Chinemys reevesii
(Illustration by Kawahara Keiga, Naturalis Biodiversity Center) (Wikimedia)

Turtle shell, Gui Ban
(Adam, 2017)

Turtle Shell Gelatin (Gui Jiao Jiao)

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Uses:

1. Nourish the Yin, Calms Rising Yang:

-night sweats, dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo.
-internal Wind from Kidney and Liver weakness (as often seen in old age)
-spasms or tremors of the hands and feet.
-Yin-Deficient Heat with night sweats, tidal fever, and a dry mouth and throat;
-Hectic fever, Consumption;
-chronic and persistent Coughs.
-Traditionally used for Fright and Anger.
-Taken for a long time (in small doses), it lightens the step, removes hunger, thereby aiding fasting. (Classical TCM)
-Constant use also was said to be invigorating, and to benefit understanding (Classical TCM)

2. Strengthens the Kidneys and Bones:

-Kidney deficiency with weakness and pain of the lower back and legs
-rheumatism, inflammation of the bones,
-Spermatorrhea.
-poor skeletal development in children including Rickets and failure of the Fontanel to close.
-Paralysis
-heaviness and weakness of the Limbs.
-“failure of a child’s skull to close”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

3. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:

-uterine bleeding and excessive menstruation from strong heat in the blood.
-chronic Dysentery, Malaria etc.

4. Nourishes the Blood and Yin:

-Uterine Bleeding and Leukorrhea from chronic Kidney weakness
-good postnatal tonic for women.
-masses and accumulations
-“They break open concretion-illness and conglomeration-illness”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

5. Tonifies the Heart, Nourishes Blood:

-palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, restlessness and poor memory associated with Heart weakness.

TURTLE SHELL GELATION Gui Jaio Jiao

This has the same effect as the Plastron, but is richer and is more focused on nourishing Yin.

Main Combinations:

1. Tonify Yin and Yang:
i. Turtle shell with Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong) Together, these are called the ‘Two Immortals’.
ii. To strengthen the effect, add Ginseng and Lycium Gou Qi Zi (some also adding Astragalus Huang Qi and Dang Gui). These together can be added to wine to make ‘Two Immortals Wine’.
2. Nourish Yin, strengthen Bones and Marrow, Turtle Shell, Dang Gui, Phellodendron Huang Bai, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Platycladus Bai Zi Ren, Polygonum multiflorum He Shou Wu. This is best prepared as a wine but can also be made into Honey pills (as in Eight Immortals, a famous Taoist formula)
3. Kidney weakness with Dizziness, Tinnitus, Lower Back weakness, Night sweats, Turtle shell with Rehmannia Shu Di, Dioscorea Shan Yao and Cornus Shan Zhu Yu
4. Deficient Heat Fever, Consumption, Turtle shell with Rehmannia Sheng Di, Phellodendron Huang Bai and Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
5. Alzheimer’s Disease, Turtle shell, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Polygonatum He Shou Wu, Polygala Yuan Zhi, Acorus Shi Chang Pu, Fossil teeth (Long Chi)
6. Malaria, burn Turtle shell, powder, and take a spoonful with wine. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
7. Poison Swelling of the Breast, burn Turtle shell, powder, and take a spoonful with wine. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
8. Delayed Labor:
i. burn Turtle shell, powder, and take a spoonful with wine. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. roast 1 Turtle shell in vinegar, one handful of woman’s hair burnt to ashes, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Angelica Dang Gui (30 grams each), powder them all. Boil 20 grams in water and drink. (Zhai Xuan)

Major Formulas:

Da Bu Yin Wan (Great Tonify Yin Pill)
You Gui Wan
Zuo Gui Wan
Gui Lu Er Xian Jiao
San Jia Fu Mai Tang

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