Zoological substancesTonifyingColla Corii Asini

E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin)

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

View Herb Profile →

Last reviewed Sep 25, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameColla Corii Asini
Chinese Name & Pinyin 阿膠 · E Jiao
Medicinal PartZoological substances
The herbE Jiao is solid glue from donkey hide. Mixed-hide or fake glue is not the official drug. Common forms: plain E Jiao, E Jiao beads (scalded), Pu Huang–fried, and clam-powder–fried.
Nature and channelsSweet, neutral. Enters the Lung, Liver, and Kidney. Sweetness tonifies. The moist texture nourishes yin, moistens dryness, and helps stop bleeding.
Pharmacopoeia lineTonifies blood and nourishes yin. Moistens dryness. Stops bleeding. Used for blood-deficiency sallowness, dizziness and palpitations, weak muscles, restless insomnia, internal stirring of deficiency wind, dry Lung cough, consumptive cough with blood, vomiting of blood, bloody urine, bloody stool, flooding and spotting, and spotting in pregnancy.
Pattern cuesSallow face. Dizziness and palpitations. Dry cough with blood. Flooding or fetal spotting. Restless insomnia. Pale tongue or little coating.
In this articleWhy E Jiao is melted, not boiled. Beads versus Pu Huang–fried. How it differs from Dang Gui, Shu Di Huang, and Bai Shao. Why a weak stomach should skip it. Who should skip it.

What Is E Jiao?

E Jiao (阿胶; Ē Jiāo; Latin: Asini Corii Colla; English: donkey-hide gelatin) is the solid glue made by decocting and concentrating the hide of Equus asinus L. In Chinese medicine it is a blood-tonifying herb. It is sweet and neutral, enters the Lung, Liver, and Kidney channels, and its core actions are to tonify blood and nourish yin, moisten dryness, and stop bleeding. Genuine E Jiao is made from donkey hide. Products made from other hides are not this official drug. Kitchen gelatin is not E Jiao and does not share its pharmacopoeia actions.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Blood deficiency — sallow complexion, dizziness, palpitations, weak muscles
  • Yin-deficiency dry cough / consumptive cough with blood — dry cough, blood-streaked sputum, restless poor sleep
  • Bleeding — vomiting or nosebleed, bloody stool, uterine flooding, spotting in pregnancy

In a decoction it must be melted separately (yang hua) and then stirred in. Do not boil it for a long time with the other herbs. Pu Huang–fried E Jiao leans toward stopping bleeding. Clam-powder–fried E Jiao leans toward moistening the Lung without as much cloying. The usual dose is 3–9 g. A weak spleen and stomach, poor digestion, and damp fullness are a poor match. Sweet and gluey, it is not a daily candy.

After blood loss, dry cough with streaked sputum, or heavy menses, sallowness, palpitations, and poor sleep are common. E Jiao is sweet, neutral, and moistening. It tonifies, stops bleeding, and moistens dryness, which is why it appears in Huang Lian E Jiao Tang, Jiao Ai Tang, Bu Fei E Jiao Tang, and Zhi Gan Cao Tang. It nourishes more than it moves. Bloating, loose stools, and a greasy sticky mouth get worse if more glue is added.

E Jiao is not a catch-all blood tonic, and a higher price is not a reason to eat it every day. In dampness obstructing the stomach or spleen-deficiency diarrhea, using it alone can stagnate the middle. Whether to use it, and how to melt or process it, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis, with a product of clear origin.

E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

E Jiao: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Colla Corii Asini

Botanical Origin

The solid gelati made from the skin of Equus asinus L, via a process of boiling and concentrating. (Equidae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Dong'e region of Shandong, as well as Henan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has a consistent color, a brittle texture, translucent, shiny fractured surface.

Macroscopic Features

Rectangular pieces, square pieces, hard and brittle texture, no oil holes, stoma or obvious knife marks. Externally smooth and lustrous, fractured surface is brown and translucent when observed under light, decoction pieces' surface is yellow and translucent amber-like, lustrous black and laquer-like. faint odor; slightly sweet taste.

