Medicinals
lú gān shí / 炉甘石 / 爐甘石 / calamine;
Latin pharmacognostic name: Calamina
Alternate English names: hydrozincite; calamine
Alternate Chinese names: 甘石 gān shí
Origin: Plant
Use: medicinal
Category: External medicine agents / Toxin-drawing, putridity-transforming, and flesh-engendering agents
Properties: Sweet; balanced. Toxic when taken orally.
Channel entry: liver and stomach channels.
Indications:
- Resolves toxin, brightens the eyes, and eliminates eye screens: Red eyes and eye screens, ulceration of the eyelid rim.
- Absorbs dampness, engenders flesh, and closes sores: Open sores that fail to close,
damp sores .
Dosage & Method:
Topical: Water grind for eye medication; grind to a powder and sprinkle on the affected area or apply mixed.
Warning:
Lú gān shí is only used externally and cannot be taken internally. Although Chinese materia medica literature does not normally list it as toxic, it does state that it should not be taken orally.
Product Description:
The carbonate mineral smithsonite comes in irregularly lumps or varying size. The outer surface is white or pale red, with depressions or holes. It is light and powdery in substance and is easily broken to reveal a granular of the same color as the exterior. When calcined, it is white or pale yellow in non-crystal lumps, or a fine powder.
Quality:
Large, light, white or pink lumps are the best.
Product Area:
Guǎngxī, Sìchuān, Yúnnán, Húnán.
Etymology:
The name lú gān shí 炉甘石, literally ""oven sweet stone,"" reflects the fact that this agent is treated in an oven and is sweet to the taste.