Lu Jiao
StarCervus nippon Temminck; Cervus elaphus Linnaeus
Traditionally used for
- Fertility & vitality
- Pain & joints
- Energy & fatigue
Cautions & contraindications
- Pregnancy
☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies Kidney Yang; Strengthens the Sinews and Bones; Invigorates Blood and disperses stagnation; Reduces Swelling and Draws Out Toxins; Nourishes Essence and Blood
Traditional Chinese Uses
Lu Jiao (deer antler) is a warm, sweet-salty substance used in Chinese medicine to tonify Kidney Yang and essence, strengthen sinew and bone, and promote Blood production. It is used for Kidney Yang deficiency with cold lower back and knees, impotence, infertility, anemia, and delayed development in children. Less powerful than Lu Rong (fresh velvet antler), it is a gentler tonic appropriate for long-term supplementation in mild to moderate Kidney Yang deficiency patterns. Hardened, mature antler rather than velvet is used in formulas.
Used In Formulas (3)
Relationships
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Botanical Description
Lu Jiao is the hardened, mature, naturally shed antler of the sika deer (Cervus nippon) or the red deer (Cervus elaphus), large cervids of the family Cervidae native respectively to East Asia and across temperate Eurasia. Unlike the young velvet antler (Lu Rong), which is harvested while still soft and richly vascularized, Lu Jiao consists of fully ossified antler that has lost its velvet covering and been cast naturally at the end of the rutting cycle, typically collected in late winter or early spring. The antlers are long, branching, and forked, with rough longitudinal grooves and a pale brown to grayish-brown exterior surface; the dense bone is white to pale yellow within. For use, the antlers are sawn into segments or further reduced by prolonged boiling into glue (Lu Jiao Jiao) or by powdering.
Active Constituents
Collagen and proteins / amino acids
Structural protein and free amino acidsConcentration: Major organic fraction (protein-rich)
The mature antler is largely ossified collagenous bone; on hydrolysis it yields glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and other amino acids that underpin the tonifying, essence- and blood-nourishing (bu) actions.
Calcium phosphate / calcium carbonate
Inorganic bone mineralConcentration: Major (bone mineral matrix)
The mineralised matrix supplies calcium and phosphate; relevant to the traditional use for strengthening sinews and bones and to demonstrated effects on bone metabolism.
Chondroitin sulfate / glycosaminoglycans
Sulfated polysaccharideConcentration: Present in cartilaginous portions
Sulfated GAGs from the antler base and cartilage contribute to cartilage/joint support and are among the anti-inflammatory active fractions of deer antler products.
Polypeptides / growth factors (incl. IGF-type)
Bioactive peptides and proteinsConcentration: Minor bioactive fraction (higher in velvet than mature Lu Jiao)
Antler polypeptides show antioxidant, immunomodulatory and tissue-regenerative activity. Note: velvet antler in particular can contain insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)-type material.
Steroid hormones (estradiol, oestrone, androgens)
Endogenous steroidsConcentration: Trace
Small quantities of sex steroids and prostaglandins (PGE1, PGE2) occur naturally and are thought to contribute to the yang-tonifying, reproductive-supporting reputation of deer antler.
Phospholipids and gangliosides
Membrane lipids / glycosphingolipidsConcentration: Minor
Lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and gangliosides are reported in antler extracts and are associated with neurotrophic and anti-fatigue effects.
Trace elements (Ca, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn)
MineralsConcentration: Trace to minor
A spectrum of essential trace minerals supporting the general tonic (bu) and blood-nourishing indications.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Recombinant/prohibited anabolic agents and IGF-1 (sports doping context)
Deer antler (especially velvet-antler sprays) may contain small amounts of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which is prohibited in sport. Concurrent use with other growth-factor or anabolic products compounds this concern.
Clinical note: Competitive athletes should avoid deer antler products; WADA advises vigilance because IGF-1 contamination can trigger a positive test.
Warfarin and other anticoagulants/antiplatelet drugs
Some deer antler fractions display antithrombotic activity, so an additive effect with anticoagulants is conceivable, although controlled data are lacking and one interaction database found no documented interaction.
Clinical note: Monitor patients on warfarin for altered anticoagulation; no dose change is established.
Hormone therapy / hormone-sensitive conditions (estrogen, testosterone)
Trace endogenous sex steroids in antler could theoretically add to exogenous hormone therapy or be undesirable in hormone-sensitive tumours.
Clinical note: Use caution in hormone-sensitive cancers, pregnancy and in patients on hormone therapy.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6–15 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 【用法与用量】6～15g。 【性味与归经】咸，温。归肾、肝经。 — Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim; route and cautions preserved. Replaces a cleared category-filler value. |
Preparation Methods
Decoction (cooked first / xian jian)
Parts: Mature ossified antler (Cornu Cervi)
Because the antler is dense bone, the sliced or filed material is decocted first for 30-60 minutes before adding other herbs. Typical dose 6-15 g. Source from farmed deer only.
Deglued antler / antler gelatin (Lu Jiao Jiao) and antler-glue residue (Lu Jiao Shuang)
Parts: Mature antler
Prolonged boiling extracts a gelatin (Lu Jiao Jiao) used to nourish blood and essence; the residual deglued antler (Lu Jiao Shuang) is a milder, more astringent tonic. These processed forms are the usual clinical preparations.
Powder
Parts: Mature antler
Finely ground antler taken 1-3 g, or applied topically for chronic non-healing sores and swellings. Conservation/legal note: deer antler is a renewable animal product (antlers regrow annually) and should be obtained from lawfully farmed Cervus nippon or Cervus elaphus; verify CITES/import status for the source population, and Lu Jiao Shuang or plant yang tonics can serve as substitutes where animal products are to be avoided.
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Yin and yang, essence and blood are replenished together, the tortoise nourishing the Ren channel and the deer the Du channel.
Core pair of a classical formula — Gui Lu Er Xian Jiao, Yi Bian (Ming dynasty)
Evidence Tier
Limited evidence · 1 studyRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
0
Other / unclassified
1
1 verified · 0 unverified
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Deer antler base as a traditional Chinese medicine: a review of its traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology
Comprehensive review documenting the constituents of deer antler (proteins, amino acids, polypeptides, minerals, lipids, steroids) and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-fatigue, immunomodulatory, anti-osteoporotic, antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
- Pregnancy
Contraindications
Its use is prohibited in patients with vigorous fire due to yin deficiency.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 344–356.
Historical Texts
Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica)
Han dynasty (c. 2nd century CE)Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians)
c. 500 CE (Tao Hongjing)Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty (1578 CE)References
- Wu F, Li H, Jin L, Li X, Ma Y, You J, Li S, Xu Y. Deer antler base as a traditional Chinese medicine: a review of its traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology . Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 145(2):403-415 (2013) [DOI]
- Bensky D, Clavey S, Stoger E. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed. (Lu Jiao / Cornu Cervi) . Eastland Press, Seattle (2004) [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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