Zoological substancesAstringentSepiae Endoconcha

Hai Piao Xiao (Cuttlebone / Sepium)

A practical guide to Hai Piao Xiao: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Sepiae Endoconcha
Chinese Name & Pinyin	海螵蛸 · Hai Piao Xiao
Medicinal Part	Zoological substances
The item	Hai Piao Xiao is the dried internal shell of cuttlefish. Long Gu is not this herb. It usually goes into powders or wrapped short decoctions.
Nature and channels	Warm, salty, astringent. Enters the Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. Warm salty astringent stops bleeding, reduces acid, eases pain, and dries damp to heal sores.
Pharmacopoeia line	Astringes and secures, stops bleeding, reduces acid and eases pain, and dries damp to heal sores. Traditionally used for heavy menstrual bleeding, stomach bleeding with black stool, recurrent acid reflux and heartburn, and leakage of sweat, urine, or discharge.
Pattern cues	Heavy bleeding. Acid reflux. Heartburn. Leakage.
In this article	Hai Piao Xiao versus Long Gu. Stopping bleeding and acid versus anchoring the spirit. Why heavy bleeding needs a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Hai Piao Xiao?

Hai Piao Xiao (海螵蛸; Hǎi Piāo Xiāo; Latin: Sepiae Endoconcha; English: cuttlebone, the dried internal shell of cuttlefish) in the current pharmacopoeia is the dried internal calcareous shell of cuttlefish of the Sepiidae family, usually washed and sun-dried, or gently stir-baked for easier grinding. It is warm, salty, and astringent, enters the Spleen, Kidney, and Liver channels, and its core actions are to astringe and stop bleeding, and to reduce acid and ease stomach pain. It usually goes into powders or wrapped short decoctions. The usual amount is 6–12 g, and external use is an appropriate amount of fine powder. It is crushed and wrapped for a twenty to thirty minute decoction, or ground fine for sprinkling on sores.

It is not Long Gu. Dragon bone is neutral and also anchors the spirit, calming fright and sleeplessness; Hai Piao Xiao is warm and astringent, leaning to bleeding, acid reflux, and external sores. Yin deficiency with heat, with dry mouth and hot palms and soles, is a poor match. Bleeding with a bright red color and excess heat should not be astringed on its own. Use caution in pregnancy. Heavy bleeding or black tarry stool needs a clinic first.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Heavy menstrual bleeding, stomach bleeding with black stool — seek care
Recurrent acid reflux and heartburn
Leakage: uncontrolled sweating, frequent urine leakage, vaginal discharge

Warm, salty, and astringent, it is not a daily “stabilizing” powder to keep taking. Astringing when there is an excess entity inside traps the pathogen and worsens the blockage.

When qi and blood drift without restraint, or a weak constitution slips and leaks, heavy bleeding, acid reflux, and uncontrolled sweating are common. Hai Piao Xiao is warm, salty, and astringent. It draws inward and holds, which is why it appears in Gu Chong Tang (Stabilize the Chong Vessel Decoction)–type formulas, often with Bai Ji (Bletilla Tuber) for the stomach side and Huang Qi (Astragalus Root) to lift and secure. It holds more than it releases. A body already hot and dry from yin deficiency, with nothing leaking to hold, gets hotter if more is added.

Hai Piao Xiao is not a catch-all astringent or stomach powder. In yin deficiency with heat, with excess-heat bleeding, or in pregnancy, using it alone is a poor match. Raw or stir-baked, and whether it belongs in a formula, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Hai Piao Xiao: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Sepiae Endoconcha

Botanical Origin

The dried inner shell of Sepiella maindroni de Rochebrune or Sepia esculenta Hoyle. (Sepiidae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced along the coast of Shandong.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is clean and white.

Macroscopic Features

Sepiella maindroni de Rochebrune: Flat long oval shape, thick in the middle and thin on the edge, 9~14cm long, 2.5~3.5cm wide, about 1.3cm thick. Back side has porcelain-white spine-like bulge, two sides appear slightly reddish, with unobvious small verrucous spots, abdomen is white with an intricate wavy transverse layered pattern, and a shallow longitudinally-oriented groove at the middle; horn-like edge, translucent, tail is relatively wide and flat, without bone needle. Light, loose texture, easily broken; fractured surface is powdery, appears in loose layers. Slightly fishy odor; slightly salty taste. Sepia esculenta Hoyle: 13~23cm long, about 6.5cm wide. Back side has obvious verrucous spots, slightly arranged in layers; abdomen has dense wavy horizontal layers taken most portion of body, shallow longitudinal groove in the middle; tail is horn-like, edge is gradually wide, rolls upward towards abdomen, with one bone needle at the end tip, often broken and fallen off.

