Chuan Shan Jia - 穿山甲 - Squama Manitis - Anteater (Pangolin) Scales

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Squama Manitis
Common English:	Anteater Scales Manis Pangolin Scales

Category

Obsolete Substances: Herbs that Regulate Blood; Herbs that Invigorate Blood

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Salty (Acrid) (Bitter)	Cool (Cold) (Slightly Toxic)	Liver Stomach (Heart) ( Lung) (Gallbladder)	Decoctions: 3-10g Pills and Powders: 1-1.5g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Dispels Blood Stasis, Invigorates the Blood, Promotes lactation, Unblocks menstruation	Blood Stasis with amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea and insufficient lactation
Reduces swelling and promotes the discharge of pus	Toxic swellings such as abscesses and boils Use topically for healing suppurative lesions
Expels Wind-Dampness from the channels	Wind-Damp Bi pain, stiffness or spasms of the limbs or pain that prevents lifting or bending

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Rx. Astragali Huang Qi	Sm. Vaccariae Wang Bu Liu Xing	Rz. Sparganii San Leng Rz. Curcumae E Zhu
Insufficient lactation.	Amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea and mobile and fixed abdominal masses and accumulations. Insufficient lactation or lack of lactation. Lactostasis.	Palpable abdominal masses that are immovable.
Hb. Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying	Sp. Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci	Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng Or Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
Inflammatory lesions of the skin that have not yet pustulated.	Suppurative, inflamed skin lesions that have pustulated but remain closed.	Wind-Damp-Bi pain with joint swelling.
Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae Suan Zao Ren Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang	Flos Carthami Hong Hua Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong	Rx. Astragali Huang Qi Sp. Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui
Insomnia and debility.	Amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis.	Sores with pus.
Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi Hb. Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying Hb. Violae Zi Hua Di Ding	Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao
Sores without pus.	Scrofula or goiter due to Qi and Phlegm Stagnation.

Notes

1. Because this is a protected species and the scales can be obtained only by killing the animal, substitutes are recommended: Spina Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci, to pierce sores and promote their perforation; Sm. Vaccariae Wang Bu Liu Xing, to promote the movement of Blood and promote lactation and Eupolyphaga/Steleophaga Tu Bie Chong or Concha Arcae Wa Leng Zi, to reduce abdominal masses. While it can dissolve unformed pus, it is better suited to suppurative sores (topically).
2. Its main use is for painful, non-ulcerated abscesses and joint swelling.
3. According to some sources, applied topically it resolves Phlegm, moves Qi and stops bleeding, and it is used for wounds.
4. It is reported to treat scabies and leprosy.
5. According to one source, it promotes Blood circulation by reducing Qi Stagnation.
6. In treating sores, it can cause perforation once pus has formed, or eliminate the sores if pus has not yet formed. To stop bleeding, sprinkle the powder straight onto the lesion and apply a pressure dressing.
7. Research has shown that it inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
8. Recent findings show that this substance raises white blood cells.
9. Its stinking smell is said to let it scurry through the whole body, so that it activates the viscera, penetrates the channels and collaterals, reaches the joints and apertures, and clears away Blood Stasis.
10. It is reported to produce instant results for furuncles and carbuncles.
11. It is also effective for abdominal masses, paralysis, difficult urination and defecation, and abdominal pain.
12. Combine it with Sm. Vaccariae Wang Bu Liu Xing to promote lactation.
13. Chuan Shan Jia and Spina Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci both break up clumping and Stasis. Being acrid and warm, Zao Jiao Ci has a strong dispersing and unblocking action. Its sharp piercing quality treats swollen toxic sores, in particular dissolving unformed pus and helping suppurated lesions heal. It is stronger than Chuan Shan Jia but does not promote lactation.
14. Dry-fried Pangolin Scales Chao Shan Jia smell less and break up more easily.
15. Vinegar Pangolin Scales Cu Shan Jia enter the Liver channel and are better able to disperse Stasis, unblock the collaterals and stop pain.