WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is the scutes of Manis pentadactyola Linnaeus.,family Cyprinidae. The scutes of the tail have the most efficacious medicinal actions and those produced in Guangxi are of the best quality. Caught all year round, it is killed and put into boiling water, to e scalded slightly. The scute is taken, washed clean and dried in the sunshine to be utilized in its raw form. Also, it can be scalded with sand, until it heaves. Then it is washed clean and dried, or quenched with vinegar after being baked and pounded to pieces, at this time it is ready to be used as a medicine.

[ Medicial Properties ]: Salty, slightly cold;relate to liver and stomach meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Activate blood and remove mass; open meridians, promote lactation; treat swelling and expel pus.

[ Clinaical Applications ]: 1. Mass and amenorrhe      To treat mass, it can be combined with Biejia, Dahuang and Chishao, such as in the Chuanshanjia Powder. In cases of amenorrhea due to blood stasis, it is used together with Danggui, Honghua and Taoren, such as , in the Huayu Decoction.

2. Bi-syndrome pain of wind and damp and paralysis due to wind stroke      To treat Bi-syndrome pain of wind-damp, joint problems, numbness and convulsions, it is usually combined with Chuanxiong, Qianghuo and Baihuishe. In order to treat paralysis due to wind stroke and hands and feet inabilities, it may be ground into powder and mixed with Chuanwu, for external application, such as in the Chenfeng Paste.

3. Postpartum agalactia     It can be taken alone, ground into powder and infused with liquor, as in Yongquan Powder, or combined together with Wangbuliuxing, Mutong and Huangqi. To treat poor lactation due to insufficiency of qi and blood, it can be combined with Huangqi, Dangshen and Danggui. While for agalactia ad distending pain in the breast due to stagnation of liverqi, it is combined with Danggui, Chuaihu and Chuangxiong, for example, in the Xiaru Yongquan Powder.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 3-10g. For the powered form, 1-1.5g is taken orally

[ Precautions ]: It should be used with caution for pregnant women. It is contraindicated in ulcerated carbuncles.

穿山甲为鲮鲤科动物鲮鲤Manis pentadactyia Linnaeus的鳞甲。主产于广西、广东、云南、贵州，亦产于浙江、福建、湖南、安徽等地，尾部甲片药效大，以广西产品为佳。全年均可捕捉，捕捉后杀死置沸水中略烫，取下鳞片，洗净，晒干生用；或砂烫至鼓起，洗净，干燥；或炒后再以醋淬后用，用时捣碎。