Skink and Gecko
Ge Jie 蛤蚧 (TCM, Gecko)
Rtsangs pa རྩངས་པ (Tibetan)
Skink
Gart der Gesundheit, Cuba, 1485
Official Skink
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
Official Skink
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Lacerta, Lizard
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
Type of ‘Skink’ found on the banks of the Nile
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Bulk farmed Ge Jie at the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam, 2016)
 |  Above: Eutropis carinata(Calcutta Unani Medicine College, Adam, 2019) Left: Gecko Chengdu Medicine Market, 2010 (Adam) |
Zoological name:
A number of different Lizard species have been used:
- Skink: Scincus officinalis; (West)
- Lacerta scincus; L. agilis and Ophiomorus spp. is the Sand Lizard (West, Unani)
- Eutropis carinata (syn. Mabuya carinata) (Unani)
- Gecko: Gekko gekko, G. verticillatus, G. chinensis (TCM)
- Spiny‐tailed Lizard Saara hardwickii (Middle East)
Parts used:
Whole dried Gecko. In the western tradition, only the loins and tail of the Skink were used.
Temperature & Taste:
Neutral/Warm. Salty
Unani texts state the Skink is Hot, Moist and Heavy when fresh, but when dried and salted, it is light, hot and dry.
Classification:
Uses:
SKINK:
1. Warms the Kidneys, Strengthens the Yang:
-Aphrodisiac; ‘Rekindle the Fire of Love when exhausted by the frosts of Age or at the expense of debauchery’.
-‘The part of it which lies about the Kidneys, being drank to the quantities of a drachm in wine, is a great provocation to Lust’ (Dioscordies);
-‘Its use will make a lover the most excellent one, even if he be old’. (Mahavedaveda, Unani)
2. Strengthen Lungs, Stops Cough:
-Chronic Cough and Wheezing from Kidney and Lung weakness with low libido, debility, premature Ejaculation etc. (Unani: Indusyunic)
3. Resists Poison:
-‘A Great Antidote’; used in Theriac and Mithridate
-restorative in chronic and debilitating disease including Elephantiasis, Leprosy and other cutaneous diseases;
-Tumors and cancerous conditions, tumors
–Pliny said they were specific for wounds from Poison arrows (probably Aconite).
GECKO: (Ge Jie)
1. Strengthens the Lung, Stops Cough:
-Asthma, chronic cough, consumption, dyspnoea, hemoptysis.
-chronic Lung diseases with Kidney deficiency
-‘the berst drug for relieving Asthma and for stopping Coughing’. (He Da Ying, TCM)
2. Strengthens and Warms the Kidneys:
-diuretic, for bladder stones and gravel.
-Impotence, and as an Aphrodisiac; strengthen the male sex drive and sex performance.
-traditionally used for Diabetes-like disorders
-help fractures heal.
-nourishes Essence (Jing) and Blood. (Li Shi Zhen)
Dose:
Decoction: 3–6 grams
Powder or Pills: 500mg–2 grams
May be infused in alcohol with other tonic medicines.
In Unani, sometimes the ash is used in doses of 125mg.
Preparation:
1. Alcohol-fried Gecko:
i. In modern-day China, it is often stir-fried with alcohol. This makes it more warming to the Kidneys, and also facilitates powdering.
Ge Jie (TCM):
ii. Soak the body well in white spirit, wrap in (baking) paper and bake in a low oven until dry. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
2. Butter-fried Gecko:
After drying, it can be roasted or stir-fried in Butter (Ghee is better) or Honey. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. Honey-fried Gecko:
In some traditional recipes, Gecko is coated with a mixture of Honey and Alcohol, then stir-fried. This makes it more tonifying to the Lungs in chronic Cough and Asthma. This is rarely done today, however.
Correctives:
1. Ginger
2. Oxymel (Unani)
Substitutes:
1. Orchis (Satyrion)
2. Testicles
3. Various other Lizard species have been used as a substitutes.
4. ‘It has similar therapeutic properties to Ginseng’ (Li Shi Zhen). Therefore Ginseng is a suitable vegetable substitute.
Comment:
1. Skink and Gecko are used similarly, both warming Kidney Yang and being used classically for Impotence and as an Aphrodisiac.
2. Skink is also added to Antidotes; supporting the Yang Qi mobilises the bodies defense against disease. Gecko is also used in TCM for chronic Lung diseases including chronic Cough and Asthma. In these cases, it is used where Kidney function is weak and is not supporting Lung function. There is Lung weakness along with signs of kidney weakness such as lumbago and nocturnal urination.
