INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Concha Margaritaferae Usta
Common English: Mother-of-Pearl Shell
Pteria
Nacre
Substances that Calm the Spirit: Substances that Anchor, Settle and Calm the Spirit (Substances that Calm the Liver and Extinguish Wind)
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sweet
Salty
Cold
Heart
Liver
10-60g cook first
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Calms the Liver, anchors Yang and drains Liver Fire

Liver Yang Rising due to Liver Yin Deficiency with dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus and insomnia

Clears the Liver and improves vision

Blurred vision due to Liver Deficiency

Liver Heat with red eyes, photophobia and superficial visual obstruction

Sedates fright and calms the Spirit

Palpitations, anxiety, insomnia and other problems secondary to Shen disturbance

Stops bleeding

Bleeding from the Upper Jiao

Promotes healing and reduces itching of the skin

Eczema and itching (topically as a powder)

Neutralizes Stomach acid and relieves pain

Peptic ulcers with pain and regurgitation

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use with caution for those with Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold.
  • Use with caution for those with singing due to Qi Deficiency.
  • Use with caution during pregnancy.
  • Contraindicated for those disorders that are not due to Heat or Fire.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Fossilia Dentis Mastodi
Long Chi
Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Fr. Ligustri Lucidi
Nu Zhen Zi
Concha Haliotidis
Shi Jue Ming
Magnetitum
Ci Shi

Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua
Concha Haliotidis
Shi Jue Ming
Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi

Liver Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Rising.

Headache and dizziness from Liver Yang Rising.

Red eyes, photophobia with or without superficial visual obstruction due to Wind-Heat Attacking the Liver channel.

Sm. Sesame Nigri
Hei Zhi Ma
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi
Fr. Ligustri Lucidi
Nu Zhen Zi

Fossilia Dentis Mastodi
Long Chi
Cornu Bubali
Shui Niu Jiao
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Rx. Polygalae
Yuan Zhi
Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae
Suan Zao Ren

Cloudy vision with dull eyes from Liver Deficiency.

Irritability, dizziness, palpitations with anxiety and insomnia from Heart and Liver Yin Deficiency.

Insomnia and palpitations.

Haematitum
Dai Zhe Shi

Fossilia Dentis Mastodi
Long Chi

Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Fr. Tribuli
Bai Ji Li
Rx. Polygalae
Yuan Zhi
Rz. Cyperi
Xiang Fu
Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Haematitum
Dai Zhe Shi

Epistaxis or hematemesis.

Strongly calms and anchors Spirit.

Restrains Liver Yang.

Neurasthenia.

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu
Pig or Duck Liver

Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua
Sm. Cassiae
Jue Ming Zi
Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi

Rx. Curcumae
Yu Jin
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Concretio Bambusae Silicea
Tian Zhu Huang
Arisaema cum Bile
Dan Nan Xing
Rz. Acori
Shi Chang Pu
Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Scorpio
Quan Xie

Dizziness, blurred vision, night blindness due to Liver Deficiency.

Photophobia, redness, swelling and pain of the eyes.

Heart Fire.

  1. The anti-convulsive and sedative actions of this herb are weaker than Margarita Zhen Zhu.
  2. The effect on dizziness, tinnitus, and palpitations is stronger than Margarita Zhen Zhu.
  3. This herb is obtained from the burned shells of pearl yielding shellfish.
  4. This substance is commonly used in ophthalmology.
  5. This substance is said to calm the Liver, anchor Yang, calm the Shen settle childhood convulsions, reduce focal distention due to Heat and superficial visual obstruction, treat hematemesis, epistaxis and metrorrhagia.
  6. Both Zhen Zhu Mu and Concha Haliotidis Shi Jue Ming cool Liver Heat and sedate Liver Yang Rising and are often used together for these disorders. Zhen Zhu Mu also enters the Heart channel to calm the Spirit, while Shi Jue Ming only enters the Liver channel.
  7. Both Zhen Zhu Mu and Margarita Zhen Zhu have similar actions. Zhen Zhu Mu is unable to nourish Yin and generate flesh and is primarily used to calm Liver Yang Rising with headache, dizziness, tinnitus and insomnia or to cool the Liver when Liver Heat has caused red eyes and photophobia.
  8. Calcined Mother-of-Pearl Duan Zhen Zhu Mu reduces hyperacidity of the Stomach and is used topically as a paste mixed with Vaseline or vegetable oil for burns.