Traditional Origins and Quality Identification

The most authentic and highly prized E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) traditionally comes from the Dong'e and Pingyin regions in Shandong province, China.

  • Quality Traits: Premium gelatin blocks are rectangular, dark brown, and highly glossy. They are hard and brittle. When you break a piece and hold it up to the light, the edges should be a translucent brown. It has a very mild, slightly sweet scent.
  • Raw vs. Prepared: The raw blocks are tough to break, while the processed E Jiao Zhu (Gelatin Pearls) are crispy and much easier to crush and boil down for medicinal use.
  • Imitations: Be careful of counterfeits made from pig skin gelatin, which are usually lighter in color and lack the dense, firm texture of genuine donkey-hide gelatin.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet; NeutralLungLiverKidney

1. Historical Records

  • Shen Nong's Herbal Classic: Ancient texts highlighted its ability to treat internal exhaustion, ease severe body aches, manage female bleeding issues, and calm a restless fetus.
  • Ming Yi Bie Lu: Later records noted it as a gentle, non-toxic remedy for abdominal pain, severe weight loss, and weakness in the legs, primarily by nourishing Liver Qi.

2. Evolution of Clinical Understanding

Throughout history, TCM doctors have regarded E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) as a top-tier tonic. Some masters focused on its incredible ability to rebuild blood and Yin (perfect for weakness and anemia-like symptoms), while others utilized its sticky, moistening nature to treat dry coughs or stop bleeding. Ultimately, its application depends on how it is paired with other herbs to match a patient's specific body type.

E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Supplements blood, stops blood, enriches yin, moistens dryness.

1. Primary Focus: Nourishing Blood and Enriching Yin

  • Traditional Efficacy: E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) is a premier herb for nourishing the blood and enriching Yin.
  • Target Symptoms: It is widely used for "blood deficiency" patterns, which look like a pale or sallow complexion, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, and irregular menstruation. It also treats "Yin deficiency" symptoms, such as feeling irritable and sleepless, having a dry throat and mouth, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and weakness in the lower back and knees.
  • Common Combinations: To boost blood production, it is often paired with Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root), Dang Gui (Angelica Root), and Bai Shao (White Peony Root). To enrich Yin, it works well with Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber) and Gui Jia (Tortoise Shell).
  • When to Avoid Self-Use: Because it is very rich and heavy, people with weak digestion or a sluggish spleen and stomach should not use it independently, as it can cause bloating and indigestion.

2. Secondary Focus: Moistening Dryness and Stopping Bleeding

  • Traditional Efficacy: Its sticky, nourishing nature makes it excellent for moistening internal dryness and stopping various forms of bleeding.
  • Target Symptoms: Used for bleeding issues like coughing up blood, vomiting blood, blood in the stool, or heavy uterine bleeding. It is also used for "lung dryness," characterized by a dry cough with little to no phlegm.
  • Common Combinations: For bleeding, it is often paired with Pu Huang (Cattail Pollen) or Bai Ji (Bletilla Rhizome). For a dry cough, it is combined with Sang Ye (Mulberry Leaf) and Xing Ren (Apricot Seed).
  • When to Avoid Self-Use: People with "excess heat" or active congestion/stagnation causing the bleeding should not use it, as its sticky nature can trap the problem inside.

3. Common Single-Herb Pairings

A classic combination is E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) with Dang Gui (Angelica Root). E Jiao provides the deep nourishment for the blood and Yin, while Dang Gui both builds and moves the blood. Together, they create a powerful, balanced approach to treating blood deficiency. This pairing requires a TCM doctor's assessment to ensure it matches your specific needs.

