Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景
Year: c. 220
Source: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue, 金匱要略)
Category: Formulas that Clear Heat
Pattern: Phlegm Goiter or Xiao Ke from Heat in the Upper Jiao damaging fluids
Key Symptoms: Thirst with incessant water drinking
Ingredients
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Hai Ge Ke
| 50g | | |
Pinyin: Hai Ge Ke
Chinese: 海蛤殼
Pharmaceutical: Concha Meretricis seu Cyclinae
Taxonomy: Meretrix seu Cyclina
English: Clam Shell |
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Tastes: Salty, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Lung Heat, transforms Phlegm and descends Lung Qi
Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm-Heat or Phlegm-Fire with viscous, yellow, difficult to expectorate sputum with chest and rib pain
Cough, asthma, bronchitis
- Softens hardness and disspates nodules
Phlegm-Fire goiter and scrofula
- Promotes urination and expels Dampness
Milky Lin (turbid, painful urinary dysfunction and vaginal discharge) (mild effect)
Superficial edema and urinary dysfunction
Phlegm-Dampness (Tan Yin)
Lingering Phlegm
Persistent Phlegm
- Controls acidity and stops pain (calcined and powdered)
Acid regurgitation and epigastric pain with Excess stomach acid, hemorrhoids, bloody dysentery and gastric and duodenal ulcers
- Moistens the lower Jiao, clears Heat, engenders fluids and alleviates thirst
消渴 Xiao Ke with thirst and incessant water drinking
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
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Preparation: Ground into powders and taken in doses of 1 inch square spoonful with boiling water.
Actions: Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm and softens nodules
Notes:
For Xiao Ke, it is often combined with other fluid nourishing herbs today such as Bai He, Mai Men Dong and Wu Wei Zi.
For goiter it is often combined with nodule softening herbs such as Kun Bu Hai Zai, Hai Pao Xiao, Xia Ku Cao and Chuan Bei Mu.
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.
