Fossil Bones, Dragon Bones

Fossil Bones: Long Gu 龙骨
Fossll Teeth: Long Chi 龙齿
Fossil Horn: Long Jiao 龙角
Fossil Bones: ‘brug–rus འབྲག་རུས་ (Tibetan)
Picture Dragon Bones
Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao, 1505 (Welcome)

Picture Picture TOP: Long Gu ‘Dragon Bones’
BOTTOM: Long Jiao ‘Dragon Horn’
(Chendgu Medicine Market, Adam, 2017)

Picture Mastodon Teeth
A Pictorial Atlas of Fossil Remains, Gideon Algernon Mantell, 1850

Zoological name:
Os fossilum
Most common sources are species of Cervus, Cervocerus, Palaeoloxodon and Archidoskodon

Parts used:


Fossilised bones of various quadrupeds
Primary bones used medicinally:
  1. Bones
  2. Teeth
  3. Horns

Temperature & Taste:


Neutral (slightly Cool), dry. Sweet
Regardedas Warm in Tibetan Medicine.

Classification:


G. Sedate the Heart, Mind and Spirit

Uses:


1. Calms the Mind and Spirit, Settles Fright:
-anxiety, restlessness, insomnia
-Emotional distress
-Mania, Withdrawal
-Amnesia (traditional use)
-‘it consolidates the Soul and Mind, nourishes ones Spirit, and pacifies the 5 viscera’. (Ming Yi Bei Lu, TCM)

2. Calms the Liver, Settles Wind, Stops Rising Yang:
-Dizziness, Vertigo
-irritability, Anger, Restlessness
-‘eliminates hidden accumulations of Anger’. (Ming Yi Bei Lu, TCM)
-astringes floating Qi (Li Shi Zhen)

3. Astringes to Stop Leakage, Secures the Essence:
-Spermatorrhea, Nocturnal Emission
-Leukorrhea, Uterine Bleeding
-Bleeding during Pregnancy
-Night Sweats, Spontaneous Sweating

4. Strengthens Bones, Heals Fractures
-bone disorders associated with Kidney deficiency (Rickets, Osteoporosis etc.)
-Fractures (Tibet)
-Teeth strengthen Teeth and are used for Toothache (Tibet)

5. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-‘disperses invading pathogenic factors’. (Ming Yi Bei Lu, TCM)
-Dragon’s Teeth are good for High Fever in children. (Ming Yi Bei Lu, TCM)
-Fossil bones were taken in Cyprus for Fever
-Internal Abscesses
-Malaria of a Yin (cold) nature (Li Shi Zhen)
-dissolves hard masses and lumps. (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
-Swollen lymph noes (Tibet)
-this is a traditional indication, not commonly used in modern TCM.

6. Externally:
-to dry in chronic, non-healing Sores and Ulcers, as a dusting powder (TCM, Tibet)
-powder is applied to prolapsed rectum
-the powder is blown into the nose to stop nosebleeding, or bleeding from any orifice.
-apply burnt powder to sores on the umbilicus of newborns
-itching and sweating of the Scrotum


Dose:


Powder: 500mg–3 grams
Decoction: 15–30 grams, decocted 30–45 minutes before adding other herbs.

Comment:


There are many types of Fossil Bones available on the Chinese market including Teeth, Horns, parts of skulls and jaws, Vertebrae etc. There are traditional claims for various specific parts, for example the head bones being strong to stop Wind and calm the Mind, the Vertebrae being stronger to strengthen the Kidney and astringe Essence. In general, their effects are similar. The only differentiation made by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is the Teeth (Long Chi, ‘Dragon Teeth’).
1. Teeth (Long Chi) are regarded as stronger to calm the Mind and Spirit, and settles Wind in Insomnia, Dizziness, Palpitations, Anxiety and Mania.
2. Bones (Long Gu), however, have the added efficacy of astringing Essence in Spermatorrhea and Leukorrhea, and to heal Damp Sores and Ulcers.
3. Horn (Long Jiao) is used similarly for Convulsions, Epilepsy and High fever in children. Extended use was said to make one happy, cause enlightenment and promotes Longevity.

