☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies the Kidneys, strengthens Yang and treats impotence; Resolves edema, disperses stagnant Blood, reduces swelling, dissipates nodules and resolves masses
Traditional Chinese Uses
Hai Long is the dried body of the pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus and related members of the family Syngnathidae, classified among the yang-tonifying substances. Sweet and salty in flavour and warm in nature, it enters the Kidney channel, where it warms and tonifies Kidney yang for impotence, sexual debility and general weakness, acting much like its relative Hai Ma (seahorse) but somewhat more gently. It also moves stagnant Blood, reduces swelling, and dissipates nodules and masses, and was applied to scrofula (luoli) and hard lumps. It is typically decocted at 3–9 g or taken as powder at 1–1.5 g, and is often steeped in wine.
As an animal-derived marine substance from the seahorse family, syngnathid populations face collection pressure; practitioners should observe conservation and legal restrictions and prefer sustainable or substitute materials.
Botanical Description
Hai Long refers to the dried bodies of pipefishes in the genus Syngnathus and related members of the family Syngnathidae, and is therefore an animal-derived rather than botanical substance. The pipefish has a slender, elongated, snake-like body 10 to 30 centimetres long, encased in articulated bony rings rather than scales, with a long tubular snout terminating in a small toothless mouth used to suck in small planktonic prey. The dorsal fin is the primary means of propulsion, the body is otherwise nearly rigid, and males brood the eggs in a specialised ventral pouch. The species used inhabit shallow coastal waters and seagrass beds along the coasts of China and adjacent seas, where they are collected, gutted, dried, and bundled for medicinal trade.
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.
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