Long Gu

Name: Long Gu

Other Names: Dragon's Bone, Os Draconis Fossilia

Description: Dragon's Bone (long gu)

Os Draconis Fossilia

Properties: Astringent and sweet in flavour, mild in nature, it acts on heart, liver and kidney channels. This drug is heavy and can lower the adverse Qi. It has the functions of sedation, tranquilization, suppressing hyperactivity of liver-yang and astringency. It can be used to treat intranquility of mind caused by disturbance of Yang-qi, vertigo and headache due to hyperactivity of liver-yang, sweating, loss of blood, and leukorrhea due to deficiency of healthy Qi.

Effects: Sedation and tranquilization, calming the liver and suppressing hyperactivity of liver-yang, restraining spermatorrhea.

Indications:

1. Restlessness, insomnia due to hyperactivity of Yang and deficiency of Yin. It is used with tranquilizers, such as Radix Paeoniae Alba, Concha Margaritifera Usta, Concha Ostreae, Cinnabaris, etc. For intranquility of mind, palpitation, insomnia and aminesia due to deficiency of Qi and blood, it is used with Radix Ginseng, Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Semen Biotae, etc.

2. Irritability, dizziness and headache caused by hyperactivity of liver-yang due to deficiency of Yin of kidney and liver, it is often used with drugs of nourishing Yin and suppressing hyperactivity of Yang , auch as Concha Ostrae,, Conche Haliotidis, Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, Radix Paeoniae, Flos Chrysanthemi.

3. With drugs of astringency and arresting perspiration, such as Concha Os-treae, Fructus Schisandrae, Fructus Tritici Levis, it is used to treat spontaneous sweating and night sweat. With herbs of astringing intestine and arresting diarrhea, such as Halloysitum Rubrum, Fructus Mume Fructus Chebulae, it is used to treat chronic diarrhea. It is used with hemostatics and herbs for metrorrhagia, such as Radix Astragali, Sea Hedysari, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Os Sepiella sea Sepiae, Radix Rubiae, to treat metrirrhagia due to deficiency and cold, For spermatorhea due to deficiency of kidney, it is often used with herbs of tonifying kidney, such as Semen Nelumbinis, Semen Euryales, Semen Astragali Complanati, etc.

Dosage and Administration: 10-30g, crushed before using and decocted ealier than other herbs. For astringing it should be used calcined. For other therapeutic purpose, it is used perferable unprepared.