Manis
pentadactyla, M. tetradactyla 穿
山 甲
Chuān shān jiǎ Pangolin
scales, Anteater scales
Family: Manidae
FLAVOR: Salted. CHANNEL:
Liver, Stomach. FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Regulate Blood and removing Stasis
1. Regulate Blood.
2. Reduces swelling and promotes drainage of pus.[5] Disperse lumps, relieve carbuncle, and open channels. Clears channels.[5]
3. Promotes lactation.[5]
4. Expels Wind Damp from the channels.
INDICATIONS
1. Blood stasis manifesting as:
- Anemia. Dysmenorrhea. Abdominal mass. Suppression of menses.
- Galactostasis. Shortage of milk secretion- due to blood stasis.[5]
- Chronic Wind Damp rheumatism with pain due to obstruction, spasm and stiffness of extremities. Arthritis with swelling and pain.
2. Subcutaneous nodule. Scrofula. the early stage of the carbuncle, or unruptured abscess. Ulcers and abscesses.[5] Carbuncle.[5] Boils.[5]
TOPICALLY: For promoting the healing of supporative lesions.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pregnancy. Use cautiously where there is deficiency and where sores have already ulcerated.
COMBINATIONS
- Insufficient lactation - with Astragalus membranaceus root .
- Palpable, immobile abdominal masses- with Sparanium stoloniferum rhizome and Curcuma zedoaria rhizome.
- Suppurative, inflammatory lesions of the skin- with Gleditsia sinensis.
PREPARATIONS: Scales- Fried with sand to yellow and expanded by soaking in water, named as prepared pangolin scales. Decoction 3 - 9g.[1,4] Powder 1 - 1.5g.[4] Scale and shell 4 - 9g.[2]
