I. Efficacy and Application of Deer Antler Slices:
The source of deer antler is the same as that of deer velvet, which is the ossified deer antler, and it needs to be sliced before use, so it is also calledDeer Antler Slices。
Deer antler tastes salty and is warm in nature. It belongs to the liver and kidney meridians. Its effects includeTonifying kidney yang, replenishing essence and blood, strengthening tendons and bones, promoting blood circulation and reducing swellingIts efficacy is similar to that of deer antler, but its medicinal potency is weaker, making it a substitute for deer antler. Its advantages include a lower price, mild medicinal properties, more guaranteed quality, and more frequent application.
Commonly used inKidney deficiency with cold pain in the waist and spine, impotence and seminal emission, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, leukorrhea, frequent urination and polyuria, yin abscesses and sores, breast abscess with swelling and pain, traumatic injuries with blood stasis and swelling, pain in the sinews and bonestreatment of conditions such as
If treating extreme bone deficiency, facial swelling with grimy black complexion, spinal pain preventing prolonged standing, qi decline leading to hair loss and withered teeth, lumbar and spinal pain, and even excessive spitting, one can use deer antler combined with Sichuan cyathula root, made into pills for oral administration.Deer Antler Pill。
Deer antler can be used in decoctions as well as in pills and powders. The typical dosage in decoctions ranges from over ten grams to several tens of grams. It is inexpensive and used in large quantities, and can be boiled together with other herbs.
Deer antler is warm in nature and tonifying, thereforeContraindicated for those with yin deficiency and fire excess。
Summary of Masterpieces by Renowned Authors
Compendium of Materia Medica: "Deer antler, when used raw, disperses heat and promotes blood circulation, reduces swelling and wards off evil; when used cooked, it benefits the kidneys and tonifies deficiency, strengthens essence and activates blood. When refined into frost or boiled into paste, it is exclusively for tonification."
Li Shizhen said, "The deer is an immortal beast, pure yang and long-lived, capable of connecting the Du meridian. Moreover, it feeds on good grass, so consuming its antlers and meat is beneficial and harmless."
Li Keyan: "The top part and the velvet tip are highly effective but expensive, making them difficult for the general population to afford. The middle section is more affordable and offers satisfactory efficacy. The lower part and base are often ossified, but they are even cheaper and can still be effective when used in larger quantities."
II. Efficacy and Application of Deer Antler Glue:
Deer Antler Glue is a gelatinous substance made by boiling and concentrating deer antlers with auxiliary materials such as rock sugar, yellow wine, and soybean oil. The remaining bone residue is known as Deer Antler Frost.
Deer Antler Glue has a sweet and salty taste, and a warm nature. It belongs to the liver and kidney meridians. Its effects includeWarming and tonifying the liver and kidney, benefiting essence and nourishing bloodand has a good hemostatic effect.
Commonly used forImpotence and seminal emission, soreness and coldness of the waist and knees, emaciation due to consumptive disease, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, hematochezia and hematuria, swelling and pain of yin abscessTreatment of conditions such as
For treating kidney yang deficiency, deficiency of essence and blood, emaciation due to consumptive disease, vomiting, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, metrostaxis, hematuria with a tendency toward deficiency and cold, as well as internal collapse of yin-type abscesses. It can be taken alone by melting and dissolving in water, or mixed into other medicinal decoctions for consumption.
If treating various deficiencies and damages, it can be combined with deer antler glue, dodder seeds, arborvitae seeds, prepared rehmannia root, etc., namelyBanlong Pill。
For treating deficiency fatigue and nocturnal emission, it is often combined with raspberry, plantain seed, etc., ground into powder and taken together.Deer Antler Glue Powder。
If treating fetal movement during pregnancy with continuous bleeding, it is often combined with ginseng and white poria, namelyCornu Cervi Colla Decoction。
If treating women with persistent leukorrhea, sallow complexion, and cold pain around the navel, it is often combined with Longgu (Dragon Bone), Guixin (Cinnamon Heart), Danggui (Chinese Angelica), Zhifuzi (Prepared Aconite), and Baizhu (White Atractylodes), ground into powder for oral administration, also known asDeer Antler Glue Powder。
For treating crane knee wind, bone-attached abscess, and all types of yin abscess syndromes, it is often combined with prepared rehmannia root, cinnamon bark, ephedra, white mustard seed, ginger charcoal, and raw licorice root, namelyYanghe Decoction。
Deer Antler Glue can be used in decoctions as well as in pills and powders. The usual dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams. The method of administration is the same as that of Donkey-Hide Gelatin; it must be melted and mixed before consumption.
