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To treat any morbid induration in the body, notably a) scrofula, phlegm nodes, and goiter (including what Western medicine calls lymphadenhypertrophy and thyrocele), b) urinary calculi and gallstones, and c) abdominal concretions (including hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and abdominal masses).

Medicinal therapy: Sargassum (Sargassum, 海藻 hǎi zǎo), kelp (Laminariae seu Eckloniae Thallus, 昆布 kūn bù), prunella (Prunellae Spica, 夏枯草 xià kū cǎo), fritillaria (Fritillariae Bulbus, 贝母 bèi mǔ), oyster shell (Ostreae Concha, 牡蛎 mǔ lì), cremastra/pleione (Cremastrae seu Pleiones Pseudobulbus, 山慈姑 shān cí gū), dried taro (Colocasiae Tuber Exsiccatum, 青芋艿干 qīng yù nǎi gān), and air potato (Dioscoreae Bulbiferae Rhizoma, 黄药子 huáng yào zǐ) are hardness-softening medicinals commonly used for scrofula, phlegm nodes, and goiter. These are often combined with blood-quickening stasis-transforming medicinals and heat-clearing toxin-resolving medicinals.

Moneywort (Lysimachiae Herba, 金钱草 jīn qián cǎo), gizzard lining (Galli Gigerii Endothelium, 鸡内金 jī nèi jīn), and niter (Nitrum, 硝石 xiāo shí) are hardness-softening agents used to disperse stones. To treat urinary calculi, these agents are frequently combined with water-disinhibiting strangury-freeing agents; to treat biliary tract calculi, they may be combined with liver-coursing qì-rectifying medicinals, and in some cases with draining-precipitants such as rhubarb (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 大黄 dà huáng), unripe bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, 枳实 zhǐ shí), and mirabilite (Natrii Sulfas, 芒硝 máng xiāo).

For agents that disperse concretions, see dispelling stasis and quickening the blood.

Among formulas used, Sargassum Jade Flask Decoction (海藻玉壶汤 hǎi zǎo yù hú tāng) is used for dispersing goiter. Scrofula Internal Dispersion Pill (内消瘰瘰丸 nèi xiāo luǒ lì wán) disperses scrofula. Biliary Calculus Decoction (胆道排石汤 dǎn dào pái shí tāng), expels gallstones. Pyrrosia Powder (石苇散 shí wéi sǎn) disperses urinary tract calculi. All these are specific-use formulas.

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