This product is a mineral, namely hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO₄‧2H₂O). It is widely distributed, with deposits found in almost all provinces and regions across the country. It is mainly produced in Hubei, Gansu, and Sichuan, with the best quality coming from Yingcheng, Hubei. It can be mined all year round. It is used either finely ground in its raw form or calcined.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid and sweet, extremely cold. act on lung and stomach channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Clearing heat and purging fire, relieving restlessness and quenching thirst, astringing and promoting tissue regeneration.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for high fever and excessive thirst. This product is pungent, sweet, and cold in nature. The pungent property helps to release flesh and reduce fever, the cold property can clear heat and purge fire, and the sweet and cold properties relieve irritability and quench thirst. It is a key medicinal for clearing and purging excess heat from the qi aspect of the lung and stomach meridians. It is suitable for warm febrile diseases where pathogenic factors are in the qi aspect, presenting with high fever, excessive thirst, sweating, and a surging pulse, among other excess heat syndromes/patterns. It is often used in mutual reinforcement with Anemarrhena, such as in White Tiger Decoction. If warm pathogens gradually enter the blood aspect, causing blazing of both qi and blood and resulting in macules and papules, it should be used together with Unprocessed Rehmannia Root and other heat-clearing and blood-cooling medicinals to clear both the qi and blood aspects, as in Ecchymosis-Dissipating Decoction.
2. Used for lung heat with panting and cough. This product, being pungent and cold, enters the lung meridian and has the function of clearing lung heat, relieving cough, and calming panting. It is used for pathogenic heat stagnating in the lungs, causing rapid breathing, thick phlegm cough, fever, and thirst. It is often combined with Ephedra and Bitter Apricot Seed, among other medicinals, such as in Ephedra, Bitter Apricot Seed, Gypsum, and Licorice Decoction.
3. Used for stomach fire toothache. This product has the function of clearing and purging stomach fire and is also used for stomach fire flaring up, causing headache, swollen and painful gums, and other symptoms. It is often combined with Cimicifuga Rhizome and Coptis Rhizome, among other medicinals, such as in Stomach-Clearing Powder.
4. Used for sores and ulcers that do not heal. When calcined, this product has the effects of clearing heat, drying dampness, and promoting the healing of sores and granulation. Therefore, it is also used for sores and ulcers that are ulcerated and do not heal for a long time, as well as for eczema, scalds, or burns caused by hot water or fire. It is often ground into powder and applied externally with Coptis Rhizome and Indigo. If the goal is to dispel putridity and promote tissue regeneration, it can be combined with 升丹 for external use, such as in 九一丹.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats apoplexy, cold and heat, rebellious qi below the heart, fright and panting, dry mouth and scorched tongue, inability to breathe, ... lactation, incised wounds."
2. Bielu: "Eliminates seasonal epidemic headache, body heat, triple energizer great heat, skin heat, heat in the intestines and stomach, releases flesh to induce sweating; stops consumptive thirst, vexation and reversal, abdominal distension and fullness, sudden panting and breath, throat heat."
3. Yizhen Yide: "Gypsum is cold in nature, greatly clears stomach heat; its nature is bland and its qi thin, able to release flesh heat; its substance is heavy and its nature descending, able to drain replete heat."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct 15-60g, crush before use. For internal use, take raw; for external use, calcine and grind into powder.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Contraindicated for those with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach, as well as yin deficiency with internal heat.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

The main component of Gypsum is hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO₄‧2H₂O). Experiments on the antipyretic effects of Gypsum have yielded inconsistent conclusions. Recent reports indicate that Gypsum and White Tiger Decoction have significant antipyretic effects on internal toxin-induced fever and can alleviate thirst. In vitro culture, Gypsum's Hank solution enhances the phagocytic ability of rabbit alveolar macrophages against Staphylococcus albus and colloidal gold, and promotes the maturation of phagocytes. Gypsum can shorten blood coagulation time, promote bile excretion, and has diuretic effects.