Nature: salty, cold

Enters: Liver, Heart

Actions: Subdues the liver and suppresses any type of liver Yang rising; clears liver heat; promotes vision; anchors the Shen.

Indications:
• Liver Yang rising and liver Yin deficiency: headache, dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, restlessness, insomnia, seizures.
• Liver Yin deficiency: blurry vision.
• Liver heat: red eyes, photophobia.
• Topical: promotes healing of canker sores.
• Commonly used as a cheap substitute for Zhen zhu, though it is much less effective.
• Must be cooked longer than other herbs.
• Difficult to digest (like all shells and minerals).
• Bensky/Gamble classifies with herbs that anchor the Shen.
• As a topical facial exfolliant. One source claims machine grinding produces a powder too fine to exfolliate effectively. Hand grinding may be preferable.
MLT: Promotes healing, generates flesh.
• Topical for acne/blemishes.

Dose: 15-30g