Main Regions and Quality Identification

Traditional materia medica and industry experience value several coastal provinces in the south and east — the main habitat seas of the cuttlefish — but actual quality also depends on variety, harvest time, processing, and storage. In appearance, good-quality Hai Piao Xiao is flat and long-elliptical, with a porcelain-white luster on the back, fine wavy striations, a flat belly, a light and brittle texture easy to break, a layered striation on the cross-section, a slight odor, and a salty taste. The difference between the raw and the processed: the raw has a rougher surface; the stir-fried is slightly yellow on the surface, more crisp, and easier to grind into powder. The common look-alike is the internal shell of the squid — which is more slender, lacks the wavy striations of Hai Piao Xiao, and is harder — note the difference.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Salty, Astringent; WarmSpleenKidney

1. Records in Classic Materia Medica

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: lists Hai Piao Xiao as a middle grade, saying it "governs women's leaking below of red-white menstrual fluid, blood blockage, yin erosion with swelling pain, cold-heat abdominal masses, and childlessness."
Ming Yi Bie Lu: supplements that it can help with "startled qi entering the abdomen, abdominal pain circling the navel, swelling pain in the man's genitals, and helps one have children."
Xin Xiu Ben Cao: mentions that it can treat "infantile dysentery."
Ben Cao Gang Mu: further records that it can "govern women's blood-exhaustion disease, harm the liver, spit blood and bleed below, treat malaria, and dissipate goiters."
De Pei Ben Cao: says it can "stop seminal dribbling and urinary dribbling, and treat stomach-wind pain."
Zhong Hua Ben Cao: synthesizes the records of the ages, defining its actions of astringing to stop bleeding, securing essence to stop discharge, reducing acid to stop pain, and drying dampness to heal sores.

These records all target Hai Piao Xiao's traditional applications — not conclusions of modern medicine.

2. How Views of Its Nature Changed

Views among physicians differ. Some lean to its astringing-and-securing action — such as the Ming physician Zhang Jing Yue, who held that it can "secure the essence qi and stop seminal emission and discharge"; some notice its salty-warm nature — such as the Qing physician Ye Tian Shi, who proposed that it can "warm the kidney, assist the yang, and free the blood vessels"; some stress its scope — holding that it can only be used for the patterns of weakness with slippage, not for states with real evil — for example, the Ben Cao Jing Shu says "those with yin deficiency and heat should avoid it." These differences reflect the fine detail of Chinese medicine's understanding of herbs, and also show that Hai Piao Xiao is not a universal remedy — use it according to the pattern.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Astringes and stops bleeding, secures essence and stops leukorrhea, neutralizes acid and stops pain, gathers dampness and heals sores.

1. First Direction: Astringing to Stop Bleeding

Traditional action: astringe to stop the various bleeding symptoms of the body.
Typical signs: heavy menstrual flow, prolonged periods, or non-menstrual vaginal bleeding; stomach bleeding shown as black stool or vomiting blood; and the bleeding of small external wounds.
Usual combinations: often paired with other hemostatic herbs — such as Qian Cao and Zong Lü Tan to strengthen the hemostatic effect; for stomach bleeding, also paired with Bai Ji and San Qi, which both stop bleeding and protect the gastric mucosa.
Who should not self-use: bleeding with real evil should not be self-treated — such as heat-induced bleeding shown as bright-red bleeding with dry mouth and tongue and bound stool — using astringent hemostatics may "close the door and keep the culprit," worsening the real evil.

