Shi Jue Ming - 石决明 - Concha Haliotidis - Abalone Shell
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Concha Haliotidis |
| Common English: | Abalone Shell Haliotis Sea Ear Shell |
Category
Substances that Extinguish Wind and Stop TremorsProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Salty | Cold | Kidney Liver | 9-30g Powder: 0.5-2g Crush first and decoct 60 minutes longer than the other herbs. 15-30g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Drains Liver Fire, pacifies the Liver and anchors and sedates Liver Yang | Liver Fire and Liver Yang Rising patterns with headache, dizziness and red or swollen eyes Hypertension with Liver Yang Rising |
Improves vision and causes superficial visual obstruction to recede | Liver Heat causing visual problems with photophobia, pterygium, nebulae, cataracts or other superficial visual obstruction, red eyes and blurred vision |
Calms Internal Wind | Liver Wind |
Clears Stomach Fire and stops pain and bleeding | Stomach Fire with acid reflux, heartburn, bleeding ulcers and Stomach pain (best calcined) |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Concha Ostreae | Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Sp. Prunellae |
Headache and dizziness associated with Yin Deficiency and Rising Yang patterns. | Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency with Yang Rising. | Headache and dizziness due to Rising Liver Yang. |
| Sp. Prunellae | Flos Chrysanthemi | Flos Chrysanthemi |
Liver Fire or Liver Yang Rising with Heat signs, dizziness, headache, irritability and insomnia. | Eye redness, swelling, and pain due to Liver Yang Rising. | Eye redness, swelling and pain due to Liver Fire. |
| Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata | Periostracum Cicadae | Flos Buddlejae |
Impaired vision due to Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency. | Chronic progressive loss of vision and night blindness. | Pterygium due to Wind-Heat. |
| Sm. Cassiae | Sp. Prunellae | Rx. Rehmanniae |
| Cools the Liver to improve vision in either Excess (Liver Fire) or Deficiency (Liver Yin Deficiency with Yang Rising) conditions. | Liver Yang Rising without Yin Deficiency. | Neurasthenia. |
Fr. Tribuli | Flos Buddlejae | Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata |
Eye disorders caused by Liver Yang Rising. | Red eyes and superficial visual obstruction due to Wind-Heat Invasion with Liver Yang Rising. | Dry eyes, blurred vision and diminished visual acuity due to Liver Blood Deficiency. |
Endoconcha Sepiae | ||
Stomach Fire. |
Notes
- Recent uses include treating increased gastric acidity and, applied topically, bleeding from trauma.
- It is especially known for treating essential hypertension with failing Kidneys.
- Some sources place this herb in the Extinguish Liver Wind category, while others make no mention of Liver Wind at all.
- In heavy doses it substitutes for Cornu Antelopis Ling Yang Jiao in treating infantile convulsions from Liver Wind Heat.
- It clears blurred vision caused by Liver Yin Deficiency.
- Its focus is almost exclusively on the Liver.
- Shi Jue Ming and Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi both clear Liver Heat and brighten the eyes, and are combined for eye disorders and for headaches involving the eyes. Jue Ming Zi is bitter and cold and better at cooling Liver Fire to brighten the eyes; it also moistens the Intestines. Shi Jue Ming is salty, cold and heavy, and sedates Rising Liver Yang.
- Shi Jue Ming and Concha Margaritaferae Usta Zhen Zhu Mu both cool Liver Heat and sedate Liver Yang Rising, and are frequently used together for these conditions. Zhen Zhu Mu also enters the Heart channel to calm the Spirit, whereas Shi Jue Ming enters only the Liver channel.
- Calcined Abalone Shell is less salty and cold and less able to calm the Liver and anchor Yang, but it brightens the eyes more effectively.
- Salt-prepared Abalone Shell, Yan Shi Jue Ming, enters the Kidney channel and is better at cooling the Liver and brightening the eyes. It is used for superficial visual obstruction and other eye disorders.
- Dui Yao pair with Ci Shi: for tinnitus, deafness, dizziness, headache and hypertension due to Liver Yang Rising.
From Class
- Wind herbs: Gou Teng, Tian Ma, Bai Ji Li, Shi Jue Ming, Fang Feng, Chan Tui, insects: Thorny vines hook out hidden wind; abalone anchors yang; Fang Feng treats internal and external wind; Chan Tui for itching; insects indispensable for some (stroke). (Shea)