Gypsum, Shi Gao 石膏
Shi Gao (TCM)Godanti (Ayurveda)
Jibsin (Unani)
Selenite, Lapis Selenite; Lapis Specularis: Affroselinum, Glacies Marie; the Crystallized form of Gypsum
Gypsum
|
Affroselinum (Selenite) |
Alabaster |
Die Mineralien, Weber, J. C., 1871
Gypsum (Chengdu Medicine Market, Adam, 2016)Mineralogical name:
Calcium sulphate
There are 3 main types of Gypsum:
- Alabaster: Nicomar (a fine grained variety);
- Satin Spar (translucent, fibrous variety with a Pearly luster);
- Selenite (a transparent, colorless, crystal variety); a Feldspar variety also goes by the name Moonstone or Selenite.
Temperature & Taste:
Very Cold, dry. Sweet, slightly Pungent
Less Cold but more drying when Burnt
Properties:
Nature: Crystalline
Color: Grey-white
Streak: White
Cleavage: Perfect
Fracture: Even
Lustre: Silky
Tenacity: Sectile
Transparency: Translucent
Hardness: 2
Specific Gravity: 2–2.5
Constituents:
Hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Traces of Na, Mg, Si, Al, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ti, Sr, Zn, Co, Cr, Ni, Ag, Sb
Classifications:
B. Clear Strong Heat or Fire (Gypsum)
T. External Medicines (Burnt Gypsum)
Uses:
1. Clears Strong Heat and Fire:
-strong heat symptoms with High Fever, profuse Perspiration, especially with Thirst, a big pulse, and a red tongue with a yellow coating
-more extreme cases there are red Skin Eruptions, Confusion, Delirium and Loss of Consciousness.
-Thirst from injury to the body fluids from strong heat; also for restlessness, fidgeting, nervous etc. from strong heat.
-Selenite was given for Heat-type Bleeding (Hill, 1751)
–Dioscorides said Gypsum has a ‘pore-stopping, restraining faculty’ for both blood and sweat.
-Selenite has been used for Epilepsy and Headache from Heat
2. Clears Strong Heat from the Lungs:
-Cough, Asthma, or Pneumonia with strong heat symptoms such as Cough, sticky yellow phlegm and fever
-Selenite was listed for Consumption
3. Clears Strong Heat from the Stomach:
-Stomach heat with Toothache, Headache, swollen and sore gums (TCM)
–Dioscorides used Gypsum for heartburn and ‘griefs of the Stomach’.
-Selenite was given for Dysentery and Diarrhea. (Agricola)
4. Clears Heat, Wind and Damp:
-heat-type rheumatic pains which are acute, and present with red, hot, swollen joints.
CALCINED GYPSUM:
1. Externally, calcined Gypsum is used for:
-purulent Eczema, Abscesses, Sores, Burns, as well as Necrosis (TCM, West)
-in plasters to abate heat-type Pain, soften Hard Swellings; made into a plaster with Pitch and Resin (Dioscorides)
-topically for Ruptures, Hernias and Laxity of Ligaments associated with excess moisture. (usually raw not burnt)
–Pliny used alabaster externally for Burns and Scalds.
-burnt Selenite was applied to Fistula (Agricola)
-Egyptians used it in face paints with other medicines against wrinkles, as well as using it for Eczema, Scrofuloderma, and Stiffness.
-Egyptians also used it as a mouth wash for mouth and tongue inflammation.
Dose:
Decoction: 15–60 grams, up to 90 grams, cooked for 30–45 minutes before adding herbs.
Powder: 500mg–2 (or 3) grams.
Calcined/Burnt Gypsum is used topically.
Comment:
1. Gypsum is used internally, while calcined Gypsum is only used externally in TCM. However, Bhasma of Gypsum (burnt Gypsum) is used internally in Ayurveda in small doses.
2. Selenite was occasionally used in the West similarly to Gypsum in TCM.
Substitutes:
Gypsum and Calcite are similar in use and in the past the 2 have been used synonymously. Gypsum is generally regarded as stronger in TCM, while Calcite is apparently more commonly used in Tibetan Medicine.
Preparation:
Burnt Gypsum has been used in East and West.
