Zhe Shi
Naming
Zhe Shi (Haematitum)——Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)
Origin
The mineral of Haematitum of family Oxide.
Location
Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces and so on in China.
Harvest
Mined during whole year.
The actual smell and taste
Light smell, light taste.
Best quality
Stacking of the cross-section, each layer with concave convex surface, red and without other stone.
Processing
Soil and stones removed; smashed for unprocessed use or quenched by vinegar.
Property
Bitter, cold; liver and heart meridians entered.
Actions
Pacify Liver and subdue yang, check adverse rise of qi by heavy settling, cool blood and stop bleeding.
Indications
A. Syndrome of liver yang hyperactivity
It has actions of pacifying liver and subduing yang, also clearing liver heat. For liver and kidney yin deficiency with liver yang hyperactivity manifested as dizziness, dizzy vision, it is often combined with yang-subduing and yin-nourishing herbs. For instance, it is combined with Mu Li, Bai Shao and Gui Jia, etc., in Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang. For liver yang hyperactivity with up-flaming of liver fire, it is often combined with herbs to pacify liver and subdue yang and clear liver-heat, such as Shi Jue Ming, Xia Ku Cao and Niu Xi, etc.
B. Vomiting, hiccup, eructation
Being bitter in flavor, it can check adverse rise of stomach qi to stop vomiting, hiccup and eructation. For vomiting, hiccup and eructation due to adverse rise of stomach qi, it is often mutually reinforced by Xuan Fu Hua and combined with herbs to direct qi downward to stop vomiting, such as Ban Xia and Sheng Jiang.in Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang from Shang Han Lun.
C. Dyspnea with reversed flow of qi
It can direct lung qi downward to stop dyspnea for its action of checking adverse rise of qi by heavy settling. It can be used singly to treat dyspnea. For deficient dyspnea due to yin and yang deficiency of lung and kidney, it is combined with lung and kidney tonifying and cough and dyspnea stopping herbs. For instance, it is combined with Ren Shen, Shan Zhu Yu and Hu Tao Rou in Shen Zhe Zhen Qi Tang from Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu.
D. Recklessly blood flow due to blood heat
Being bitter and cold and entering the liver, heart meridians and blood system, it can be indicated for upward adverse flow of qi and fire to stop reckless movement of blood with the actions of cooling blood and stopping bleeding, also directing qi and fire downward. For hematemesis, epistaxis due to stomach heat induced upward adverse flow of stomach qi, it is often combined with stomach-heat clearing and adverse rise of qi-checking herbs. For instance it is combined with Zhu Ru, Bai Shao and Niu Bang Zi, etc. in Han Jiang Tang fromYi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu. For metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due to blood heat, it is combined with herbs to stop bleeding, such as Qian Cao, Di Yu and Chi Sh] Zhi and so on.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 10~30 g. Smash and decoct first. Take powder or pills 1~3 g. Take unprocessed one for checking adverse rise of qi and pacifying liver, while calcined one for stopping bleeding.
Cautions
It should be used with cautions for the pregnant women. It should not be used for a long time for it contains a microamount of arsenicum.