This product is the scales of the vertebrate Pangolin Scales family Pangolin Scales (Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus). It is mainly produced in Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, Yunnan, and other regions. It can be captured throughout the year. After being killed, it is briefly scalded in boiling water, the scales are removed, washed, and dried for raw use; or scalded with sand until they puff up, then washed and dried; or processed and then quenched with vinegar before use, and crushed when used.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Salty, slightly cold. act on liver and stomach channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Invigorating blood to resolve accumulation, promoting menstruation, promoting lactation, reducing swelling, and expelling pus.

bubble_chart Indications

1. is used for abdominal mass, amenorrhea, and wind-dampness arthralgia. This product has a strong dispersing nature, reaching the zang-fu organs and meridians internally, capable of invigorating blood and resolving stasis, eliminating abdominal mass disease, and unblocking the Jingmai. For treating abdominal mass, it is combined with Sparganium Rhizome, Zedoary Rhizome, etc.; for blood stasis amenorrhea, it is combined with Chinese Angelica, Carthamus, etc.; for wind-dampness arthralgia, joint stiffness, numbness, and spasms, it is combined with little multibanded krait, centipede, Qiang, Pubescent Angelica, etc.
2. It is used for postpartum lactation deficiency. This product can regulate qi and blood to promote lactation. For lactation deficiency due to qi and blood stagnation, it can be used alone or combined with Cowherb Seed; if lactation is scarce due to qi and blood deficiency, it is combined with Astragalus Root, Chinese Angelica, and other qi and blood tonifying herbs.
3. It is used for abscesses, sores, and scrofula. This product can invigorate blood to resolve carbuncles, reduce swelling, and expel pus, causing unformed pus to disperse and formed pus to quickly ulcerate. For initial abscesses, it is combined with Lonicera, Snakegourd Root, Chinese Honeylocust Fruit thorn, etc., to remove toxins and invigorate blood to resolve carbuncles, such as Immortal Formula Life-Saving Decoction; for pus that has formed but not ulcerated, it is combined with Astragalus Root, Chinese Angelica, Chinese Honeylocust Fruit thorn to expel toxins and drain pus, such as Pus-Draining Powder; for scrofula, it is combined with Prunella, Fritillaria Bulb, Scrophularia Root, to disperse scrofula and resolve nodules. Additionally, recently, this product has been used to treat traumatic bleeding, surgical incision oozing, and leukopenia, with hemostatic and leukocyte-increasing effects.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Bencao Gangmu: "Eliminates phlegm malaria, chills and fever, migratory impediment, stiffness and pain, unblocks Jingmai, promotes lactation, reduces abscesses and swelling, expels pus and blood, relieves stuffy orifices, and kills worms." "Pangolin Scales enter the Jueyin and Yangming meridians, rarely used in ancient formulas, but in recent times, they have been used as an essential medicine for wind malaria, sores, unblocking meridians, and promoting lactation... As the saying goes: 'Pangolin Scales and Wangbuliuxing, when women consume them, their milk flows abundantly.'"
2. Yixue Zhongzhong Canxilu: "Pangolin Scales have a fishy and penetrating odor, their penetrating nature reaches everywhere, thus they can disperse and unblock the zang-fu organs, penetrate the meridians and collaterals, and reach the orifices. Any disease caused by blood coagulation and accumulation can be opened by them."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 8-10g; grind into powder and take 1-1.5g.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Pregnant women and those with ulcerated abscesses should avoid use.