“When it is burnt, its rarefying property is enhanced … When burnt, it becomes less dense and more desiccant [drying]” (Avicenna)
Burnt Gypsum has greater use externally
Main Combinations:
1. Cough and Asthma from Heat:
i. Gypsum with Scutellaria Huang Qin and Licorice
ii. Gypsum with Ephedra Ma Huang, Almond kernel (Xing Ren), and Licorice for Cough and Asthma with Lung Heat (as in Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang)
iii. Gypsum, Calcite, taken with Ginseng decoction for Asthma and Dyspnoea (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
2. Fever:
i. Gypsum, Ephedra Ma Huang, Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi)
ii. from Cold or Flu, Gypsum with Isatis Ban Lan Gen.
iii. High Fever with excess Heat, Irritability and extreme Thirst:
iv. Gypsum with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu and Licorice (as in Bai Hu Tang from Shang Han Lun)
v. Typhoid Fever, Gypsum, Coptis Huang Lian, Licorice (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. Strong Heat with High Fever, Gypsum with Mirabilite, Calcite, Cimicifuga Sheng Ma, Figwort (Xuan Shen), Licorice (as in Purple Snowy Powder, Zi Xue Dan)
4. Heat and Toxin causing acute Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, acute Infection with High Fever, Lung Infection or severe Influenza with Heat symptoms, or Toxic sores of the Mouth or Throat, Gypsum with Rhubarb, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Realgar (Xiong Huang), Licorice, Borneo Camphor, Bezoar (as in Niu Huang Jie Du Pian)
5. Stomach Fire causing swollen painful gums, Gypsum with Coptis Huang Lian, Cimifuga Sheng Ma (as in Qing Wei San from Wai Ke Zheng Zong [Orthodox Exogenous Illnesses])
6. Diabetes:
i. Gypsum, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
ii. from Stomach Fire with Yin deficiency, Gypsum with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu and Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong (as in Yu Nu Jian from Jing Yue Quan Shu [Jingyue’s Complete Works])
7. Heat with Yin deficiency with Headache, Toothache, Thirst, Gypsum with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang
8. High Heat that damages Yin with Fever, Thirst, irritability, Gypsum with Ginseng and Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong (as in Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang from Shang Han Lun). This is also successfully used for Epidemic Hemorrhagic Fever.
9. Headache:
i. with tearing eyes, calcined Gypsum, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, honey-fried Licorice (Zhi Gan Cao) (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. with Nosebleeding, Gypsum and Oyster shell (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
10. Hyperthyroid:
i. Gypsum, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
ii. Gypsum, Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao), Gentian (Long Dan Cao), Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
10. Scrofula, Selenite with Burnt Sponge, Pumice, Cuttlefish bone, Ginger, Black Pepper (as in Powder for Scrofula)
11. Nightblindness, Gypsum steamed with Pork Liver and eaten (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
12. Itching, Eczema, Gypsum is used topically with Alum
13. Itchy Sore, Gypsum is used topically with Phellodendron Huang Bai
14. Toothache from Stomach Heat, calcined Gypsum, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Schizonepeta Jing Jie, Asarum Xi Xin, Angelica Bai Zhi as a toothpowder (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
15. Mouth Sores, calcined Gypsum can be applied with Cinnabar (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
16. Acute Mastitis, calcined Gypsum is taken with warm wine (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
Major Formulas:
Bai Hu Tang
Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang
Da Qing Long Tang
Gou Teng San
Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang
Niu Huang Jie Du Pian
Niu Huang Shang Qing Wan
Qu Feng Zhi Bao Dan
Yu Nu Jian
Xiao Feng San
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang
Zi Xue Dan
Powder for Scrofula
Calm the Shocked Mind 20 Pills (Mogolian)
Cautions:
1. Very Cold, so only used in conditions with strong Heat.
2. Avoid in Cold and Weak digestion.
3. Calcined Gypsum is only used externally in TCM (but the Bhasma is taken internally in Ayurveda)
4. ‘It is one of the suffocating Poisons’. (Avicenna)
5. ‘Its frigidity coagulates the blood and dries up the Spirit, and induces difficulty of Breathing, and after that Death; but if this be powdered in the crude state and be given in a drink, boiled, it is not a poison, but is a styptic medicine” (De venenis, Petrus, 1487)
Antidote:
1. Adverse effects can be treated by a vomit of hot water mixed with butter, followed by another vomit of hot water and honey. Then take Mithridate (2 drams) with wine.
2. Mouse dung (1 dram) in wine. (De venenis, Petrus, 1487)
Toxicity:
No significant side effects noted in humans in doses of up to 250 grams. (Chen & Chen)
Main Preparations used:
Burnt Gypsum
- Extra Info
-
Research
2. Stimulates immunity, increases phagocytosis of macrophages.
3. Quenches Thirst
4. Inhibits respiratory center
5. Inhibits Circulatory system
6. Increases Urinary output
7. Inhibits Bile output.
8. Shortens coagulation time.
9. Analgesic
10. Topical application shortened healing time of fractures in rabbits.
11. Fine powder was applied to burns. It reduced secretions, inhibited infection and shortened healing time.