Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

SEPIA
Shaw, G. Zoological Lectures delivered at the Royal Institution, 1809

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Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding (West, TCM):

-various types of Bleeding including that coming from Heat and Deficiency. (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-all types of Uterine bleeding and Leukorrhea depending on the medicines it is used with.
-powder can be used topically as a Hemostatic for injuries etc.
-Given with wine to “newly married women for painful vagina” (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-old TCM sources said it is especially good for excess menstruation from Liver weakness. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-old TCM sources also list it for Blood Stasis. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

2. Stops Leakage, Astringes Essence, Benefits the Kidneys:

-Seminal Emission, Premature Ejaculation and Chronic Leukorrhea from Kidney weakness. (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-Spermatorrhea and Urinary Incontinence (West)
-especially effective for all types of Vaginal Discharge.
-Chronic Diarrhea or Dysentery-like problems.
-“the bone calcined is useful to be given in a Bloody Flux [Dystentery]”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
-used in “Pills to Induce Chastity”
-Ricket’s in children associated with deficiency. (TCM)
-Given for a long time it was said to increase the Semen in Men and to promote Fertility in Women.
-long-term use nourishes Essence (Jing) (TCM)

3. Clears Heat and Phlegm, Resolves Masses:

-Cough, Asthma and Bronchitis.
-“helps to cure the Asthma and other Pectoral disorders“. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
-helps resolve Phlegm Nodules, Scrophula etc. (Salmon)

4. Clears Heat, Reduces Acid, Alleviates Pain (West, TCM):

-Gastric pain with acid regurgitation (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-Stomach Pain, Gastritis, Sour Belches, and regurgitation of sour fluid.
-In modern times it is especially used for Gastro-duodenal Ulcers with pain.

5. Promotes Urine, Clears Stones:

-difficulty Urinating and Gravel. (Salmon)
-“Schroder saith, that the said powder taken to the quantity of a scruple expels the stone, and provokes Urine”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)

6. Malaria:

-Traditionally used for Malaria. (TCM)    

7. Externally:

-Ashed and mixed with honey for use in Eye medicines (TCM, Ayurveda, Galen); a thin paste with Rock Salt made in Rose water a used for Conjunctivitis; used for irritation, corneal opacity and other affections.
-a little of the powder is put in the ear for Otitis; the powder is boiled in sesame oil for similar purposes in Unani. Mixed with a little Lemon juice it is useful for earache (Ayurveda, TCM, Unani).
-powder is applied to chronic non-healing Ulcers, Burns and Scalds, and bleeding Wounds (TCM)
-the Ebers Papyrus also used it for Wounds and Burns, and also in an ointment for Blisters.
-Bleeding Wounds, apply the powder topically. (TCM, Zhi Zhi Fang)
-a paste made with Lemon or Lime juice is applied to Itching, Vitiligo, leukoderma, freckles, pigmentations and other similar skin diseases (West)
-Vitiligo, mix Cuttlefish bone in vinegar and apply. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-“Painful erosion and swelling of the genitals”. (Bie Lu)
-a paste made with Rose water is applied to Prickly Heat and various hot skin diseases, especially with itching.
-Moist and itchy Scrotum (TCM)
-In Europe, it was commonly used in Tooth powders.

Main Combinations:

1. Gastric Ulcers, Acid Reflux, Cuttlefish bone with Licorice
2. Spitting Blood, take 6 grams of Cuttlefish bone with Rice water. 
3. Bleeding from the intestines:
i. Cuttlefish bone is toasted until yellow, powdered, and taken in doses of 3 grams with Horsetail decoction. (TCM)
ii. Cuttlefish bone with Red Earth
4. Urinary incontinence, Cuttlefish bone with Red Coral, and Gum Tragacanth. (West)
5. Strangury with Hematuria:
i. take Cuttlefish bone powder with juice of Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang. (Jing Yan Fang, TCM)
ii. Cuttlefish bone, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang. Poria rubra (Chi Fu Ling). (Jing Yan Fang, TCM)
6. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding:
i. Cuttlefish bone with Madder
ii. Cuttlefish bone with Red Coral
7. As a tonic to the Womb:
i. Cuttlefish bone with Dang Gui and Amber
ii. Cuttlefish bone with Cowry shell
8. Scrofula, Cuttlefish bone with Burnt Sponge, Sponge stone and Pumice
9. Spermatorrhea /Gonorrhea:
i. Amber with Angus Castus and Cuttlefish bone (Ettmuller)
ii. Cuttlefish bone (2 scruples), Red Coral, Hematite, Amber (1 scruple each), distilled oil of Calamus, of Amber (5 drops each). Powder. (Gazophylacium Medico-Physicum, Woyts, 1746)
10. Chronic Asthma in children from Phlegm, give 3 grams of Cuttlefish bone powder with Rice soup. (Ye Shi Zhai Xuan Fang)
11. Night-blindness, Cuttlefish bone powder is taken with Pork Liver.
12. Eye Films:
i. finely powder Cuttlebone, add a little Borneol and put into the affected eyes. (Sheng Hai)
ii. powder equal parts of Cuttlebone and Flying Squirrel feces (Wu Ling Zhi). Cut cooked Pig Liver, dip in the powder and eat. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
13. Red Eyes from Blood and Wind, powder Cuttlefish bone (2 parts), Verdigris (1 part). Each time take 3 grams, boil in water, then wash the eyes with the clear filtered water. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
14. Pus from the Ears, Otitis media, clean the ears then blow Cuttlefish bone powder mixed with a little Musk. (Dan Liao Fang) 
15. Nosebleeding, mix the powder with Sophora flower (Huai Hua) and blow into the nose. (Li Shi Zhen)
16. Tongue bleeding, fry equal parts of Cuttlefish bone and Cattail Pollen (Pu Huang), powder and apply. 
17. Sores from burning that fail to heal. Powder equal parts of Cuttlefish bone and Alum to powder and apply. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Major Formulas:

Powder of Madder and Cuttlebone
Powder of Burnt Sponge (Wirtzung)
Medicine to Defend the Base from all Danger
An Chong Tang