Dragon's Bone (long
gu)
Os
Draconis Fossilia
Properties:
Astringent and sweet in flavour, mild in nature, it acts
on heart, liver and kidney channels. This drug is heavy
and can lower the adverse Qi. It has the functions of
sedation, tranquilization, suppressing hyperactivity of
liver-yang and astringency. It can be used to treat
intranquility of mind caused by disturbance of Yang-qi,
vertigo and headache due to hyperactivity of liver-yang,
sweating, loss of blood, and leukorrhea due to deficiency
of healthy Qi.
Effects: Sedation
and tranquilization, calming the liver and suppressing
hyperactivity of liver-yang, restraining spermatorrhea.
Indications:
1. Restlessness,
insomnia due to hyperactivity of Yang and deficiency of
Yin. It is used with tranquilizers, such as Radix Paeoniae
Alba, Concha Margaritifera Usta, Concha Ostreae,
Cinnabaris, etc. For intranquility of mind, palpitation,
insomnia and aminesia due to deficiency of Qi and blood,
it is used with Radix Ginseng, Semen Ziziphi Spinosae,
Semen Biotae, etc.
2. Irritability,
dizziness and headache caused by hyperactivity of
liver-yang due to deficiency of Yin of kidney and liver,
it is often used with drugs of nourishing Yin and
suppressing hyperactivity of Yang , auch as Concha Ostrae,,
Conche Haliotidis, Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, Radix
Paeoniae, Flos Chrysanthemi.
3. With drugs of
astringency and arresting perspiration, such as Concha Os-treae,
Fructus Schisandrae, Fructus Tritici Levis, it is used to
treat spontaneous sweating and night sweat. With herbs of
astringing intestine and arresting diarrhea, such as
Halloysitum Rubrum, Fructus Mume Fructus Chebulae, it is
used to treat chronic diarrhea. It is used with
hemostatics and herbs for metrorrhagia, such as Radix
Astragali, Sea Hedysari, Rhizoma Atractylodis
Macrocephalae, Os Sepiella sea Sepiae, Radix Rubiae, to
treat metrirrhagia due to deficiency and cold, For
spermatorhea due to deficiency of kidney, it is often used
with herbs of tonifying kidney, such as Semen
Nelumbinis, Semen Euryales, Semen Astragali Complanati,
etc.
Dosage and
Administration: 10-30g,
crushed before using and decocted ealier than other herbs.
For astringing it should be used calcined. For other
therapeutic purpose, it is used perferable unprepared.
