☯ TCM Properties
Calms the Liver, anchors Yang and sedates fright (calms the Shen) and Calms convulsions.; Clears the Liver, cools Heat and brightens the eyes; Promotes diuresis
Traditional Chinese Uses
Zi Bei Chi (紫贝齿) is the dried shell of marine cowry molluscs (Mauritia arabica and related Cypraeidae). Salty and neutral to cool, entering the Liver and Heart channels, it is a heavy, settling substance that calms the Liver and anchors ascendant Yang, and it sedates the Shen (spirit) to quiet fright, palpitations, restlessness and insomnia due to Heat disturbing the Heart.
It also clears Liver Heat and brightens the eyes, treating red, swollen, painful eyes and superficial visual obstruction (nebulae and screens), and it promotes urination. It is commonly paired with other shell and mineral settling agents such as Shi Jue Ming, Zhen Zhu Mu or Zhen Zhu. As a hard shell it is crushed and decocted first. Source cowries are common Indo-Pacific gastropods, not CITES-listed.
Botanical Description
Zi Bei Chi ("purple cowrie shell") is the dried shell of marine gastropod molluscs of the genus Cypraea (Cypraeidae), notably Mauritia arabica and related species collected from tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific waters. The shell is ovoid, smooth and highly glossy, with a long, narrow, toothed aperture running the length of the underside; the dorsal surface bears variable purplish-brown to violet mottling on a paler ground. As an animal-derived material made principally of aragonite calcium carbonate with a thin proteinaceous periostracum, it is not a plant and has no botanical morphology. Shells are cleansed, sometimes calcined, and crushed for medicinal use.
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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