2. Second Direction: Reducing Acid and Stopping Pain

Traditional action: reduce the acid and astringe the deficiency fire of the stomach, easing the pain and discomfort of the stomach.
Typical signs: recurrent acid reflux and heartburn, dull stomach pain — especially pain that worsens when fasting and eases after eating — patterns of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold or excessive gastric acid.
Usual combinations: often paired with the stomach-warming herbs — such as Gan Jiang and Bai Zhu to warm the stomach and strengthen the spleen; with marked excess acid, also paired with Wa Leng Zi and Chen Pi to strengthen the acid-reducing, stomach-harmonizing action.
Who should not self-use: those with real heat in the stomach — such as severe stomach pain with a bitter mouth, bad breath, and bound stool — using acid-reducing herbs may worsen the real heat.

3. Classic Pairing: Hai Piao Xiao With Bai Ji

The most common pair of Hai Piao Xiao is with Bai Ji. Bai Ji's actions are astringing to stop bleeding, reducing swelling, and generating flesh; Hai Piao Xiao's actions are reducing acid, stopping pain, and astringing to stop bleeding. The two are in a coordinating relationship — both strengthening the astringent hemostatic action and reducing acid to stop pain, protecting the gastric mucosa. It fits the traditional patterns of ulcer-caused acid reflux, dull pain, and black stool, or heavy menstrual flow and excessive vaginal discharge in women. Note: this pairing needs the physician's pattern diagnosis — do not take it casually on your own, especially for those with real evil.

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Main Chemical Constituents

Modern research detects in Hai Piao Xiao mainly calcium carbonate, which accounts for about 80% or more, plus small amounts of chitin, calcium phosphate, magnesium salts, sodium, potassium, and other trace elements. To be clear: these constituents are substances detected in Hai Piao Xiao — basic constituent analysis. In in vitro experiments, the extract of Hai Piao Xiao shows a certain inhibitory effect on some bacteria; in animal experiments, the powder of Hai Piao Xiao can reduce the gastric acid secretion of rats and ease the ulcer symptoms of the stomach. Currently, no sufficient human clinical research has reached a clear efficacy conclusion — related human studies are still ongoing.

2. Current Research Directions

Current research mainly focuses on the acid-reducing, hemostatic, and astringent actions of Hai Piao Xiao:

Acid-reducing: research shows that the calcium carbonate in Hai Piao Xiao can neutralize part of the gastric acid, reducing the irritation of the acid on the gastric mucosa.
Hemostatic: in experiments, the powder of Hai Piao Xiao can shorten the bleeding time and reduce the bleeding volume in animal experiments.
Astringent: the research mainly concentrates on exploring the mechanisms of these constituents and how to better use these features to regulate related body problems.

More human studies are still needed to verify the actual effects of these actions in the human body, and the safety and effectiveness at different doses.

3. Limitations of Current Research

Lab results are not clinical efficacy — the effective performance in animal experiments may not reach the same effect in humans.
Extracts and monomers are not the same as traditional slices — the dose of the extract needs strict experimental adjustment, while the dose of the slices is accumulated traditional experience — the two cannot be converted directly.
Doses and preparation methods vary between studies — some experiments use pure calcium carbonate, some use the crude powder of Hai Piao Xiao — the results differ.
A single component does not define the whole herb — Hai Piao Xiao's action may be the joint result of many constituents; research on a single constituent cannot represent the whole herb's full effect.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Share

Choosing Long Gu as the similar herb, the two share these points:

Both have the main action of astringing and securing, and both ease the body's slippage symptoms — such as deficiency sweating, seminal emission, and discharge.
Both are used for the traditional patterns of weakness with slippage — such as the recurrent slippage of long-term fatigue and a weak constitution.
Both may appear in the similar formulas — such as Gu Chong Tang and Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan — common formulas for regulating slippage symptoms, in which both may be combined.
Both need constitution and dose considered — the constitutionally weak need to watch the dose when using them, to avoid discomfort from excessive use.