Preparation:


Calcined Dragon Bones:
  The fossilised bones are heated until red, then either quenched, or simply allowed to cool before being powdered. This is most effective to astringe, stop Leakage, and secure the Essence, so is preferred for Leukorrhea, Spermatorrhea, Nocturnal Emission, Sweating etc.

Correctives:


Efficacy is enhanced by combining with Ginseng or Bezoar. (Xu Zhi Cai)

Main Combinations:


Often combined with Oyster shell in TCM. This combination is useful for anger, frustration, agitation, palpitations, insomnia, dizziness, vertigo etc. It can help settle Hypertension, and is also an astringent in chronic Diarrhea, Spermatorrhea, Leukorrhea and excess Sweating.

1. Palpitations, Insomnia:
i. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Polygala Yuan Zhi and Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren
ii. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Pearl and Amber
2. Insomnia, Irritability, Dizziness, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Oyster Shell (Mu Li), Achyranthes Niu Xi, Hematite (Dai Zhe Shi) (as in Extinguish Wind Decoction [Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang]).
3. Amnesia, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Polygala Yuan Zhi taken on an extended basis. (TCM)
4. Seminal Emission and to stop Erotic dreams, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Polygala Yuan Zhi (equal parts). Powder, make honey pills the size of parasol seeds, then coat with Cinnabar. Take 30 pills as a dose with a decoction of Lotus Seed (Lian Zi). (Xin Tong, TCM)
5. Spermatorrhea, Diarrhea, Leukorrhea, Uterine Bleeding, all associated with Yang deficiency (Kidney Cold and Weak), Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), Paeonia Bai Shao
6. Spermatorrhea:
i. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Euyrale Qian Shi (Fox nut)
ii. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Tuber Onion seed (Jiu Cai Zi).
iii. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Gall (Wu Bei Zi), Poria Fu Ling
7. Enuresis and dribbling urine, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Praying Mantis Egg Case (Sang Piao Xiao), equal parts. Powder and take 6 grams with salt water. (Mei Shi Fang, TCM)
8. To warm the Essence (Jing) and strengthen Yang, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Polygala Yuan Zhi. Powder, make honey pills the size of parasol seeds. Take 30 pills before meals with water. (Jing Yan Fang, TCM)
9. Chrionic Diarrhea:
i. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Nutmeg
ii. Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with White Earth (Kaolin)
10. Dysentery with Fever, decoct Dragon Bones in water, strain, allow to cool, take the decoction little by little. (Zhou Hou Fang, TCM)
11. Sweating:
i. Night Sweats, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Oyster Shell (Mu Li)
ii. Spontaneous Sweating, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Astragalus Huang Qi, Paeonia Bai Shao
12. Against Acute and Epidemic Fevers, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Bezoar.
13. Chronic Malaria, boil the powder in wine and drink one hour before the attack, covering the patient to induce sweat. (Zhou Hou Fang, TCM)
14. Seizures and Convulsions from Phlegm-heat, Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Arisaema prepared with Bile (Dan Nan Xing), Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao)
15. Chronic, non-healing Sores and Ulcers, combine Dragon Bones (Long Gu) with Alum for topical application.
16. Itching and sweating of the Scrotum, Dragon Bones (Long Gu), Oyster shell (Mu Li), equal parts powdered used as a dusting powder.

Major Formulas:


An Chong Tang
An Shen Ding Zhi Wan
Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Gu Chong Tang
Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Chong Jian Ling Tang
Sang Piao Xiao San
Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang
Zhen Zhu Mu Wan

Red Coral 25 (Rin chen byur dmar nyer lnga)

Cautions:


1. Not used in Damp-Heat disorders
2. Not used for External (Acute) disorders (Cold, Flu etc.)
3. Avoid fish while taking (traditional recommendation).

Main Preparations used:



Fossil Bones and Teeth available for sale at the Chengdu Mediicne Market (Adam, 2023)