3. “The ancients said: They supplement and can eliminate weakness, and are as good as Ginseng and Mutton”. (Li Shi Zhen)
4. “hold a small piece in his mouth and run fast. If he does not pant, the medicine is genuine”. (Li Xun)
Main Combinations:
SKINK:
1. Impotence and as an Aphrodisiac:
i. Skink with Orchis root, Pine kernel, Rocket seed, Aniseed
ii. Skink with Cinnamon, Ginger, Pepper, Cress seed, Rocket seed, Onion seed (Roscellus)
iii. Skink with Pistachio, Pine kernels, Orchis, Cinnamon, Cabbage seed
iv. Skink with Orchis, Elecampane, Cinnamon
v. Skink with Pine nuts, Hazelnut, Sweet Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Sesame, Linseed, Orchis, Ginger, Sea Holly root, Asparagus root, Nettle seed (as in Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen of Nicholas)
2. Cold and Weak Kidneys, Skink with Elecampane, Cinnamon, Rocket seed
GECKO:
1. Chronic Cough, Asthma and Wheezing from Lung and Kidney deficiency:
i. Gecko with Ginseng and Walnut
ii. Gecko with Ginseng, Almond kernel, Cinnamon, Walnut, Licorice
iii. Take a pair of dried Gecko, cut into pieces, coat with Wine and Honey then stir fry, dry and powder. Add half ounce of Ginseng powder. Blend this powder into 4 ounces of melted Beeswax and make 6 cakes, To use, make a rice porridge of glutinous rice, add one of the cakes and stir until dissolved. Sip the porridge. (Pu Ji Fang, TCM)
iv. Gecko with with Ginseng, Poria Fu Ling, Mulberry root bark (Sang Bai Pi), Almond kernel (Xing Ren), Licorice
2. Lung abscess with chronic Cough, Gecko, Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), Deer Horn Gelatin (Lu Jiao Jiao), Rhino horn (Xi Jiao, substitute Water Buffalo Horn extract), Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao, substitute Goat horn), equal parts, powdered and decocted to be taken.
3. Kidney deficiency with Impotence:
i. Gecko, Ginseng, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong
ii. Gecko, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong), Dioscorea Shan Yao, prepared as a tincture.
iii. Gecko, Deer Pizzle, Velvet Deer Horn, Bull Testicles, Cordyceps, Ginseng, Lycium Gou Qi Zi
Major Formulas:
Mithridate and Theriac
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Steel (Unani)
Antidote for Cold Kidneys and to Excite Libido (Nicholas)
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen (Nicholas)
Confection for Coitus (Galen)
Confection to Increase Seed of Augusta
Pills of Nishat (Unani)
Ren Shen Ge Jie San
Shen Ge San
1. Electuarium ad Venerem
(Electuary to Promote Venery) (Avicenna)
Skink 1 ½ oz.
Seeds of Napi
Bauciae
Alleft
Onion
Nettle
Rocket 1 oz. ea.
Black Pepper
White Pepper
Long Pepper 5 drams
Cepae muris assae ½ oz.
Pine nut 2 ½ oz.
Pyrethrum ½ oz.
Ash tree keys 6 drams
Sparrow brains ½ oz.
Rooster testicles 1 oz.
Form an electuary with butter and honey.
Dose: ½ dram in sweet wine after eating.
2. Electuary Venerem Excitans
Asparagus seed
Satyrion 1 oz.
Bedeguar
Red Behen
White Behen
Ginger 3 drams ea.
Rocket seed
Carrot seed
Onion seed
Nettle seed 2 drams ea.
Siler montane seed
Skink middle ½ oz.
Cardamon 3 drams
Ash tree keys 1 dram
Sugar sufficient
Mix with Milk, or Mulsa (Honey and Wine).
Cautions:
1. Not for acute Cough, or Cough from excess Heat. (TCM)
Drug Interactions:
Lentils were said to mitigate its action
Main Preparations Used:
Prepared
GENERAL / REVIEW:
–[Chemical constituents of Gekko swinhonis].
PROCESSING:
–[Comparative research on anticancer activity between fresh and processed Gekko subpalmatus].
–[The processing of Gekko gecko and the pharmacological action of its different parts].
ASTHMA:
–Gekko gecko extract attenuates airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced asthma.
PRO-COAGULANT:
–Super-high procoagulant activity of gecko thrombin: A gift from sky dragon.
ANTI-ANGIOGENIC:
–Unveiling potent bioactive compounds and anti-angiogenic pathways in Gekko swinhonis Guenther for gastric cancer therapy.
–Anti-angiogenic activity of gecko aqueous extracts and its macromolecular components in CAM and HUVE-12 cells.
CANCER:
–[Antitumor effects of fresh gecko hydrolysate on H22 transplanted tumor in mice].
BLADDER
–Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade.
ESOPHAGEAL
–[Effect of gecko alcohol extract on human esophageal squamous carcinoma cell line EC9706 and anti-tumor activity in vivo].
–Antitumor effect and mechanism of Gecko on human esophageal carcinoma cell lines in vitro and xenografted sarcoma 180 in Kunming mice.
GASTRIC
–Unveiling potent bioactive compounds and anti-angiogenic pathways in Gekko swinhonis Guenther for gastric cancer therapy.
LIVER
–Small RNA sequencing highlights a potential regulatory network mediated by Gecko miRNA affecting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
–Effects of Gekko sulfated polysaccharide-protein complex on human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells: inhibition of proliferation and migration.
–Effects of Gekko sulfated polysaccharide on the proliferation and differentiation of hepatic cancer cell line.
–[Experimental study on mechanisms of lyophilized powder of fresh gekko Chinenis in inhibiting H22 hepatocarcinoma angiogenesis].
LUNG
–Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko Inhibit Lung Cancer Growth and Metastasis by Ameliorating Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment via PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1alpha Signaling Pathway.
SARCOMA:
–Anti-tumor effect and influence of Gekko gecko Linnaeus on the immune system of sarcoma 180-bearing mice.
–[Study on anti-tumor effect of dry and fresh Gekko swinhonis freeze-dried powders on mice sarcoma S180 and acute toxicity testing of two powders].