2. The Key Differences: Hai Piao Xiao vs. Long Gu

Nature and flavors: Hai Piao Xiao is salty and astringent, warm, entering the liver, spleen, and kidney channels — leaning warm, acting mainly through astringing; Long Gu is sweet and astringent, neutral, entering the heart, liver, and kidney channels — gentle in nature, both astringing and calming the spirit to settle fright, without a marked cold-heat lean.
Focus: Hai Piao Xiao is better at astringing to stop bleeding and reducing acid to stop pain — mainly for bleeding and stomach acid reflux; Long Gu is better at calming the spirit, settling fright, astringing, and securing collapse — mainly for a restless mind, insomnia with many dreams, and severe slippage such as rectal or uterine prolapse.
Qi tendency: Hai Piao Xiao's tendency is sinking — astringing inward, steadying the scattered qi and letting it return to its proper place; Long Gu's tendency is also sinking, but it can at the same time calm the spirit and settle fright, regulating the qi of the heart-mind — with a regulating action for the restlessness caused by qi disorder.
Best fit: Hai Piao Xiao's traditional indicators are the local slippage problems of bleeding, acid reflux, and discharge; Long Gu's indicators are the problems involving the heart-mind and the whole-body qi — restlessness, insomnia, and prolapse.
Not suitable: Hai Piao Xiao is warm — those with yin deficiency and heat, such as dry mouth and tongue and warm hands and soles, should not use it; Long Gu is neutral — those with yin deficiency and heat may use it under a physician's guidance, but it likewise does not fit those with real evil, such as those with external-contraction fever.
Use scenes: Hai Piao Xiao is used more in the regulation of stomach diseases and gynecological bleeding, or externally for wounds; Long Gu is used more in the regulation of insomnia and a restless mind, or combined in formulas for severe slippage — such as uterine prolapse and rectal prolapse.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Simply put, Hai Piao Xiao leans toward astringing to stop bleeding and reducing acid to stop pain — for local slippage and stomach discomfort — whereas Long Gu leans toward calming the spirit, settling fright, astringing, and securing collapse — for a restless mind and severe whole-body slippage. Both can be used for the regulation of weakness with slippage, but they are not interchangeable.

Classical Formulas Containing Hai Piao Xiao

Classic Formula 1: Gu Chong Tang (Chong-Vessel-Securing Decoction)

Combination logic: Gu Chong Tang is a classic formula of the Qing physician Zhang Xi Chun from the Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu. Hai Piao Xiao is an auxiliary herb, mainly combined with Bai Zhu, Huang Qi, and Shan Zhu Yu, for the treatment of women's Beng Lou (flooding and spotting — heavy menstrual flow and non-menstrual bleeding). The lords of the formula are Huang Qi and Bai Zhu — tonifying qi, strengthening the spleen, and securing the Chong vessel; Hai Piao Xiao, combined with Zong Lü Tan and Wu Bei Zi, astringes to stop bleeding and strengthens the securing action. Hai Piao Xiao's role here is astringing to stop bleeding, while assisting the other herbs in securing the Chong vessel — because a single Hai Piao Xiao is limited in force and cannot stop heavy bleeding alone; it needs the tonifying-qi, securing herbs to work together.

Traditional use: traditionally for the Beng Lou (flooding and spotting) of an unsecured Chong vessel — shown as heavy bleeding with a light color, accompanied by shortness of breath, fatigue, and sore, weak loins and knees.

Modern note: modern clinical use of this formula requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to gynecological bleeding, especially for heavy bleeding with other severe symptoms — clarify the cause first, then regulate.

Classic Formula 2: Wu Bei San (Cuttlefish-Bone Powder)

Combination logic: Wu Bei San is a classic formula commonly used in modern times, mainly for stomach diseases. Hai Piao Xiao is the lord, combined with Bai Ji, Chen Pi, and Gan Cao, for the acid reflux and stomach pain of excessive gastric acid and stomach ulcers. Hai Piao Xiao here reduces acid, stops pain, and astringes to stop bleeding — the main constituent of the formula; Bai Ji assists in astringing to stop bleeding; Chen Pi regulates qi and harmonizes the stomach; Gan Cao harmonizes the herbs. A single Hai Piao Xiao can reduce acid and stop pain, but its force is relatively weak and it cannot regulate qi to harmonize the stomach — unable to solve the qi-blockage problem of the stomach — so it needs the other herbs to work together.

Traditional use: traditionally for the stomach-wind pain, acid reflux, and heartburn of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold with excessive gastric acid.

Modern note: modern clinical use of this formula requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis — especially ulcer patients need standard treatment; do not take the powder on your own, to avoid delaying the illness.

