☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Heat, relieves toxicity, diminishes inflammation; Promotes diuresis, resolves stones and smooths urination
Traditional Chinese Uses
Yu Nao Shi (魚腦石, 'fish brain stone') is the otolith, the calcareous ear-stone, of the large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea, and related croakers. Salty and sweet with a cold nature, it enters the Bladder channel and is grouped with heat-clearing substances. Its principal use is to clear Heat, promote urination and resolve stones, treating damp-heat stranguria (lin syndrome), painful or difficult urination, and urinary calculi.
It is also applied, often powdered, to chronic nasal congestion and sinus discharge (bi yuan/rhinitis), and to inflammation and swelling. It is usually taken as a fine powder or in decoction. Note that the large yellow croaker is heavily overfished and now largely farmed; sustainably sourced material or stone-dissolving plant substitutes (e.g. Jin Qian Cao, Hai Jin Sha) are preferable where possible.
Botanical Description
Yu Nao Shi (魚腦石), literally 'fish brain stone,' is the otolith — the calcium-carbonate ear bone — of the large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea (Richardson), and the small yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis (Bleeker) (Sciaenidae), marine fishes harvested along the coasts of eastern and southern China. The paired otoliths are recovered from the cranial cavity when the fish are processed for food, washed clean, and dried; the resulting smooth, hard, ivory-white stony bodies are 1–2 cm long with a characteristic groove. In TCM, Yu Nao Shi is classified as sweet and salty, neutral or cool, entering the Bladder and Kidney channels, and is used to promote urination, expel stones, clear heat, and detoxify, with classical and modern indications including urinary stones, painful urinary dysfunction, otitis media, and sinusitis (sometimes used topically as a powder). As an animal-derived material, plant fields do not apply.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | 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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