E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Modern Research

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

1. Key Chemical Components

  • Lab Findings: Modern analysis shows that E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) is rich in collagen and its breakdown products, along with various amino acids like glycine and proline.
  • Animal Studies: In lab tests, it has been shown to increase hemoglobin and red blood cell counts, supporting its traditional reputation as a blood-builder.
  • Human Studies: Some clinical observations suggest it can help improve symptoms of "blood deficiency" (like a pale complexion and dizziness), but more rigorous human trials are needed to confirm these effects fully.

2. Modern Pharmacological Focus

Today's researchers are mostly interested in how it affects the immune and hematopoietic (blood-forming) systems. Studies suggest it might help stimulate stem cells to produce more blood cells, which explains its traditional blood-nourishing effects.

3. Limitations of Modern Research

When looking at modern studies, keep these boundaries in mind:

  • Labs Aren't Clinics: What works in a test tube or an animal doesn't automatically guarantee the exact same result in the human body.
  • Synergy vs. Single Chemicals: Taking isolated collagen or amino acids is not the same as taking traditional E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin). TCM relies on the whole substance working together.
  • Inconsistent Methods: Different studies use different dosages and preparations, making it hard to draw universal conclusions.
E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. Common Ground

Both E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) and Lu Jiao Jiao (Deer Antler Gelatin) are powerful, animal-based tonics used to build up the body and treat deficiencies, specifically blood deficiency. Both are rich and require careful dosing to avoid overwhelming the digestive system.

2. Core Differences

  • Nature: E Jiao is sweet and neutral. Lu Jiao Jiao is sweet, salty, and significantly warmer.
  • Clinical Focus: E Jiao specializes in nourishing blood and Yin, making it a "cooling" or moistening tonic. Lu Jiao Jiao focuses on tonifying Kidney Yang and essence, making it a strong "warming" tonic.
  • Energy Movement: E Jiao focuses purely on deep nourishment without pushing energy up or down. Lu Jiao Jiao has a slight uplifting, warming energy.
  • Target Symptoms: E Jiao is for pale faces, dizziness, and dry heat symptoms (Yin deficiency). Lu Jiao Jiao is for people who are always cold, have a weak lower back, or suffer from impotence and deep fatigue (Yang deficiency).
  • Cautions: E Jiao is heavy and hard on a weak stomach. Lu Jiao Jiao should be strictly avoided by anyone with Yin deficiency or excessive internal heat.

3. One-Sentence Summary

E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) focuses on nourishing blood and moistening Yin (cooling/neutral), while Lu Jiao Jiao (Deer Antler Gelatin) focuses on warming the Kidney Yang and building essence (warming); they treat fundamentally different types of weakness and cannot be swapped.

E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Classical Formulas Containing E Jiao

+2 more

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

  • Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
  • Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Recipes and Teas

E Jiao and Red Date Porridge

  • Ingredients: 10g E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin), 10 red dates, 50g rice.
  • Preparation: Crush the gelatin. Pit the dates and wash the rice. Cook the rice into a porridge. When it is almost done, stir in the crushed gelatin and the dates until fully dissolved and cooked.
  • Best For: Individuals with Qi and blood deficiency (fatigue, pale complexion).
  • Cautions: Do not use if you have poor digestion or bloating. Recommended 2-3 times a week. Note: E Jiao is a medicinal extract, not just a standard food ingredient, so mind the dosage.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

Because raw E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) is a hard, sticky block, it will ruin a normal decoction if boiled directly with other herbs. It must be melted separately (a process called "Yang Hua"). You crush it, dissolve it in hot water or hot rice wine, and then mix it into the strained liquid of your other boiled herbs. However, the puffed, processed version, E Jiao Zhu (Gelatin Pearls), can usually be added directly to the boiling pot. Never assume that liquid extracts or pre-made pastes require the same dosage as raw blocks.

3. Dosage and Usage Cycle

The standard clinical dosage is 3 to 9 grams. Use smaller amounts for dietary maintenance and larger amounts for medicinal treatment. It should not be taken continuously for long periods without breaks, as its heavy nature can eventually clog digestion. Special populations must consult a doctor.