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

A formula is the joint action of many herbs — a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effect. The doses and combinations in a formula are holistic — each herb's dose and pairing are carefully adjusted to the pattern; for example, in Gu Chong Tang the dose of Huang Qi is several times that of Hai Piao Xiao, for tonifying qi and securing — while a single Hai Piao Xiao does not need such a large dose. The common misunderstanding: a herb that works in a formula is thought to produce the same effect when taken alone — in fact, taking Hai Piao Xiao alone only plays a partial role and cannot reach the synergy of the many herbs in a formula. Do not build formulas from online articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Porridge and External Powder

(1) Hai Piao Xiao Bai Zhu Zhou (Cuttlefish-Bone and Atractylodes Porridge): Hai Piao Xiao 10 g, Bai Zhu 10 g, Jing Mi 50 g. Wrap the Hai Piao Xiao and Bai Zhu in gauze, decoct in water 30 minutes, take the juice, add the Jing Mi, and cook into porridge until the rice is soft. Suited to the dull stomach pain and acid reflux of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — especially pain that worsens when fasting. Not for those with real heat in the stomach — such as a bitter mouth, bad breath, and bound stool. Suggested: 1–2 times a week; do not take long-term continuously. A reminder: Hai Piao Xiao is a medicinal slice, not an ordinary food — confirm it is a properly processed slice before use.

(2) Hai Piao Xiao Wai Yong Fen (Cuttlefish-Bone External Powder): Hai Piao Xiao 15 g, Huang Bai 5 g. Grind both into fine powder, mix evenly, and store in a dry container. Suited to skin eczema and mild skin ulcers with exudate. Not for those with clearly broken or infected, pus-forming skin. Suggested: once a day, applied to the affected area; do not use continuously beyond 1 week.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

The raw Hai Piao Xiao is relatively hard — it needs to be ground into powder for use, or decocted first, so the constituents can be effectively released; the processed stir-fried Hai Piao Xiao is crisp, easier to grind into powder, and releases constituents more easily when decocted — fitting daily use. The basic home decoction method: for internal use, first break the Hai Piao Xiao, wrap it in gauze, add it to water, and decoct for about 20–30 minutes; for external use, directly grind it into fine powder. Different forms cannot be converted directly — the dose of the slices and the dose of the powder differ; you cannot simply say 10 g of slices equals a certain number of grams of powder — adjust according to the specific use.

3. Dosage and Course

The common dose in traditional prescriptions is 6–12 g for internal use, and an appropriate amount for external use. The food-therapy dose needs to be smaller than the medicinal dose — for example, the 10 g of Hai Piao Xiao in the porridge considers the safety of daily eating. Long-term continuous use is not advised, because Hai Piao Xiao's astringing action is relatively strong — long-term use may cause the qi to be blocked, with bloating and constipation. Special groups — such as pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children, and those with chronic diseases — need to consult a physician or pharmacist; do not decide the dose and duration on your own.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

Yin deficiency with heat — shown as dry mouth and tongue, warm hands and soles, and night sweats — should not use Hai Piao Xiao, because its warm nature will worsen the heat signs.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding — use under a physician's guidance; avoid self-use affecting the fetus or infant.
Children and the elderly — weaker body function — the dose needs adjustment; do not self-take.
Liver or kidney impairment — use after the physician's evaluation, to avoid adding burden to the liver and kidneys.
Allergy to Hai Piao Xiao or cuttlefish animals — should not use it.
Those in special treatment — such as those taking other medications or with severe chronic diseases — consult a doctor first.

2. Interactions and Diet Notes

The key point: the calcium carbonate in Hai Piao Xiao may affect the absorption and metabolism of anticoagulants (such as warfarin), blood-pressure medications, and glucose-lowering medications — those taking these drugs need to consult a doctor or pharmacist, adjust the dose, or separate the taking times. There is no sufficient evidence of a general "food clash" between ordinary foods, but certain herbs can interact with specific drugs — those on medication should consult a doctor or pharmacist first. In daily diet, avoid eating too much spicy and greasy food at the same time, so as not to affect Hai Piao Xiao's action.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risk

Hai Piao Xiao has relatively few adverse reactions, but overuse may cause bloating and constipation, because its astringing action is relatively strong. If marked discomfort, allergy signs (such as rash and itching), persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, or rapidly worsening symptoms appear, stop at once and seek medical care. In addition, long-term use may cause excessive calcium in the body — especially for those with weak kidney function — pay special attention.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hai Piao Xiao

What is Haipiaoxiao? Is it the same as Wuzegu or Walengzi?

