Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Dai Mao 玳瑁

Dai Mao (TCM)

Hawksbill Turtle
Illustrated natural history of the animal kingdom, Goodrich, 1859

Hawksbill Turtle
(Photo by DRVIP93, edited) (Wikimedia)

Hawksbill shell
(Photo source: Auckland War Memorial Museum) (Wikimedia)

Zoological name:
Eretmochelys imbricata

Parts used:

Shell

Temperature & Taste:

Cold. Sweet, Salty

Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Calms the Heart and Spirit:
-High Fever, Spotted Fevers
-Irritability, Restlessness, Delirium
-Loss of Consciousness, Incoherent Speech, Mania, Hallucinations
-Carbuncles, Furuncles, Toxic Sores and Boils
-considered Antidote

2. Settles Wind, Stops Rising Yang, Stops Convulsions:
-Febrile Convulsions
-Tics, Twitches, Nervousness
-Headaches, Dizziness, Vertigo, Tinnitus from Yang rising or internal Wind
-Apoplexy, Hypertension

Dose:

Powder: 500mg–2 grams

Comment:

This is CITES listed and regarded as endangered. This is more due to its shell being used to make jewelry, hair combs, ornaments etc.

Preparation:

After being killed and flesh removed, the shell is steamed with vinegar until sections of the shell loosen and are removed to dry.

Substitute:

Sea Turtle Shell can be used similarly. Sea Turtles are farmed for their shells in a number of countries where the shells are carved and made into combs etc.

Main Combinations:

1. High Fever, Restlessness, Delirium:
i. Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Rhinoceros (Water Buffalo) Horn, Bezoar (as in Zhi Bao Dan)
ii. Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Curcuma Yu Jin, Gardenia Zhi Zi, Forsythia Lian Qiao
2. Strokes or Seizures from Internal Wind, Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Antelope Horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Uncaria Gou Teng, Gastrodia Tian Ma
3. To calm the Mind and Spirit, settle Qi and promote rest, Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Amber, Pearl
4. Hypertension:
i. Hawksbill Turtle Shell, Self Heal, Chrysanthemum, Abalone shell, Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao)