Pearl, Margarita, Zhen Zhu 珍珠Zhen Zhu (TCM)Mukta (Ayurveda.) Mu Tig མུ་ཏིག (Tibetan) Marwareed (Unani) Mother of Pearl, Zhen Zhu Mu 珍珠母Zhen Zhu Mu (TCM)Mukta Shukti (Ayurveda.) Nya phyis ཉ་ཕྱིས (Tibetan) Sadaf Marwareed (Unani) |
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Ortus Sanitatis, 1491
Pearl and Pearl huntersMuseum Museorum, Valentini, 1704
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Mother of Pearl Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578 |
Pearl at the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam, 2012) |
Zoological Name:
The shellfish in which Pearls are found are primarily:
- Pteria martensii
- Hyriopsis cumingii
- Cristaria plicata
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Sweet
Parts Used:
1. Natural Sea Pearl (rare)
2. Cultured Pearl–Salt Water or Fresh Water
3. Shell (‘Mother of Pearl’)
Natural Pearl is regarded as best; next cultured Sea Pearl. Freshwater cultured Pearl is lowest ranked.
Classifications:
2I. ANTISPASMODICS 2O. ASTRINGENTS 2S. STRENGTHENING MEDICINES
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC 3C. ALEXIPHARMICS 3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS
4a. CEPHALIC 4c. CARDIAC 4e. STOMACHIC 4i. UTERINE 4j. NERVINES
TCM:
B. Clear Heat B. Clears Deficient Heat G. Sedate the Heart, Mind and Spirit I. Medicines for Internal Wind
L. Stop Bleeding N. Yin Tonic R. Astringents T. External Medicines
Uses:
1. Calms the Liver, Clears Heat, Settles Wind, Stops Spasms (TCM, West, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Convulsions and Seizures, especially in children
-Dizziness, Vertigo, Tinnitus
-Palpitations, Arrhythmias and Hypertension
–stiffness and contraction of the tendons,
-Mother of Pearl is generally stronger for this effect, however Pearl is preferred for Childhood Convulsions, Epilepsy etc.
2. Calms the Spirit, Settles the Heart, Clears Heat (TCM, West, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Insomnia, Anxiety, Fear, Fainting, Nervousness, Hyper-emotionalism, Panic Attacks, Fretting in children
-unsettled, restless, agitated, and easily angered or scared
-Melancholy, Hallucinations
–weakening and degeneration of the nerves and brain (Tibet)
-‘Pearls pacify the Mind and Soul’. (Li Shi Zhen)
-regarded as Exhilarant in Unani; it gladdens the Heart and Spirit.
3. Clears Heat and Toxins (TCM, West, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-’One of the best remedies against all sorts of burning and pestilential Fevers’
-Resists Fevers, defends against Pestilential diseases (Culpeper, Salmon)
-especially Febrile diseases and Convulsions in children
-Small Pox, Measles and other Spotted Fevers (West, TCM)
4. Benefits the Yin (TCM, West, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
–Schroder said it ‘strengthens the Balsam of Life’; it nourishes the Yin of the Liver, Kidneys and Lungs
-Tonic to the Vital Organs (Unani)
-chronic wasting diseases including Consumption, Emaciation, chronic Fevers, burning of the limbs
-Cough and Breathlessness from Yin deficiency
-Thirst including that associated with Diabetes (TCM)
-Preserves the body in health; used to promote Longevity. (Ayurveda, TCM)
-‘If blood, tissues of flesh, fat, bones, etc. require moisture, Pearl … can be used’ (Ayurveda)
–Schroder said ‘they are so famous, that Men in the greatest Agonies are refreshed thereby’.
-benefits Women, promoting Beauty, and Fertility (TCM, West)
-tonic during Pregnancy for Mother and Child; restrains Miscarriage, also for difficult Labor. (West, TCM)
5. Clears the Eyesight, Improves Vision (TCM, West, Tibetan, Ayurveda):
-Pterygium, Cataracts, growths and films.