E Jiao Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Inappropriate Populations

You should avoid E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) if you:

  • Have weak digestion, frequent bloating, or a poor appetite.
  • Are pregnant (use only under strict doctor supervision to protect the fetus).
  • Are a child or elderly person (without professional guidance).
  • Have abnormal liver or kidney function.
  • Are allergic to donkey or gelatin products.

2. Herb-Drug Interactions

Because of its rich, blood-nourishing properties, E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) may interact with certain medications, particularly blood thinners (anticoagulants). If you are taking prescription medications for blood pressure or heart conditions, you must consult your doctor before using this herb.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risks

The most common side effect of taking too much is digestive upset, such as severe bloating, indigestion, or a loss of appetite. If you experience significant discomfort, allergic reactions, vomiting, or breathing issues, stop taking it immediately and seek medical help.

Frequently Asked Questions About E Jiao

What is E Jiao? Is it the same as Huang Ming Jiao or “new” ass-hide glue?
Official E Jiao (阿胶) is the solid glue prepared by decocting and concentrating the hide of Equus asinus. The pharmacopoeial name is Asini Corii Colla. Huang Ming Jiao is usually bovine hide, a separate drug, and must not be labeled E Jiao. So-called new substitutes differ in composition. Adulteration with other hide glues is common; buy a licensed maker and batch, not a place-name marketing story.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of E Jiao?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, E Jiao is sweet and neutral, enters the Lung, Liver and Kidney channels, and acts to tonify Blood and enrich Yin, moisten dryness, and stop bleeding. It is used for Blood-deficiency sallowness, dizziness and palpitations, weak muscles, vexation insomnia, internal stirring of deficient wind, dry Lung cough, taxation cough with blood, vomiting or urinating blood, stool blood and flooding, and spotting in pregnancy. Sweet-neutral and cloying, it tonifies Blood while it also nourishes Yin, moistens the Lung and secures the menses to stop bleeding.
How do glue cubes, clam-powder-fried and cattail-pollen-fried E Jiao differ?
Raw cubes (E Jiao ding) more strongly enrich Yin and tonify Blood. Clam-powder-fried beads are less cloying, correct the odor, and lean to moistening the Lung for dry Yin cough and blood-streaked sputum. Cattail-pollen-fried more strongly stops bleeding and settles the network vessels for hemoptysis, flooding and stool blood. Raw glue is usually dissolved separately into the strained decoction; fried beads may be decocted or powdered. Name the specification.
What is the usual dosage? Why dissolve it separately?
The pharmacopoeial internal dose is 3–9 g, dissolved separately and blended into the decoction (yang hua). Steam or melt the cubes in the hot strained liquid so they do not scorch on the pot bottom with the other herbs. Fried beads may enter the decoction or pills. Cloying material burdens a loose, bloated middle—reduce the dose. It is not a beauty snack to chew in large pieces without limit.
What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?
Use caution in Spleen-Stomach weakness, poor appetite with loose stool, and damp obstruction of the middle. Stickiness impairs digestion; a weak Stomach that vomits should avoid it. Exterior fever and phlegm-damp cough should not be nourished and held. Tradition advises against pairing it with rhubarb. Pregnancy spotting from insecure Blood deficiency may enter Jiao Ai Tang–type formulas under a practitioner—not a license for every pregnant woman to stew glue. Use caution in animal-protein allergy.
Can E Jiao tonify Blood, stop bleeding, calm the fetus and stop cough?
It can help. Sallow Blood deficiency with palpitations and dizziness is its core job, often with prepared rehmannia and Angelica. Flooding and pregnancy spotting join mugwort and Angelica in Jiao Ai Tang. Dry taxation cough with blood joins Ophiopogon or lily bulb, or the cattail-fried beads. Vexation insomnia and deficient wind may join Coptis and white peony, as in Huang Lian E Jiao Tang. It tonifies Yin-Blood; it is not the only plan for iron deficiency. Severe anemia and major hemorrhage need a cause found first.
Can women eat E Jiao cake every day for beauty?
Not as a four-season dessert. Cloying glue stagnates people who already have damp, heat, loose stool or an unresolved cold. Commercial cakes often add much sugar, walnut and rice wine—calories and sweetness climb. Blood deficiency with a still-working Spleen may be treated in a short prescribed course. Long self-“beauty” use can bloat, generate phlegm and inflame the skin. Heavy or scanty periods still need a Cold-Heat-stasis-deficiency read, not a single rule to load up.
How do you choose among E Jiao, Shu Di, Dang Gui and Gui Jia Jiao?
Prepared rehmannia purely tonifies Yin-Blood and is cloying, leaning to the Kidney. Angelica is sweet-acrid and warm: tonifies Blood while it moves it and moistens the intestine. E Jiao is sweet-neutral: tonifies Blood and Yin and is especially good to stop bleeding and moisten the Lung. Tortoise-shell glue is salty-cold, leaning to enriching Kidney Yin and anchoring Yang. Blood deficiency plus bleeding or Lung dryness favors ass-hide glue; Blood deficiency plus stasis favors Angelica; Yin-Blood lack with deficient heat favors rehmannia or tortoise glue. They may be paired; all must be lightened when the middle is full and the stool loose.
Which herbs is E Jiao combined with? What are the representative formulas?
With mugwort, Angelica and chuanxiong for flooding and pregnancy spotting it forms Jiao Ai Tang. Yin-deficiency fire with vexation insomnia joins Coptis, Scutellaria and white peony in Huang Lian E Jiao Tang. Intermittent pulse with dual Qi-Blood deficiency joins honey-fried licorice, raw rehmannia and ginseng in Zhi Gan Cao Tang. Deficiency-cold stasis menses appear in Wen Jing Tang. Dissolve it separately and name beads or raw cubes.
How do you choose and store E Jiao?
Choose brown to black-brown blocks that are hard and brittle, glossy on section, without a rank smell, and that dissolve completely when heated in water. Fried beads should puff hollow with no raw core. Store sealed, cool and dry so heat does not soften them. Discard anonymous, implausibly cheap lots that will not dissolve or smell of plastic. Buy labeled official E Jiao, not bovine glue or a dessert cake sold as the pharmacopoeial drug.