Deer Antler Glue is warm in nature and rich in texture, thereforePatients with Yin deficiency and excessive fire should avoid taking it。
Summary of Famous Works by Renowned Authors
The Classic of Materia Medica: "It primarily treats injuries and exhaustion, lower back pain, emaciation, tonifies the center and boosts qi, addresses amenorrhea and infertility in women, relieves pain, and calms the fetus."
Bie Lu: "Treats vomiting of blood, bleeding, incessant uterine bleeding, soreness and pain in the limbs, excessive sweating, urinary disorders, and injuries from falls and fractures."
Compendium of Materia Medica: "Treats consumptive cough, nocturnal emission, hematuria, sores, ulcers, swellings, and toxins."
Jade Carving's Explanation of Medicinals: Deer Antler Glue warms and supplements the liver and kidneys, nourishes and benefits essence and blood. It treats impotence and seminal emission, ghostly intercourse and dream emission, vomiting of blood, nosebleeds, flooding and spotting, vaginal discharge, lower back pain and knee pain, sores, ulcers, toxic swellings, knocks and falls, injuries. It is suitable for promoting fertility and calming the fetus, supplementing deficiency and restoring damage, with extremely many effects. However, its nature is stagnant and not suitable for the spleen and stomach. Those with central burner stagnation and fullness must avoid taking it.
III. Efficacy and Application of Cornu Cervi Degelatinatum:
Deer Antler Glue Residue is the leftover bone residue after boiling deer antlers to make glue. Its efficacy is similar to that of Deer Antler Glue, but its nature is not sticky or stagnant. For those with yang deficiency who cannot tolerate the greasy and cloying nature of Deer Antler Glue, Deer Antler Glue Residue can be used instead.
Deerhorn Glue tastes salty and astringent, with a warm nature. It belongs to the liver and kidney meridians. Its effects includeWarming the kidney to assist yang, astringing to stop bleedingIts characteristics include mild potency, non-greasy texture, and astringent properties.
For kidney yang deficiency, spleen and stomach deficiency cold, vomiting with reduced food intake and loose stools, women's uterine cold, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, and other syndromes, when combined in formulas, it shows significant therapeutic effects. Moreover, it is low in cost and easy to promote, making it truly a good medicine.
If treating kidney cold emaciation, yang deficiency and essence weakness, it is often combined with Cistanche deserticola, processed aconite, Morinda officinalis, and Sichuan pepper, namelyCornu Cervi Degelatinatum Pill。
For treating women's cold-damp leukorrhea, it is often combined with Atractylodes macrocephala, cuttlefish bone, madder, raw Chinese yam, and dragon bone, namelyModified Qingdai Decoction。
If treating women with infertility due to deficiency and cold in the sea of blood, one can use deer antler glue (or deer antler frost) in combination with raw Chinese yam, Chinese angelica root, processed aconite, cinnamon, fluorite, fennel, and psoralea fruit, that isWen Chong Tang。
In addition, when applied externally, deer antler glue residue has the effects of astringing and stopping bleeding, as well as promoting wound healing for traumatic bleeding, sores with excessive yellow discharge, or wounds that do not heal for a long time.
Deerhorn Glue often enters decoctions and is also suitable for making pills, powders, and external use. The common dosage for decoctions ranges from over ten grams to several tens of grams; for external use, apply an appropriate amount.
Deerhorn Frost is warm and tonifying and astringent, thereforeContraindicated for those with yin deficiency and excessive fire。
Summary of Famous Works by Renowned Authors
Ben Cao Meng Quan: "The indications are the same as those of deer antler glue, but the efficacy is slightly slower."
Introduction to Medicine: Treats the five strains and seven injuries with emaciation, tonifies the kidneys and boosts qi, secures essence and strengthens yang, fortifies the bone marrow, and treats nocturnal emissions.
Ben Cao Hui Yan: "Astringent to stop dysentery, remove leukorrhea in women."
Ben Jing Feng Yuan: "Treats spleen and stomach deficiency cold, reduced food intake and loose stools, and gastric reflux vomiting."
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Velvet antler, deer antler, deer antler glue, and deer antler frost are all derived from the antlers of male deer. Velvet antler refers to the young antlers that have not yet ossified and are covered with dense fine hair, while the latter three are all ossified deer antlers, differing only in their processing methods. The functions of these four medicinal materials share similarities but also have distinctions. Among them, deer antler primarily excels in detoxifying, breaking down stagnation, dispelling blood stasis, and expelling pathogenic factors. When boiled into glue, it becomes moist and descending in nature, with a neutral qi and sweet taste, unlike the sweet warmth of velvet antler or the firm rigidity of deer antler. Therefore, it can tonify yang and nourish the kidneys, strengthen tendons and promote blood circulation, and even regulate the meridians to aid conception, relieve pain, and stabilize pregnancy. For those with yang deficiency who cannot tolerate greasy or cloying substances, deer antler frost is more suitable.