–Salmon said it strengthens the Optic nerve
-For these purposes, it may be taken internally, but the extremely fine powder is also used in eye drops in combination with other medicines.
-The ash (Bhasma) is given in Ayurveda for the same purposes.
6. Externally:
-Cleanses and Improves the Skin: applied to make the face smooth and shiny when applied; it removes roughness, freckles and improves complexion (used internally and externally); creams are still used in Asia for this purpose.
-applied topically to pimples and blackheads.
-promotes healing when used topically as a powder to chronic, non-healing ulcers
-the calcined shell can be applied to oozing sores and ulcers to dry them
-the finely levigated powder is used in eye drops for eye diseases (see above)
Dose:
Levigated Pearl Powder: 60–125mg; full doses is 300mg–1 gram
Mother of Pearl (Pearl Shell) in Powder: 500mg–3 grams
Mother of Pearl (Pearl Shell) in Decoction: 15–30 grams, decocted for 30–45 minutes before adding herbs.
Comment:
1. The functions of Pearl and Mother of Pearl are very similar, and Mother of Pearl has been used as a substitute for Pearl in both East and West. Pearl is better in powders and pills, while Mother of Pearl is often used in decoction in TCM. Pearl is far superior to Mother of Pearl, and Mother of Pearl doesn’t have the Yin tonifying property. However, according to TCM, the effects of Mother of Pearl are stronger for Dizziness, Tinnitus and Palpitation.
2. Ayurveda prepares Bhasma (ashes) of various stones and gems, including Pearl and Red Coral, and likewise various ‘chymical’ preparations of Pearl were prepared in the West. However, as Salmon noted ‘The crude powder is in my opinion much beyond the Salt or Magistery’. Pearl powder levigated with Rose water is superior to any preparation of Pearl.
Corrective:
Red Coral (Unani)
Substitutes:
1. Mother of Pearl is an accepted substitute for Pearl, generally in 3–5 times the dose. However, in powder, twice the dose is often sufficient. Quality mature Mother of Pearl with the outer shell crust removed can be used in equal doses to Pearl. “Pearls are a morbid excrescence from the Shells they are found in… and have no other virtues however extolled than those of the Shell they are bred in”. (A Complete History of Drugs, Pomet, London, 1748)
2. Other Nacre-containing shells may be used similarly such as Abalone.
3. Coral is also used similarly.
4. Pearl is a type of ‘Bezoar’ (animal stone) of which many were traditionally recognised. Pearl may be used as a substitute for other animal Bezoars (stones) in some cases.
Preparation:
1. Rose Levigated Pearl:
Pearl is finely levigated with Rose water. This reduces it to a extremely fine powder and enhances the cooling nature and leads it to the Heart and Spirit. Occasionally other distilled waters have been recommended, such as Violet or Borage. The levigated powder is the best way to use Pearl internally.
2. Prepared Pearl (Tibetan):
Pearl is boiled with Chebulic Myrobalan, Dryopteris root (Re ral) and Saltpeter for 4 hours. The water and herbs are disgarded and the Pearl is washed well. It can then be powdered.
3. Lemon Prepared Pearl
Pearl is sometimes dissolved in Lemon juice (or similar sour juice). The resulting liquid can be taken or added to other preparations.
4. Bhasma / Ash / Chymical preparations:
Various preparations involving heat or acids to break down the Pearl have been used. However, Pearl is a softer stone which doesn’t require such treated to reduce it. As already stated, levigated Pearl powder is superior as the heating destroys the delicate Yin tonfying effect.
Main Combinations:
Pearl, Red Coral & Amber
Often combined with Amber and/or Red Coral. This combination calms the Mind and Spirit, clears Heat, settles the Heart and calms Wind to stop Spasms.
Fever, Heat:
1. For Fevers, Heart Fire, for Palpitations, as a restorative, and as a tonic during Childbirth, boil sugar in Rose water to a stiff syrup, and stir in Pearl powder and Gold leaf (Manus Christi with Pearl)
2. Severe Heat and Toxin of the Throat such as severe Sore Throat, Diphtheria, Tonsillitis, Pearl with Bezoar, Musk, Borneol Camphor, Toad Venom and Realgar (as in Pills of Six Magical Ingredients [Liu Shen Wan] of TCM). Available in prepared form.
