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Magnetite, Ci Shi 磁石
Lodestone
Kanta (Ayurveda)
Ci Shi (TCM)
Khab len ཁབ་ལེན (Tibetan)
Kanta (Ayurveda)
Ci Shi (TCM)
Khab len ཁབ་ལེན (Tibetan)
Ortus Sanitatis, Beck, 1517
Mineralogical Name:
Magnetitum
Parts used:
The best is black and strongly magnetic
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Pungent, Bitter and Salty
Constituents:
Ferriferrous oxide (Fe3O4); traces of Si, Pb, Ti, P, Mn, Ca, As, Cr
Vinegar-prepared Magnetite is mainly Ferric oxide (Fe2O3), ferric acetate.
Classification:
2M. DRAWING
4f. SPLENETIC
TCM:
G. Sedate the Heart, Mind and Spirit
Magnetitum
Parts used:
The best is black and strongly magnetic
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Pungent, Bitter and Salty
Constituents:
Ferriferrous oxide (Fe3O4); traces of Si, Pb, Ti, P, Mn, Ca, As, Cr
Vinegar-prepared Magnetite is mainly Ferric oxide (Fe2O3), ferric acetate.
Classification:
2M. DRAWING
4f. SPLENETIC
TCM:
G. Sedate the Heart, Mind and Spirit
Uses:
1)-Calms the Mind and Spirit, Pacifies the Liver, Clears Wind and Heat (TCM, West, Tibet, Ayurveda):
-Anxiety, Palpitations, Insomnia, Mania
-Epilepsy, Convulsions, especially when Fear related in children
-Tremors, Parkinsonism
-wind disorders including Dizziness, Tinnitus, Vertigo, blurred Vision; can be used for these problems if the Liver and Kidneys are weak
-Headaches, weak Eyes, Deafness, Gout and Cramps. (West)
-Worn around the neck for convulsions and nerve pain (Salmon)
-Hypertension. (Raw, unprocessed Mineral)
2. Strengthens the Lungs and Kidneys, Stops Wheezing:
-Chronic Asthma and Wheezing associated with Kidney weakness, lower back pain and general deficiency (this is as a result of the Kidneys being too weak to 'draw' the breath down into the body) (TCM)
3. Strengthens the Kidneys, Benefits the Essence (TCM, West, Ayurveda):
-Rasayana (tonic to the 7 Body Tissues) in Ayurveda;
-‘Some think being taken in a small quantity it Preserves Youth’ (Salmon)
-nourishes Essence; useful in all disorders of old age: Deafness, Tinnitus, poor eyesight from Kidney and Liver weakness (TCM, Ayurveda);
-weak eyes, deafness, rheumatic complaints; (TCM)
-Cold and Damp joint disorders (Unani and old TCM).
-in Europe for Edema, and diseases of the generative organs
-Spermatorrhea. (Ayurveda)
4. Promotes Childbirth:
-facilitates Childbirth; used internally in Unani;
-Salmon said it was held in the hand to facilitate Childbirth.
-research demonstrated that pregnant mice exposed to magnetic fields had easier labor.
5. Opens the Liver and Spleen, Clears Melancholy:
-‘disease of the Milt [Spleen], and against swelling of there’... it also ‘draws phlegm and Melancholy humours’ (The Grete Herbal, Turner)
-‘Purge all Gross humours’ (Culpeper)
-The Bhasma is used for Jaundice, swelling of the Liver, Spleen or Abdomen. (Unani, West)
6. Benefits the Blood:
-Magnets have been used in the East as blood tonics (like Iron but is considered stronger)
-Anemia, Chlorosis etc.
7. Externally:
i. using Magnets locally over painful, weak, or diseased parts has been practiced in different places at different times. It has more recently become in vogue again, and many products are now offered which use Magnets.
ii. Hollerius noted ‘The Loadstone laid upon the Head takes away all pain’, so even in western society, the medicinal properties of the Loadstone has been known for centuries.
iii. powdered Lodestone mixed with Oil or Fat was applied to prevent or cure baldness.
iv. the calx made into a plaster with wax is applied to Gout.
v. powdered Vinegar Prepared Magnetite can be applied topically to stop bleeding. (TCM)
vi. Bhasma and other preparations have been used in Eye diseases.
DOSE:
Decoction: 9–30 grams;
Of the finely prepared Powder: 300mg–1.5 or 2 grams.
PREPARATION:
1. PURIFICATION of MAGNETITE. (Ayurveda)
There are several processes which can be used to purify Magnetite; it should be beaten into leaves or broken into pieces before being purified:
i. Powdered Magnetite is triturated with Lemon juice 7 times, then washed in water to remove the sour taste.
ii. It is boiled in lemon juice and Kanji (type of Vinegar), then heated and steeped in the juice of Cow Dung 7 times.
iii. It may be heated 3 times and quenched 3 times in the blood of a Hare.
iv. It may be smeared with Alkalis and Sours, heated, then dipped in the blood of a Hare three times.
v. Any of the methods used to purify Iron may be used for Magnetite.
(Sources: The Wealth of Indian Alchemy and Its Medicinal Uses, Mukherji, 1998; Rasamritam, Dr. Damodar Joshi & Dr. G. Prabhakara Rao, Varanasi, 1998; The Gems of the Siddha System, T. G. Ramamurthi Iyer, 1986)
2. VINEGAR PREPARED MAGNETITE (TCM):
Heat Magnetite to red hot, then quench in cold Vinegar; repeat several times before powdering. This is best to strengthen the Kidneys and relieve Wheezing, but is the form of preparation most often used in TCM.
If the effect of Vinegar is not required, it may be quenched in cold water to facilitate powdering.
Decoction: 9–30 grams;
Of the finely prepared Powder: 300mg–1.5 or 2 grams.
PREPARATION:
1. PURIFICATION of MAGNETITE. (Ayurveda)
There are several processes which can be used to purify Magnetite; it should be beaten into leaves or broken into pieces before being purified:
i. Powdered Magnetite is triturated with Lemon juice 7 times, then washed in water to remove the sour taste.
ii. It is boiled in lemon juice and Kanji (type of Vinegar), then heated and steeped in the juice of Cow Dung 7 times.
iii. It may be heated 3 times and quenched 3 times in the blood of a Hare.
iv. It may be smeared with Alkalis and Sours, heated, then dipped in the blood of a Hare three times.
v. Any of the methods used to purify Iron may be used for Magnetite.
(Sources: The Wealth of Indian Alchemy and Its Medicinal Uses, Mukherji, 1998; Rasamritam, Dr. Damodar Joshi & Dr. G. Prabhakara Rao, Varanasi, 1998; The Gems of the Siddha System, T. G. Ramamurthi Iyer, 1986)
2. VINEGAR PREPARED MAGNETITE (TCM):
Heat Magnetite to red hot, then quench in cold Vinegar; repeat several times before powdering. This is best to strengthen the Kidneys and relieve Wheezing, but is the form of preparation most often used in TCM.
If the effect of Vinegar is not required, it may be quenched in cold water to facilitate powdering.
Main Combinations:
1. Melancholy, Magnetite with Syrup of Senna
2. For Palpitations, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Headache, Poor Vision, Magnetite with Cinnabar and Shen Qu (Medicated Leaven) (as in Magnetite and Cinnabar Pills, Ci Zhu Wan)
3. Dizziness and Vertigo, Magnetite with Paeonia Bai Shao, Oyster shell (Mu Li), Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming) (TCM)
4. Hemiplegia, after-effects of Stroke such as slurred speech, deviating eyes and mouth, Magnetite with Chebula, Calamus, Costus, Red Coral, Aloeswood, Licorice (as in Zha Chong 13 Pill of Mongolian Medicine)
5. Cough and Wheezing associated with Kidney Deficiency:
i. Magnetite with Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
ii. Magnetite with Gecko (Ge Jie), Walnut, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
6. Impotence:
i. Magnetite in medicated wine (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. Magnetite with Velvet Deer horn (Lu Rong), Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Cinnamon
7. Prolapsed Uterus, Magnetite powder and Rice paste are formed into pills. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
8. Blurry vision:
i. Magnetite, Cinnabar, Medicated Leaven (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. Magnetite, Lycium Gou Qi Zi (Goji), Chrysanthemum Ju Hua, Ligustrum fructus Nu Zhen Zi.
9. Deafness in one ear: put a small piece of magnetite into the deaf ear and a piece of iron in the good ear. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
10. Weakness in the elderly, Magnetite, Quartz, powdered and taken with Rice soup (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
Major Formulas:
Zi Xue Dan
Zha Chong 13 Pill of Mongolian Medicine
Cautions:
1. Heavy on the stomach and hard to digest, it is not suitable for those with marked digestive weakness. It should not be taken for more than 3 weeks without a break in treatment.
2. Magnetite usually contains traces of arsenic.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared Powder
1. Heavy on the stomach and hard to digest, it is not suitable for those with marked digestive weakness. It should not be taken for more than 3 weeks without a break in treatment.
2. Magnetite usually contains traces of arsenic.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared Powder
Research
1. Anti-inflammatory
2. Increases iron in iron-deficiency anemia
3. Increases blood coagulation
4. Sedative
5. Anti-convulsant
2. Increases iron in iron-deficiency anemia
3. Increases blood coagulation
4. Sedative
5. Anti-convulsant