☯ TCM Properties
Warms Lung Qi , resolves Phlegm and calms wheezing; Tonifies the Kidneys, tonifies Yang and grasps Qi; Benefits Qi and promotes lactation
Traditional Chinese Uses
E Guan Shi (Stalactitum) is the slender, hollow "goose-tube" tip of a calcium-carbonate stalactite (calcite/aragonite), a warming mineral tonic. Sweet, pungent and warm, entering the Lung, Kidney and Stomach channels, it warms Lung Qi, transforms Phlegm and calms wheezing; tonifies the Kidneys and Yang and helps the Kidneys grasp Qi; and benefits Qi to promote lactation.
It is used for chronic cough and wheezing from Lung-Cold and for consumptive dyspnea where the Kidneys fail to grasp the Qi, and for Kidney-Yang deficiency with impotence, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, and cold painful obstruction. As a lactagogue it treats scanty milk. Being a hard mineral it is crushed and decocted first, usually 9-15 g. Because it is warm and drying, it is contraindicated in Yin deficiency with effulgent fire or in excess-Heat patterns.
Botanical Description
E Guan Shi (“goose-tube stone”) is a mineral substance, not a plant. It is a tubular, hollow stalactite of calcium carbonate (calcite/aragonite, CaCO3) formed in limestone caves by slow precipitation from dripping mineral-rich water and prized in Chinese materia medica when it occurs as a narrow, quill-like, hollow soda-straw stalactite resembling a goose feather’s shaft. Specimens are white to pale grey or yellowish, with a chalky to translucent surface, fibrous radial structure on cross-section, and a thin axial canal. Larger, dense, branched stalactites with a clearly tubular interior are also accepted under this name in some regional sources. E Guan Shi is broken into pieces and water-levigated before use; in TCM it is regarded as warm and is used to warm the Lung and direct rebellious qi downward, to consolidate descent, and to treat cold-pattern phlegm-rheum and certain wheezing conditions. Verify mineralogical authenticity before clinical use.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-30g | 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.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on E Guan Shi.
No notes yet.