Nature: acrid, salty, cold
Enters: Heart, Liver, Kidney
Actions: Anchors and quiets the Shen; subdues liver Yang rising; nourishes the kidneys and liver; brightens the eyes and promotes hearing; brings Qi from Lung to the kidneys (aids the kidneys in grasping the Qi).
Indications:
• Hyperactive liver Yang due to liver Yin deficiency: restlessness, insomnia, palpitations, dizziness, headache, convulsions, tremors.
• Fear: convulsions in children.
• Liver/kidney Yin deficiency: blurry vision, tinnitus, poor hearing or deafness.
• Kidney Qi deficiency: asthma.
• Caution for long term use: probably contains heavy metals.
• Very difficult to digest.
• Be cautious of damage to the (anatomical) liver and heart.
• Usually prepared by being fired, dipped in vinegar, then pulverized.
• Generally cooked 20-30 minutes longer than other herbs.
DY: Should be systematically combined with Shen qu (which “enables the digestion of metals”) so it can be digested.
• With Shi chang pu to enrich the kidneys, calm the liver, diffuse impediment, open the portals, and sharpen the hearing. For indications such as:
– 1. Tinnitus and/or deafness due to Yin deficiency or deficiency fire. (Use vinegar dip-calcined Ci shi.)
– 2. Headaches, vertigo, heart palpitations, vexation and agitation, and insomnia due to Yin deficiency causing Yang hyperactivity. (Use unprepared Ci shi. However, it is important to know this form can cause abdominal pain. Therefore, the dosage should be moderate [15g] and it should be combined with Shen qu.)
Hsu: Inhibits the CNS; stimulates formation of blood cells (hemopoietic).
Dose: 9-30g (1-3g directly as powder)
Thanks for the info. Can you please suggest other herbs rich in magnesium that are safer to take? For tinnitus, hearing weakness in yin deficiency state?
The closest thing to something “heavy” and mineral-based for tinnitus due to yin deficiency and yang rising would probably be Mu Li, though neither ci shi nor mu li really nourishes Yin in a strong way. They would need to be combined with yin tonics if that’s the primary diagnosis. Also, I don’t think it’s quite accurate to think of ci shi as “magnesium rich” – as it’s mostly iron (but may vary from sample to sample). I don’t know of other herbs that are specifically magnesium-rich – I would just advise taking magnesium in supplement form (citrate, glycinate, threonate, etc.) if you feel there is a deficiency.