"Sweet, salty, and warm, deer antler velvet is regarded as an intense tonic for the Liver and Kidneys that embodies the youthful male growth of the stag. This growth retains much of its potential in the antler velvet, as it has not yet fully expressed itself, and is well-supplied with blood to support its rapid, outward expression. Thus, within its ability to tonify the yang, the yin is also benefited. In other words, it fortifies the primal yang, but also generates essence and augments the marrow. It warms and tonifies the Governing vessel, and stabilizes the Penetrating and Conception vessels when they are deficient. In the words of the Grand Materia Medica, it 'generates essence, tonifies the marrow, nourishes the blood, augments the yang, strengthens the sinews and bones. Treats all deficiency damage.' In Case Records as a Guide to Clinical Practice, Ye Tian-shi observes: 'Deer [antler velvet] is yang and enters the Governing vessel.' Deer antler velvet is often used in the treatment of Kidney yang deficiency with depletion of essence and marrow, leading to such symptoms as weakness of the lower back and knees, impotence, spermatorrhea in men, uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge due to deficiency of the Penetrating and Conception vessels in women, and poor growth or development in children."*