Related Products

Nong's Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang Extract GranulesNong's Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang (Eliminate Dryness and Rescue the Lungs Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $59.81 Hoi Tin Huang Lian E Jiao Tang Extract GranulesHoi Tin Huang Lian E Jiao Tang (Coptis and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $51.36 Nong's Huang Lian E Jiao Tang Extract GranulesNong's Huang Lian E Jiao Tang (Coptis and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $114.38 Hoi Tin Zhu Ling Tang Extract GranulesHoi Tin Zhu Ling Tang (Polyporus Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $49.46 Nong's Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang Extract GranulesNong's Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang (Chuan Xiong, Angelica and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $60.88 Hoi Tin Jiao Ai Tang Extract GranulesHoi Tin Jiao Ai Tang (Donkey-Hide Gelatin and Mugwort Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $45.80 Hoi Tin Zhi Gan Cao Tang Extract GranulesHoi Tin Zhi Gan Cao Tang (Honey-Fried Licorice Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $24.93 Nong's Zhi Gan Cao Tang Extract GranulesNong's Zhi Gan Cao Tang (Honey-Fried Licorice Decoction) 5:1 Concentrated Granules $44.83

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.

More Chinese Herbs

View all 

View all 

© 2026 HJMEDICAL, Powered by Shopify

  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Bancontact
  • Google Pay
  • Mastercard
  • MB WAY
  • PayPal
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa

Login

Forgot your password?

Don't have an account yet?
Create account

E Jiao (Donkey-Hide Gelatin): Nourish Blood, Enrich Yin, and Stop Bleeding