3. Febrile Infantile Convulsions:
i. Pearl with Tabasheer and Cinnabar (TCM)
ii. Pearl with Amber, Bezoar, bile-prepared Ariseama (Dan Nan Xing) (TCM)
iii. Pearl, Red Coral, Tabasheer, Mistletoe
Mind, Head, Wind disease
4. To calm the Mind and Spirit:
i. Pearl powder made into pills with Honey. ‘Especially good for infants’. (Zhou Hou Fang, TCM)
ii. Pearl, Balm
iii. Pearl, Red Coral, Amber
iv. Pearl, Rose, Sandalwood, Licorice
5. Epilepsy and Convulsions in Children:
i. Pearl, Red Coral, Peony, Mistletoe (West)
ii. from Heat, Pearl powder (1 oz.), Gypsum (3 grams). Powder, simmer 3 grams of the powder in water
iii. from Heat, and Convulsions from Fright, Pearl, Bezoar (Niu Huang), Coptis Huang Lian, Cinnabar (Zhu Sha)
6. Infantile convulsions due to Fright, Pearl powder with blood from a Cock’s comb made into pills the size of a rice grain. Three or four pills are held in the mouth. (Zhou Hou Fang, TCM)
7. Melancholy:
i. Pearl, Amber, Balm, Sandalwood, Saffron
ii. Pearl with Aloe, Dodder, Cinnamon, Aloeswood, Lapis Lazuli, Tragacanth (as in Golden Electuary of Unani)
8. Headache from Heat, Pearl with Aloe, Sandalwood, Rose, made into Pills with Syrups of Wormwood and Violet. (Riverius)
9. Irritability, Restlessness, Palpitations, Pearl with Dang Gui, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Ginseng, Jujube seed Suan Zao Ren, Poria Fu Ling and Aloeswood (as in Mother of Pearl Pill, TCM)
10. Anxiety, irritation, insomnia from Heat Blood deficiency, Pearl with Amber, Zizyphus Semen Suan Zao Ren, Platycladus Bai Zi Ren, Polygonum Caulis Ye Jiao Teng (TCM)
11. Insomnia:
i. Pearl, Red Coral, Amber (West)
ii. Pearl, Amber, Cinnabar (TCM)
12. Paralysis, calcined Mother of Pearl, Licorice, Nutmeg, Tabasheer, Saffron, Greater and Lesser Cardamon, Clove (as in Mother of Pearl Pill, Tibetan Medicine)
Heart:
13. Heart Fire:
i. Pearl, Red Coral
ii. Pearl, Borage flower, Rose, Sandalwood
iii. Pearl, Amber, Cinnabar (TCM)
14. Palpitations:
i. Pearl with Rose Water (as in Manus Christi)
ii. Pearl, Amber, Cinnamon, Saffron, Mastic
iii. with Insomnia, Pearl, Poria sclerotium Fu Shen, Zizyphus spinosa Suan Zao Ren
Yin Tonic
15. Consumption, Wasting and Chronic Disease:
i. Pearl with China root and Sugar
ii. Pearl with Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Honey
iii, Pearl with the 4 Cold Seeds, 3 Sandalwoods, Aloeswood, Rose, Cinnamon and Red Coral (as in Cooling Pearl Powder)
16. Thirst from Diabetes, Pearl with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu (TCM)
17. Longevity, and to benefit Memory, Pearl with Ginger, Bittersweet, Senna, Calamus, Gentian, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Red Coral, Mountain Willow herb (as in Elixir for Longevity of Abbot Trithemius)
Obstetrics
18. To prevent Miscarriage, Pearl with Amber, Red Coral, Mastic, Plantain seed, Red Sandalwood, Tormentil (as in Powder Against Miscarriage)
19. Difficult Labor, take 30 grams (1 liang) of Pearl powder with wine. ‘This works right away’. (Qian Jin Yao Fang, TCM)
20. To abort a Dead Fetus, 60 grams (2 liang) of Pearl powder is taken with wine. (Wai Tai Mi Yao, TCM)
21. Bleeding after Birth, add powders of Pearl, Cinnamon and Red Earth to Conserve of Rose
Eye diseases
22. Poor vision and Optic atrophy from Liver deficiency:
i. Pearl taken with a soup of Pig Liver and Lycium Gou Qi Zi.
