Gou Gu
StarCanis lupus familiaris Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758
☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Wind-Dampness and strengthens tendons and bones
Traditional Chinese Uses
Anchored to its scientific name Ilex cornuta (Chinese or horned holly), Gou Gu refers to the bark, root, leaf and fruit of this evergreen shrub, first recorded in the Tang-dynasty Ben Cao Shi Yi. In traditional use it is regarded as tonifying to the Liver and Kidney, nourishing Yin, clearing deficiency Heat, and strengthening the sinews and bones. It treats Liver-Kidney deficiency patterns with dizziness, vertigo, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, and premature greying; the leaf and branches were also used for consumptive cough and hemoptysis from lung tuberculosis.
Classically the bark is steeped in wine as a tonic liquor, and it is combined with herbs such as Gou Qi Zi (goji) and Nu Zhen Zi (Ligustrum) to reinforce the Liver and Kidney.
Botanical Description
Gou Gu (狗骨), Os Canis, is not a plant but the dried bone of the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris Linnaeus (Canidae). The medicinal substance consists of the long limb bones, cranium or mandible of slaughtered animals, defleshed, boiled to remove residual soft tissue and marrow, and sun-dried; it may be used whole, broken into pieces, soaked in wine, or calcined to a friable white ash before pulverizing. Properly cleaned pieces are creamy-white to pale grey externally, hard and odourless, composed of the calcium-phosphate mineral matrix of vertebrate bone with residual organic collagen. Pungent, salty and warm, it dispels Wind-Dampness and strengthens the tendons and bones, being used for rheumatic pain and weakness of the low back and knees.
Domesticated animal reared throughout China and worldwide; not a wild-collected source.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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