The efficacy and function of sea clam shells

Sea clam shell is a very good medicinal material. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients. It has extremely high medicinal value. Let us learn about several aspects of sea clam shell.

[Other names] Sea clam (Ben Jing), clam shell (Bencao Yuanshi).

[Source] The shells of several types of sea clams such as the green clam of the family Curculidae. Caught between April and October. After obtaining, remove the meat, wash and dry it.

[Original form] 2 shells, nearly round. The shell is about 36.5 to 56 mm long, the height is almost equal to the length, and the width is about 2/3 of the length. The top of the shell is prominent, located in the center of the dorsal side, and the tip is bent forward. There is no lunula, the shield surface is long and narrow, and is entirely occupied by ligaments. The ligaments are yellowish brown and do not protrude from the shell surface. The surface of the shell is extremely convex, with growth lines at the top being fine and not very noticeable, gradually becoming thicker and protruding from the shell surface on the ventral side. Shell surface pale yellow or brownish red. The inside of the shell is white or light flesh-colored, with neat little teeth on the edge. The denticles become larger as they approach the dorsal margin. The hinge is narrow and flat, and the left and right shells each have 3 main teeth. The mantle mark is obvious, the mantle sinus is deep, extending obliquely upward from the ventral edge to the center of the shell, wide at the rear end and gradually narrowing to the front end, forming a wedge shape. The anterior adductor muscle scar is slender and crescent-shaped, while the posterior adductor muscle scar is large and oval. The feet are flat and tongue-shaped.

[Habitat distribution] Lives on the muddy and sandy seabed near the coast. It is distributed along the coast of my country. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Fujian and other places.

[Properties] The shell is round in shape and the outer surface is yellowish white. The top of the shell is tilted to one side, with closely arranged concentric rings, along which there may be several gray-blue wheel patterns, and the ventral margin is finely serrated. The inside of the shell is milky white or bluish white, smooth and without any lines. It is light, hard and slightly brittle, and the cross-section has unclear lamination patterns. It has a slightly fishy smell and a light taste. Smooth and clean ones are preferred.

【Chemical composition】 Contains calcium carbonate, shell keratin, etc.

[Preparation] Clam shells: wash, dry and crush into pieces. Calcine clam shells: Take clean clam shells and calcine them over a smokeless fire until they turn red. Take them out, let them cool, and crush them. Clam powder: Grind the calcined clam shells into a very fine powder.

【Nature and flavor】Salty, neutral.

【Meridian】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "enters the hand and foot Taiyang and Yangming meridians."

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat, promotes diuresis, resolves phlegm, and softens hard masses. It is used to treat hot phlegm, asthma and cough, edema, gonorrhea, goiter, tumor, accumulation, chest pain due to blood stasis, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhoids, metrorrhagia, and leucorrhea.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 2 to 4 qian; or made into pills or powder.

【Note】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Shuqi is its envoy. It is afraid of dog gall, gansui and yanhua."

[Additional prescription] ① Treat cough, asthma and excessive sputum: 3 grams each of sea clam shell, pinellia, mulberry bark, perilla seed and Fritillaria, and 5 grams of Trichosanthes. Decoction in water. (Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook)

[Remarks] In addition to the one mentioned above, the shells of clams from the same family as the sea clams currently used as medicinal materials can also be used in the same way. See the entry for "Clams".

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

In fact, you will only know its benefits after practicing it. Just like the traditional Chinese medicine sea clam shell introduced above, it turns out that sea clam shell can also treat some other diseases. Therefore, eating it in moderation has many benefits.