The efficacy and function of tortoise shell glue [picture]

Turtle shell glue [picture] is a very common Chinese medicinal material in daily life. It has high medicinal and nutritional value to the human body, and it is not too difficult to buy. Let's analyze several aspects of turtle shell glue [picture].

[Other names] Turtle paste (Compendium of Materia Medica), tortoise glue (Compendium of Materia Medica), tortoise shell glue (Sichuan Chinese Medicine Records).

[Source] A solid block of rubber made by boiling the shell of a turtle , a member of the Testudinidae family.

[Preparation method] Take the cleaned tortoise shell after soaking, put it in a pot and boil it for several times until the gelatin is gone, then remove the residue. Filter and combine the glue liquid decocted multiple times, add a little alum powder, let it stand, filter out the clarified glue liquid, concentrate it over low heat (or add appropriate amount of rice wine or rock sugar) until it becomes a thick paste, pour it into the gel tank, let it condense, then take it out, cut it into small pieces and dry it in the shade.

[Properties] It is a square flat block, about 2.6 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, and 0.8 cm thick. It is brown with a slight green tint, and has an old yellow "oily head" with a slight bristle pattern. When held up to the light, it is transparent and clean like amber. The texture is hard, and the best ones are crispy and transparent.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet, salty, neutral.

【Functions and indications】Nourishing yin, replenishing blood, and stopping bleeding. It is used to treat yin deficiency and blood deficiency, fatigue, heat and bone steaming, vomiting blood, epistaxis, restlessness, palpitations, kidney deficiency and low back pain, weak feet and knees, metrorrhagia, and leucorrhea.

[Usage and Dosage] Dissolve in boiled water or rice wine, 1 to 3 qian.

【Note】 Do not take this product if you have cold or dampness in your stomach.

[Additional prescription] ① For treating prolonged chills and fever and malaria: 1 liang of tortoise glue, 5 qian of cinnamon bark, 2 liang of Atractylodes macrocephala (fried with earth). Divide into five doses and decoct them for oral administration. (Compendium of Materia Medica)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

Turtle shell glue [picture] is a medicinal material that has existed for a long time. It is recorded in many Chinese medicine books, which shows that tortoise shell glue [picture] does have good medicinal value.