Chuan Shan Jia
StarManis pentadactyla Linnaeus
☯ TCM Properties
Invigorates Blood and disperses stasis; Unblocks the menses and promotes lactation; Reduces swelling and promotes the discharge of pus; Expels Wind-Dampness and unblocks the channels and collaterals
Traditional Chinese Uses
Chuan Shan Jia (pangolin scales, manis scales) is a neutral, salty substance used in Chinese medicine to invigorate Blood, promote menstruation, open the channels, reduce swellings, and stimulate lactation. It is the most important herb for insufficient lactation in postpartum women whose milk flow is impeded by Blood stasis or channel obstruction. It also addresses amenorrhea, masses, and inflammatory swellings from Blood stagnation. Due to the critical conservation status of pangolins, this substance is now subject to international trade restrictions and clinical alternatives are being developed.
Botanical Description
Chuan Shan Jia is not a plant but the keratinous scales of pangolins, traditionally most often the Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus (family Manidae), a nocturnal, insectivorous mammal once widespread in southern China and continental Southeast Asia. The scales are overlapping, fan-shaped to rhomboid, 1-5 cm across, pale brown to greyish-black, with a smooth shiny surface and a fibrous broken edge; on the living animal they cover the entire dorsal surface and tail. For traditional preparation, scales were collected, washed, sand-roasted until they swelled and turned tawny, and then often vinegar-quenched before pulverising. All pangolin species are now critically endangered.
Active Constituents
Keratin
Fibrous structural proteinConcentration: Principal component (>85% of dry scale)
Pangolin scales are built almost entirely from keratin, an aggregate of alpha- and beta-keratin rich in the sulphur-containing amino acid cystine that forms disulphide cross-links. Keratin itself is largely indigestible; the traditional processing step of dry- or vinegar-frying is intended to make the scale brittle so that smaller peptides and amino acids become extractable in decoction.
Free and bound amino acids
Amino acidsConcentration: 18 amino acids reported (incl. cystine, arginine, serine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid)
Analysis of pangolin scale identifies eighteen amino acids, dominated by cystine, glycine, serine and arginine. Water-soluble amino acids and short peptides liberated during decoction are regarded as the fraction responsible for the material's traditionally described blood-moving and channel-unblocking actions.
Stearic acid
Saturated fatty acidConcentration: Minor lipid fraction
Stearic acid is among the lipophilic constituents recovered from the scale. It is a common structural fatty acid without a defined therapeutic role in this context.
Cholesterol
SterolConcentration: Trace
Cholesterol is reported as a trace lipid component of the scale, reflecting its animal origin rather than any specific pharmacological function.
Trace elements (Zn, Fe, Ca, Na, Se)
Inorganic mineralsConcentration: Trace
Elemental analysis detects zinc, iron, calcium, sodium and selenium among other minerals, consistent with keratinous tissue. No mineral has been shown to account for the classical indications.
Volatile amides / diketopiperazine dipeptides
Cyclic dipeptides / amidesConcentration: Minor
Cyclic dipeptides (diketopiperazines) and related nitrogenous compounds have been described in extracts; these are minor constituents and their contribution to any activity is not established.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction (processed scale)
Parts: Scales
Scales are first dry-fried, or fried with vinegar or sand (Pao Shan Jia) until they curl and become brittle, then crushed. The traditional decoction dose was roughly 3-9 g. Note: Manis pentadactyla is critically endangered and Chuan Shan Jia was removed from the raw-material list of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition); international CITES Appendix I prohibits trade. This preparation is documented for historical completeness only and legal, sustainable substitutes (e.g. Wang Bu Liu Xing, Lu Lu Tong) should be used.
Powder
Parts: Scales
Processed scales were ground to a fine powder and taken in small amounts (about 1-1.5 g) with warm water or wine, historically for promoting lactation and dispersing swellings. As above, use is prohibited on conservation and legal grounds.
Historical Texts
Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians)
Attributed to Tao Hongjing, c. 500 CE (Southern Dynasties)Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)
Li Shizhen, 1578 (Ming dynasty)References
- Wang B, Yang W, McKittrick J, Meyers MA. Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration . Progress in Materials Science (2016) [DOI]
- Wang B, Yang W, Sherman VR, Meyers MA. Pangolin armor: Overlapping, structure, and mechanical properties of the keratinous scales . Acta Biomaterialia (2016) [DOI]
- McKittrick J, Chen PY, Bodde SG, Yang W, Novitskaya EE, Meyers MA. The structure, functions, and mechanical properties of keratin . JOM (Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) (2012) [DOI]
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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