Medicine Traditions
  • Home
  • About
  • Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica FREE
    • Mineral Materia Medica PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica FREE
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Theory
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Store
  • Blog
Sentry Page Protection
Please Wait...

Ophicalcite, Hua Rui Shi 花蕊石

Hua Rui Shi (TCM)
Picture
Picture
Ophicalcite
Photo by Lysippos (Wikimedia)


Minerological name:
Ophicalcitum
Serpentine mixed with Calcite
See Serpentine which is similar and used in Ayurveda.

Parts used:
Prepared Mineral

Temperature & Taste:
Neutral. Sour, astringent

Classification:
L. Stop Bleeding:

Constituents:
Calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium silicate, Fe, Al. There are also traces of Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr. It also contains small traces of Cd, Pb (less than 0.001%.)

Uses:
1. Stops Bleeding:

-Coughing or Vomiting Blood
-Gastrointestinal Bleeding, bleeding Gastric Ulcers (particularly effective for gastrointestinal bleeding)
-profuse Uterine bleeding, Postpartum Bleeding

2. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-Internal Blood Stasis
-clears Afterbirth; expels a dead Fetus

3. Externally:
-powder can be applied topically to stop bleeding
-in plasters for Trauma and Bruising


Dose:
Powder: 500–1500 mg (some trials have used 4–8 grams of powder 2–3 times daily)
Decoction: 9–15 grams, decocted before adding herbs

Comment:
Ophicalcite Hua Rui Shi is very similar to Serpentine, used in Ayurveda and Unani. Both contain hydrated Magnesium silicate as primary ingredients. Ophicalcite is Serpentine mixed with Calcite. Both minerals are used to stop Bleeding in their respective systems. However, Serpentine is regarded as a tonic and has other uses. Therefore, we have listed them in separate Monographs. See Serpentine

Preparations:
1. Calcined or Quenched Ophicalcite:
  It may be heated in a vessel until red hot, then powdered. It can also be heated to red hot, then dropped into cold water to facilitate powdering. This preparation makes it easier to powder and more gentle on the digestion.
2. Vinegar-prepared Ophicalcite:
  It can also be heated and quenched in vinegar to enhance the effect of stopping bleeding.
3. Sulphur Calcined Ophicalcite:
  Calcined with an equal amount of Sulphur for Bruising and Trauma.

Substitute:
1. Red Halloysite (Chi Shi Zhi, a variety of Red Earth) is similarly used to stop bleeding and has a similar nature.
2. Serpentine

Main Combinations:
1. Bleeding, Gastrointestinal bleeding, Vomiting and Cough Blood:
i. calcined Powder of Ophicalcite is taken with vinegar
ii. Ophicalcite with Notoginseng San Qi
iii. Ophicalcite with Notoginseng San Qi and carbonised Burnet root
iv. Ophicalcite with Bletilla Bai Ji
v. Powdered and calcined Ophicalcite is taken with boy's urine.
vi. vinegar-prepared Ophicalcite is taken, followed by Ba Zhen Tang (Eight Treasure Decoction)
2. Severe Cough with blood in the sputum, prepared Ophicalcite with Benicasa Dong Gua Zi, Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Coix Yi Yi Ren
3. Vomiting Blood from Liver heat, take prepared Ophicalcite and Notoginseng San Qi with Long Dan Xie Gan Tang.
4. Endometriosis with strong bleeding, prepared Ophicalcite with Dang Gui, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Salvia Dan Shen, Paeonia Chi Shao Yao, Cyperus Xiang Fu, Rhubarb (Da Huang)
5. Bruising:
i. Ophicalcite with Myrrh and Frankincense, mixed with vinegar and applied topically
ii. calcined Ophicalcite with calcined Sulphur topically
6. Cervical spondylopathy from Wind-damp, with dizziness, stiffness of the neck, shoulder and back pain, calcined Ophicalcite with Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Salvia Dan Shen, Paeonia Bai Shao, Earthworm (stir-fried) (Di Long), Frankincense (Ru Xiang), Myrrh (Mo Yao), Rehmannia Shu Di Huang (as in Jing Fu Kang Keli of the Chinese Pharmacopeia).

Major Formulas:
Jing Fu Kang Keli (Chinese Pharmacopeia)

Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Classical texts state it damages Yin and Blood.

Main Preparations used:
Calcined Ophicalcite

Home
ABOUT
Brief Overview
RESOURCES
Timeline

materia medica – FREE
Materia Medica – PRO
Chinese Classification
Western Classification

Humoral Medicine

Diseases & Formulas
Resources
Theory
Links & Texts
Patient Resources

Shop
Texts for Sale
Contact us

TERMS OF USE
PRIVACY POLICY


© MedicineTradition 2015–2025
  • Home
  • About
  • Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica FREE
    • Mineral Materia Medica PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica FREE
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Theory
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Store
  • Blog