The efficacy and function of the snake-clip turtle

The snake-clamp turtle is a very good medicinal ingredient. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients. It has extremely high medicinal value. Let us learn about several aspects of the snake-clamp turtle.

[Other names] Shegui (Erya), Linggui (Erya with Guo Pu's annotation), Lugui (Baopuzi), Yanggui (Tao Hongjing), Siweigui (Tang Materia Medica), Tanshegui (Dietary Materia Medica), Keshegui (Zhejiang Handbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Duanbangui (Jiangsu).

[Source] It refers to the whole species of the Testudinidae family . It can be caught in spring, summer and autumn.

[Original form] The body is oblong, with hard scales on the back and abdomen; the scales are about 15 cm long. The head is slightly rectangular; the top of the head is smooth and scaleless, yellow-green in color, with black lines on the sides of the head and behind the eyes; the eardrum is round and obvious. The tip of the snout is slightly pointed, the jaws are toothless and have horny edges; the neck is retractable. The dorsal scales are dark brown with obvious ridges; the top scales are narrow; there are S dorsal scales, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th are larger, and the 5th is fan-shaped; there are 4 costal scales on each side; there are 11 marginal scales on each side; and there are 2 anal scales. The plastron is oblong, black with yellow edges; there are 12 abdominal scales, the front and back halves are connected by ligaments, and can move to close the carapace. The tail tip is short. The limbs are covered with scales on the back, with webbed fingers and toes, and all have hooked claws.

【Habitat distribution】Lives in mountain streams. Distributed in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan and Hubei.

[Functions and indications] It can treat bone fatigue, fatigue fever, bone steaming, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, malaria in children, chronic malaria, hemorrhoids, scrofula, and sore throat.

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: roast with butter or burn into charcoal and grind into powder, 1 to 2 qian. For external use: decoction for bathing or burnt ash for application.

[Remarks] The snake-clawed turtle is a type of box turtle. There is also a three-ridged box turtle produced in Guangdong and Guangxi of my country. It is similar in shape, but has three longitudinal ridges on the carapace and a depression on the posterior edge of the anal plate.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Shu Materia Medica" 1. "Erya" Guo Pu's note: (Shegui) A small turtle, with a twisted plastron that can open and close by itself, it likes to eat snakes, and is called Linggui in Jiangdong.

The medicinal value of the snake-clawing turtle introduced in the article is of great help to our lives. In fact, many physical illnesses can be treated with some Chinese medicinal materials such as snake clips and turtles. The profound Chinese medicine culture should continue to be passed on.