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Introduction:

Cnidium Monnieri is a sweet, yellow seed that is warm and acrid in nature. It is used for two things, both of which have to do with genitalia:

• skin problems in the genital region for women - problems as vaginal discharge and vaginitis
• erectile dysfunction problems for men

On Kidney Yang:
The way to think of it is as a kidney yang booster that can also help with skin problems. Those who understand Chinese Medicine realize that the kidney mentioned here is not just the anatomical kidney. It has got to do the the pituitary-adrenal cortex axis as well as bone function. Which explains why studies have proven that this herb can help with the following:

1. filling the penis or clitoris with blood: raises Nitric Oxide levels and hence cGMP levels around the genital area, hence relaxing the corpus cavernosum and helping with ED. A coumarin compound called osthol is implicated here.
2. anti-osteoporotic: perhaps via stimulation of osteoblast. Implicated here are coumarins osthol, imperatorin and bergapten, with osthol being the most effective.

For the skin:
For skin problems, it is usually applied in the form of a solution - a douche can be used.