ii. Pearl powder (1 oz.), Carp Bile (from 2 carp); mix with Honey to a paste, heat in a copper pot until reduced by half, strain through silk and drop into the eyes. (Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang, TCM)
23. Night-blindness, decoct Mother of Pearl shell with Pig or Chicken Liver. (TCM)
24. Heat-type Eye diseases, Pearl, Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming), Celosia Qing Xiang Zi, Chrysanthemum Ju Hua,
25. To remove films from the Eyes, prepare a finely levigated powder of Pearl and Coral, mix with Honey to form an ointment.
26. Keratitis, Pearl, Amber (Hu Po), Borax (Peng Sha), Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian), prepared into a liquid for topical application.
Other:
27. Mouth Ulcers and Sores from Heat and Toxin:
i. Pearl, Borax (Peng Sha), Coptis Huang Lian applied topically.
ii. Pearl, Bezoar (man-made), Watermelon frost (Xi Gua Shuang), Catechu (E Cha)
iii. Pearl, Borax (Peng Sha), Indigo (Qing Dai), Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian)
28. Chronic non-healing Ulcers, Pearl, Calamine (Lu Gan Shi), Coptis Huang Lian, Dragon’s Blood (Xue Jie)
Major Formulas:
Cooling Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Frigidum) (Nicholas)
Warming Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Calidum) (Mesue)
Warming Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Calidum) (Avicenna)
Electuary of Pearl (Actuarius)
Electuary of Pearl (Avicenna)
Electuary of Pearl (Galen)
The Great Electuary
Cooling Powder of Gems
Warming Powder of Gems (Mesue)
The White Powder
Powder of Crabs Claws Compound
Red Hungarian Powder
Powder of Coral and Mother-of-Pearl (Gabelhover)
Powder for Childhood Convulsions
Marvelous Powder Against Scrofula (Arnold de Villa Nova)
Cakes of Pearl and Gold
Vigorous Cakes
Powder Against Abortion (France)
Pills of Bdellium (Mesue)
Electuary Against Miscarriage
Electuary for Pregnancy (Unani)
Electuary of Steel (Unani)
Letificans Electuary (Unani)Letificans Cooling Electuary (Unani)
Medicine to Defend the Base from all Danger
Cooling Exhilarating Electuary (Unani)Confection for Infertility from Cold
Safoof e Jawahar Mohra (Precious Defender Powder) (Unani)
Liu Shen Wan (TCM)
Zhen Xiang Jiao Nag (Precious Aromatic Capsules) (TCM)
An Gong Niu Huang Wan
Zhen Zhu Mu Wan
Zhen Bao San
Zhu Huang Chui Hou San
Jin Bo Zhen Xin Wan
Aloeswood 20 (Tibetan)
Mother of Pearl 13 (Tibetan)
Pearl 25 (Tibetan)
Cantharide 37 (Tibetan)
Great Precious Iron Pill (Rin chen lchags ril cheng mo) (Tibetan)
Mauktika Yukta (Pearl Compound) (Ayurveda)
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel) (Tibetan)
Red Coral 25 (Rin chen byur dmar nyer lnga)
Turquoise 25 (Rin chen gyu rnying nyer lnga)
Cautions:
Generally Safe.
1. According to some Chinese sources, it should not be given during pregnancy. However, it has been used for threatened miscarriage when caused by Heat.
2. Generally only used in Heat conditions (unless corrected) as it is cooling.
Main Preparations used:
Manus Christi with Pearl, Compound Cooling Pearl Powder (Diamargaritum Frigidum)