Ji Nei Jin
StarGallus gallus domesticus Brisson
☯ TCM Properties
Promotes Digestion and Resolves Food Stagnation; Strengthens the Spleen; Secures Essence and Stops Enuresis; Softens hardness and dissolves stones; Resolves Food Stagnation and Transforms Accumulations
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ji Nei Jin (chicken gizzard lining, gallus gallus domesticus endothelium) is a neutral, sweet herb derived from the dried inner lining of the chicken gizzard. It is the most important herb in Chinese medicine for dissolving kidney and gallbladder stones and for reducing food stagnation — dissolving hardened accumulations with a gentle but persistent action. It also consolidates Kidney Jing to address spermatorrhea and enuresis. As both a food substance and a medicinal herb, it exemplifies the TCM principle of using food-grade materials for therapeutic purposes.
Botanical Description
Ji Nei Jin is the dried inner lining (endothelium) of the gizzard (muscular stomach) of the domestic chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus (Phasianidae). After slaughter, the gizzard is split, the contents discarded, and the tough, yellow, keratinous inner membrane is peeled off and sun-dried into curled, brittle, translucent flakes 3-5 cm across. The membrane is the cuticle that protects the gizzard wall from abrasion by grit and food. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji Nei Jin is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine, and Bladder channels, used to strengthen the spleen, promote digestion, dissolve stones (urinary and gallstones), and stop enuresis. It is one of the most commonly prescribed digestive aids in Chinese pharmacy. (Sources: Wikipedia; Bensky Chinese Materia Medica)
Active Constituents
Pepsin
Digestive enzyme (protease)Concentration: Present in the keratinous membrane
A proteolytic enzyme contributing to the herb's digestive action; supports the traditional use of Ji Nei Jin for resolving food stagnation and promoting digestion.
Amylase (diastase)
Digestive enzymeConcentration: Present in the membrane
A carbohydrate-digesting enzyme that, with pepsin, underlies the enhancement of gastrointestinal motility and digestive-enzyme activity observed in pharmacological studies.
Keratin
Structural proteinConcentration: Major structural component of the golden keratinous layer
The principal structural protein of the gizzard lining; part of the protein/amino-acid fraction that provides substrate and bioactive peptides on digestion.
Amino acids and bioactive peptides
Proteins / amino acids / peptidesConcentration: Substantial protein fraction
Free amino acids and peptides that contribute to the material's regulation of glucose metabolism and its hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.
Polysaccharides (glucose, trehalose, mannose, galactose units)
PolysaccharidesConcentration: Notable carbohydrate fraction
Polysaccharides that support gastrointestinal and metabolic activity, including glucose regulation.
Trace elements
Inorganic micronutrientsConcentration: Minor fraction
A range of trace elements contributing to the overall nutritive and enzymatic activity of the preparation.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-12g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Powder (preferred)
Parts: gizzard inner membrane
The dried membrane is ground to a fine powder and taken directly, about 1.5-3 g per dose. Taking it as powder is traditionally considered more effective than decoction for resolving food stagnation and dissolving stones.
Dry-fried (chao) powder
Parts: gizzard inner membrane
The membrane is stir-fried until crisp and puffed, then powdered; dry-frying makes it more brittle and easier to grind and is a common processing method before use.
Decoction
Parts: gizzard inner membrane
About 3-10 g may be decocted, though the enzymatic and digestive activity is better preserved by taking the raw or lightly processed powder.
Clinical Studies
Oral Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli Therapy for Pancreatic Duct Stones: A Prospective Cohort Study
68 patients with pancreatic duct stones were assigned to oral Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli or control and followed by CT and MRI. The stone dissolution rate was significantly higher in the treatment group (P = .002), and treatment relieved abdominal pain, improved exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function, and limited deterioration of nutritional status.
Endothelium corneum gigeriae galli extract inhibits calcium oxalate formation and exerts anti-urolithic effects
ECGG extract inhibited formation of calcium oxalate monohydrate (a major urinary-stone component) and exerted dose-dependent anti-urolithic effects, with crystal-formation incidence falling from 100% to 60% across dose groups, providing a pharmacological basis for its traditional use in dissolving stones.
Historical Texts
Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica)
Han dynasty, compiled c. 200 BCE - 200 CEBen Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty, 1596References
- Frontiers in Chemistry review authors. Research progress on the chemical composition of galli gigeriae endothelium corneum . Frontiers in Chemistry (2025) [DOI]
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli (Ji Nei Jin) monograph . Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2020) [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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