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Alternate Chinese names: 蛎蛤 lì gé; 古贲 gǔ bēn; 左顾牡蛎 zuǒ gù mǔ lì; 牡蛤 mǔ gé; 蛎房 lì fáng; 蚝莆 háo fǔ; 蚝壳 háo ké

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Ostrea rivularis Gould; Ostrea gigas Thunb.; Ostrea talienwhanensis Crosse. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin in unofficial sources: Ostrea rivularis Gould; Ostrea gigas Thunb.; Ostrea talienwhanensis Crosse

Use: Medicinal

Category: Liver-calming wind-extinguishing agents / Liver-calming yáng-subduing agents

Properties: Salty; astringent; slightly cold.

Channel entry: Liver and kidney channels.

Actions and indications:

• Calms the liver and subdues yáng: Dizziness and tinnitus due to ascendant hyperactivity of liver yáng.
• Softens hardness and disperses binds: Phlegm nodes; scrofula; concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings.
• Quiets the spirit: Disquieted heart spirit with fright palpitations and insomnia.
• Astringes and secures: All efflux desertion patterns: seminal emission and seminal efflux; enuresis, and frequent urination; flooding and spotting, abnormal vaginal discharge; spontaneous sweating and night sweating.
• Modern applications: Modern research has shown that mǔ lì can control stomach acid. To treat stomach pain with acid upwelling, it is combined with Hǎi piāo xiāo (海螵蛸 Sepiae Endoconcha, cuttlefish bone) and Zhè bèi mǔ (浙贝母 Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, Zhèjiāng fritillaria [bulb]). These ingredients are ground to a fine powder and taken internally.

Dosage and method: Oral: 10–30g in decoctions; it should be crushed and predecocted. Mǔ lì should be used crude except when employed for securing and astringing, when the calcined form is preferred. Some sources say that it should be used with care in pregnancy.

Product description: This shell is ovate in shape and made up of two halves that have undulating edges. The top shell is relatively flat, while the bottom shell is trough-shaped. The grayish-yellow exterior surface shows the layered structure of its substance. The interior is smooth and shiny and is cream or yellowish white in color. This shell is hard and not easy to break. It has no smell. It is ground to a very fine powder to facilitate decoction.

Quality: The best quality is large and neatly shaped, with a shiny inside.

Production area: Coastal areas of Jiāngsū, Fújiàn, Guǎngdōng, Héběi, Liáoníng, Shāndōng.

Etymology: The name mǔ lì 牡蛎, male oyster, reflects a belief that all oysters are male. The alternate name háo ké 蚝壳, reflects the large size (háo 豪) of this shell (ké 壳).

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