quiet environment and would run an hide if any noises startled him). He had a history of chronic recurrent UTIs. I started acupuncture and San Ren Tang and noise anxiety is almost completely resolved but his appetite is still intermittent - some days eats well, other days acts like he wants to eat but after a taste refuses food and has to be hand or syringe fed. Full medical workup, including ultrasound, showed no abnormalities. Sorry, can't remember pulse off the top of my head - tongue is dark pink was also slightly lavender before SRT (I think pulse was wiry). Thinking of Ren Shen for appetite support, SP and Qi tonification, and additional shen calming. Does that sound reasonable? Got a better idea?

Thanks,

Erin

by naturevet

August 9, 2009

Hi Erin,

It doesn't really fit that well, so I'd at least use it independently, rather than mixing it in.

Where SRT helps, it tells us the dog may be 'clogged' with Damp, and not hungry as a result. Peristaltic herbs (e.g. Black Atractylodes) can help here (it's probably why cisapride works in cats). If the dog has more heat, even a food stasis formula like Bao He Wan is a good option.

That being said, if intuitively Ren Shen feels right, then just keep it separate from SRT for now, and give it as a distinct herb.

Hope that gives you some good ideas,

Steve

by bannink

August 10, 2009

Oh, sorry. This is a cat actually. The reason I had thought of Ren Shen is usually I use Panax Ginseng for antiemetic/appetite stim for cats for its 5HT3 effects and this guy needs something more but I don't want to abandon the San Ren Tang because it worked so well for the anxiety and did help the appetite somewhat via that effect. I'll keep thinking. Maybe I'll try a little on the side in the mean time.

Thanks,

-Erin

by bannink

August 25, 2009

Thought I would post an update for y'all:

I opted to just increase the dose of San Ren Tang and see what played out since we were getting some improvement. It took some time but he is now eating well on his own without needing any supplemental feeding and anxiety is completely resolved per owner. We are still waiting for him to gain a little more weight but other than that he is his old self.

Oh, what a little patience can do :)

by naturevet

August 26, 2009

Good job!

And thanks for giving us an update. We could do with more of those around here, so new practitioners to herbal medicine can see the herbs actually work!

Have a good day!

Steve

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