Medicinals

líng yáng jiǎo / 羚羊角 / 羚羊角 / antelope horn

Latin pharmacognostic name: Saigae Tataricae Cornu

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 羚羊角屑 líng yáng jiǎo xiè

Origin: Animal

Use: medicinal

Category: Liver-calming wind-extinguishing agents / Wind-extinguishing tetany-relieving agents

Properties: Salty; cold.

Channel entry: liver and heart channels.

Indications:

Dosage & Method:

Oral: Wet-grind to obtain juice (9–15g); decoct (1.5–3g); use in pills and powders.

Warning:

Contraindicated in spleen vacuity patterns of chronic fright wind.

Product Description:

The complete horn is funnel-shaped and slightly curved, 25–40 cm long, about 3 cm in diameter at the base. It is a pale smoky yellow, darker at the base. There are 10–20 protuberant rings (fewer in younger horns) evenly distributed over the length of the horn but for the tip. Young horn is translucent and has blood streaks and black speckles. Older horn has no black speckles and has longitudinal cracks. The transverse section at the base shows a bony plug that forms the core of a third to a half of the length of the horn. The plug has a serrate edge that meshes tightly with the bone. When it is removed, the horn is left partly hollow, and there is a hole that further penetrates to the end of the horn—a unique feature of antelope horn.

Quality:

Young, pale, shiny horn without cracks is best.

Product Area:

Xīnjiāng.

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