☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies Kidney Yang and treats impotence; Regulates Qi and Blood and p romotes labor
Traditional Chinese Uses
Hai Ma is the dried body of the seahorse Hippocampus kelloggi and related species, one of the warming yang tonics. Sweet and salty and warm, it enters the Kidney and Liver channels. Its principal action is to tonify Kidney yang for impotence, sexual debility, urinary incontinence and dribbling, and for chronic wheezing and asthma of the deficient and elderly. It also invigorates Blood to disperse abdominal masses and swellings, and was used to aid a difficult labour. It is decocted at 3–9 g or powdered at 1–1.5 g, and is classically steeped in wine—reflected in the old saying pairing seahorse with ginseng for tonifying yang.
All Hippocampus species are listed on CITES Appendix II and many are threatened; this describes traditional use only, and conservation-compliant substitutes should replace wild-caught seahorse.
Botanical Description
Hai Ma comprises the dried bodies of seahorses, principally species of the genus Hippocampus (family Syngnathidae), and is therefore an animal- rather than plant-derived material. The seahorse is a small bony fish 5 to 30 centimetres long with a horse-like head set at an angle to a vertically held, segmented body sheathed in articulated bony plates, and a prehensile tail used to anchor to seagrass or coral. The dorsal fin provides slow forward propulsion and males brood eggs in a sealed ventral pouch. All Hippocampus species are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), regulating their international commerce, and populations are widely considered overexploited; sourcing of medicinal material should comply with national and international conservation regulation.
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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