Haipiaoxiao is the dried internal shell of Sepiella maindroni or Sepia esculenta, Latin name Sepiae Endoconcha. It is a common Chinese medicine centered on astringing and stopping bleeding, securing essence and stopping leukorrhea, controlling acid and relieving pain, and absorbing dampness to close sores. Wuzegu is a synonym. Walengzi transforms phlegm and resolves stasis while controlling acid. They cannot be used interchangeably in equal amounts. Prescribe as Haipiaoxiao. Caution in yin deficiency with heat excess.

What are the composition and effects of Haipiaoxiao?

Pharmacopoeial name Haipiaoxiao, Latin Sepiella maindroni de Rochebrune or Sepia esculenta Hoyle. Salty and astringent in taste, warm in nature, enters the Spleen and Kidney meridians. Functions to astringe and stop bleeding, secure essence and stop leukorrhea, control acid and relieve pain, and absorb dampness to close sores. Used for hematemesis and epistaxis, flooding and spotting and bloody stools, seminal emission, red and white leukorrhea, stomach pain with acid regurgitation; externally for traumatic bleeding, eczema and non-healing ulcers. Astringes and controls acid.

How to choose between raw and processed? Can Walengzi replace it?

Internal shell is used raw or calcined. Walengzi emphasizes transforming phlegm rather than strongly stopping bleeding, and cannot replace it in equal amounts. Commercial products are standardized; do not adjust arbitrarily.

What is the dosage of Haipiaoxiao? Can it be used daily as a bleeding-stopping tea?

Decoction, 5-10g. Modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not a year-round "Haipiaoxiao tea." Yin deficiency with heat excess will be further injured by prolonged use. Bleeding requires short-term, physician-determined dosage and cannot replace evaluation.

What are the contraindications of Haipiaoxiao? Can pregnant women use it?

Not suitable for excessive use in yin deficiency with heat excess. Long-term use may cause constipation. Pregnant women require physician evaluation. Stop if constipation or dry mouth occur. Seek immediate medical care for severe bleeding or high fever.

Can Haipiaoxiao astringe, stop bleeding, and control acid?

It can assist hematemesis and epistaxis, flooding and spotting and bloody stools, seminal emission, red and white leukorrhea, stomach pain with acid regurgitation, traumatic bleeding, eczema and non-healing ulcers. It astringes and stops bleeding, secures essence and stops leukorrhea, controls acid and relieves pain, and absorbs dampness to close sores, but is not a specific remedy for all bleeding or all stomach pain.

Can Haipiaoxiao be taken daily as a bleeding-stopping or acid-controlling tea?

Deficiency-cold bleeding can be used short-term in formulas; yin deficiency with heat excess will be further injured. The idea that "Haipiaoxiao must stop bleeding" cannot replace evaluation. Astringing and controlling acid requires physician-determined formulation and dosage.

How to choose between Haipiaoxiao, Walengzi, Muli, Baiji, and Sanqi?

Haipiaoxiao astringes and stops bleeding while controlling acid, suited to deficiency-cold bleeding. Walengzi transforms phlegm and controls acid. Muli calms the liver and subdues yang. Baiji astringes and stops bleeding while generating flesh. Sanqi transforms stasis and stops bleeding for trauma. Choose Haipiaoxiao for stopping bleeding; Walengzi for controlling acid; Muli for subduing yang; Baiji for generating flesh; Sanqi for trauma. Pattern differentiation applies, but large doses of Haipiaoxiao are contraindicated in yin deficiency with heat excess.

How is Haipiaoxiao commonly modified? What is a representative usage?

Modifications depend on the pattern. Add Baiji for bleeding; add Walengzi for stomach pain. Specify Haipiaoxiao; do not substitute Walengzi in equal amounts for stopping bleeding.

How to select and store Haipiaoxiao?

Choose regular Chinese medicinal materials with intact internal shells. Discard if moldy, damp, or abnormal in odor. Store in a dry place. Purchase "Haipiaoxiao"; do not substitute Walengzi or Muli in equal amounts for astringing, stopping bleeding, and controlling acid.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.