This product is a sulfide mineral of the trigonal system, belonging to the cinnabar group. It is mainly produced in Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, and other regions. It is mined as needed, and after excavation, the pure specimens are selected. Iron-containing impurities are removed using a magnet, and then the ore is washed with water to remove impurities and sediment. It is then finely ground with water, dried in the sun, and bottled for use.

bubble_chart Morphological Characteristics

Granular or massive aggregates, bright red or dark red, some with a leaden grayish-blue streak on the surface, red to brownish-red, not staining when touched, with a diamond-like luster, opaque or translucent. Heavy flaky ones are brittle and easily broken; massive ones are relatively hard and not easily broken. Odorless and tasteless.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Sweet, cold. toxic. act on heart channel.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Setting heart and calming mind, clearing heat and removing toxin.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for restlessness, palpitation, and insomnia. Cinnabar is sweet, cold, and heavy in nature, specifically entering the heart meridian. Its cold nature can reduce fire, and its heaviness can calm fear. Therefore, Cinnabar can both tranquilize the mind with heavy sedatives and clear the heart to tranquilize the spirit, making it most suitable for restlessness and insomnia due to exuberance of heart fire and dysphoria. It is often used in combination with Coptis Rhizome, lotus plumule, etc., to enhance the effect of clearing the heart and tranquilizing the spirit. It can also be used to treat restlessness caused by other reasons. For those with heart blood deficiency, it can be combined with Chinese Angelica, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root, etc., such as in Cinnabar Spirit-Tranquilizing Pill; for those with yin blood deficiency, it is often combined with Sour Jujube, Platycladi Seed, Chinese Angelica, etc., in heart-nourishing tranquilizer combinations; for restlessness due to fear or heart qi deficiency, it can be stewed inside a pig's heart and consumed.
2. Used for infantile convulsion and epilepsy. This product is heavy and has the function of setting the heart and calming the mind. It is used to treat high fever with unconsciousness and convulsions, often combined with Cow-Bezoar, musk, etc., for resuscitation and calming wind, such as in Peaceful Palace Bovine Bezoar Pill; for treating infantile convulsion, it is often combined with Cow-Bezoar, scorpion, Uncaria, etc., such as in Cow-Bezoar powder; for treating epilepsy with sudden coma and convulsion, it is often used with Magnetite, such as in Magnetite and Cinnabar Pill.
3. Used for sores, ulcers, swelling, and toxicity, sore throat, and mouth ulcers. This product is cold in nature and has a strong effect of clearing heat and removing toxins, effective both internally and externally. For treating sores, ulcers, swelling, and toxicity, it is often combined with Realgar, Peking Euphorbia Root, Appendiculate Cremastra Pseudobulb, etc., such as in Purple Gold Troch; for treating sore throat and mouth ulcers, it is often combined with borneol, borax, etc., such as in Borneol and Borax Powder.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Nourishes the spirit, calms the soul, tonifying qi and improving vision."
2. Yaoxing Lun: "Calms the heart, treats corpse-ridden convulsions."
3. Bencao Congxin: "Drains heart channel pathogenic heat, calms the heart and settles fright... removing toxins, stabilizes manic and depressive psychosis."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Take 0.3-1g each time, infused in powder or pill form. Apply an appropriate amount externally.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

This product is toxic. Do not exceed the recommended dosage or use it continuously to prevent mercury poisoning. Avoid calcination by fire, as it will release mercury, which is highly toxic.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product mainly consists of mercuric sulfide (HgS), but often contains impurities such as Realgar, apatite, and bituminous substances. The sedative and hypnotic effects of Cinnabar are not consistently recognized; it has detoxifying and antiseptic properties; external application can inhibit or kill skin bacteria and Chinese Taxillus Herb insects. Cinnabar is a compound of mercury, which has a special affinity for the sulfhydryl groups in proteins. At high concentrations, it can inhibit the activity of various enzymes.

Oral absorption of metallic mercury is poor (<0.01%)，血中之正常濃度為3～4mg/dl。代謝氧化為Hg²⁺ It is lipophilic, and the mercury that enters the body is mainly distributed in the liver and kidneys, causing damage to these organs. It can also cross the blood-brain barrier, directly damaging the central nervous system. It has a long half-life and tends to accumulate. Chronic poisoning commonly presents with dizziness, headache, nausea, anorexia, abdominal discomfort, gum bleeding, and muscle tremors. Some may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, black watery stools, coffee bean-colored stools, oliguria, or even anuria. Damage to the nervous system can manifest as headache, dizziness, insomnia, fear, numbness and weakness in the limbs, tremors, lower limb paralysis, pain in the lower back and legs, and urinary incontinence. Acute poisoning can lead to acute corrosion, gastrointestinal and renal damage, burning or colicky pain in the epigastrium, lumbago, anuria, and shortness of breath.

Rescue methods (the following are general literature-recommended detoxification methods, not necessarily verified by clinical trials), acute poisoning:

1. Early gastric lavage with sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by milk or raw egg white to bind mercury with protein and delay its absorption.
2. Intramuscular injection of sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate (BAL, Unithiol), followed by detoxification agents after one week of treatment. If necessary, oral administration of metal chelators such as D-penicillamine or succimer can be used for mercury removal after one month.
3. Pay attention to correcting typical edema, electrolyte, and acid-base imbalances. Actively prevent and treat secondary infections, shock, and renal failure.

TCM can effectively treat dry eye syndrome, floaters, retinopathy, and various chronic eye diseases

1. Intramuscular injection of 5% sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate.
2. Compound formula Glabrous Greenbrier decoction has a slow mercury-removing effect and can improve symptoms. The composition of Glabrous Greenbrier decoction: Glabrous Greenbrier, Lonicera, Prepared Rehmannia Root, Morinda, Cornus, Moutan, Carthamus, Peach Kernel, Alisma, Cluster Mallow Fruit, Bupleurum, Liquorice Root.