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Bie Jia (鱉甲), the carapace of the soft-shelled turtle, nourishes yin and anchors ascendant yang, clears deficiency heat, and softens hardness to disperse masses (such as an enlarged spleen or abdominal masses).
Latin / Pharmaceutical Name
Trionycis Carapax (soft-shelled turtle shell)
Common English Name
Soft-shelled turtle shell
Taste
Salty
Temperature
Cold
Channels Entered
Liver, Kidney
Actions & Functions
- Nourishes yin and anchors ascendant yang
- Clears deficiency heat (steaming bone disorder)
- Softens hardness and disperses masses
Indications
Yin deficiency with night sweats and low-grade or bone-steaming fever; ascendant Liver yang; and abdominal masses and an enlarged spleen.
Dosage
9-30 g, decocted first.
Common Combinations
With Qing Hao (Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang) to clear deficiency heat.
Cautions & Contraindications
Contraindicated in pregnancy and in Spleen deficiency with poor appetite and loose stools.
