Fish Head Stone, Otolith
Aquilinus (Traditional name); Lapis Carpionum (from a Carp)
Hijr al-Samak, Sange Sar Mahi (Unani)
Fish Head Stone at the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam, 2017)
Minerological name:
Otolith; Calcium Silicate
The Fish sources include:
1. Pseudosciaena crocea, P. polyactis and Sciaena schlegeli (TCM)
2. in Unani medicine, stones from the head of Channa sp. is used
3. Carp and Pike were common sources in Europe
Parts used:
Stone from the head of various Fish
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Salty
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Calms the Mind:
-Epilepsy (West, TCM);
-TCM uses it as a “guiding medicine” for Epilepsy, Cerebritis and other diseases of the brain
-“The bone taken out of the head of a pike formed like a cross, is accounted a specific to cure the Epilepsy”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
2. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones:
-Dysuria, painful or Burning Urination
-Gravel and Stones of the Kidneys and Bladder
-Gonorrhea (Unani)
-“The stones found in the head of this fish [Perch], are useful to waste the Stone”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
3. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Quenches Thirst:
-Fever with Thirst
-“asswageth the Heat of Fevers, and quencheth Thirst”. (Stone from a Carp; Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
-“resolves the Poison of Arsenic and of Wiuld Mushrooms”. (Li Shi Zhen)
4. Externally:
i. the ash (Kushta) mixed with lime juice is applied to eruptions in children, itch, ringworm and various chronic skin disorders. (Unani)
ii. powder snuffed up the nose stops Blood nose (Mizald)
iii. used in Tooth powders
iv. applied to dry up Running Ulcers.
Dose:
In Unani it is often burned to ash (Kushta) for use.
Powder: 500mg–1 gram (up to 2 or 3 grams)
Ash / Bhasma: 125–500mg
Decoction: 6–18 grams
Correctives:
Milk
Substitutes:
Jew’s Stone (Lapis Judaicus)
Preparation:
They are either ground to powder, or burned, then ground to powder.
Comment:
“The triangular Stone found in the Head of the Carp, is esteemed useful to cure them who are afflicted with the Stone,
Collic, Epilepsy, or Pleurisy, being calcined, and taken in any proper Vehicle”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)
Main Combinations:
1. Diseases of the Brain, it has been combined with White Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can)
2. Urinary Calculi, with Madder
Cautions:
Avoid long-term use.
