Gypsum Fibrosum
Aliases：Xì Shí (Fine Stone); Xì Lǐ Shí (Fine-grained Stone); Ruǎn Shí Gāo (Soft Gypsum); Hán Shuǐ Shí (Cold Water Stone); Bái Hǔ (White Tiger); Yù Dà Shí (Jade Boulder); Bīng Shí (Ice Stone).
Shēng Shí Gāo (Raw Gypsum) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is a processed product of the Chinese medicinal material gypsum, obtained from the gypsum family of sulfate minerals through collection and cleaning. It mainly contains hydrous calcium sulfate (CaSO₄·2H₂O). After mining, it is cleaned of sediment and impurities, broken into pieces, and ground into a coarse powder for medicinal use.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat, purges fire, relieves restlessness, and quenches thirst.
Indications
Used for externally-contracted febrile diseases, high fever with thirst, lung-heat cough and wheezing, and headache and toothache due to excessive stomach fire. It is also used for early-stage summer-heat with qi and yin damage, lingering heat in the late stage of febrile diseases with qi-fluid dual deficiency, and thirst due to stomach heat steaming upward.
Modern Pharmacology
Antipyretic Effect: Shows significant antipyretic effects in experimentally induced fever in animals. Anti-inflammatory, Antiviral, and Immunomodulatory Effects: Exhibits anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities, and enhances macrophage phagocytosis. Procoagulant Effect: Promotes blood coagulation and shortens clotting time. Inhibition of Nerve Irritability: Inhibits nerve irritability and reduces skeletal muscle excitability. Other Effects: Also reduces capillary permeability, promotes bile excretion, and has diuretic and hypoglycemic effects.
Ingredients
The main component of raw gypsum (Sheng Shigao) is hydrous calcium sulfate (CaSO₄·2H₂O). In addition, it also contains small amounts of silicic acid, aluminum hydroxide, sulfides, and trace elements such as iron and magnesium.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, the standard dosage is 15–60g.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in spleen-stomach deficiency cold (may damage yang qi; not suitable for those with cold abdomen, pain, or diarrhea). Contraindicated in yin deficiency with internal heat (this herb is indicated for excess heat patterns, not for yin deficiency). Contraindicated in blood deficiency. Drug interactions: Avoid combination with cardiac glycosides, prenylamine, and nifedipine (may cause arrhythmias); avoid tetracyclines and macrolides (reduce absorption); avoid sulfonamides (may increase adverse reactions); avoid phosphates and sulfates (may precipitate and reduce efficacy). Herb-herb incompatibility: Incompatible with Luobuma (Apocynum venetum), avoid concurrent use. Patients with cardiac insufficiency or other heart diseases should not take large doses for prolonged periods.
Selected Formulas
For triple-yang disease with abdominal fullness, heavy body, difficulty turning, and spontaneous sweating (Shanghan Lun, Baihu Tang) Take 1 jin of Shigao (gypsum, crushed), 6 liang of Zhimu (Anemarrhena), 2 liang of honey-fried Gancao (Licorice), and 6 he of Jingmi (rice). Add 1 dou of water, cook until the rice is done, strain, and take 1 sheng warm, three times daily. For early-stage warm disease with high fever (Yixue Zhongzhong Canxi Lu, Shigao Jingmi Tang) Take 2 liang of raw Shigao (crushed) and 2.5 liang of raw Jingmi. Add 3 large bowls of water, cook until the rice is soft, strain, and take warm. For sweating with wheezing after diaphoresis, without high fever (Shanghan Lun, Mahuang Xingren Gancao Shigao Tang) Take 4 liang of Mahuang (Ephedra), 50 pieces of Xingren (Apricot seed), 1 liang of honey-fried Gancao, and 0.5 jin of Shigao (crushed). Add 7 sheng of water, boil Mahuang first until reduced by 2 sheng, remove foam, add other herbs, boil down to 2 sheng, strain, and take 1 sheng warm. For Taiyin warm disease with skin rashes (Wenbing Tiaobian, Huaban Tang) Take 1 liang of Shigao, 4 qian of Zhimu, 3 qian of raw Gancao, 3 qian of Yuan shen (Scrophularia), 2 qian of Xijiao (rhinoceros horn, now replaced by water buffalo horn), and 1 he of Jingmi. Add 8 cups of water, boil down to 3 cups, and take in three divided doses daily. For phlegm-heat wheezing with profuse sputum (Su Wen Bing Ji Bao Ming Ji, Shuangyu San) Take equal parts of Hanshuishi (calcium sulfate) and Shigao, grind into fine powder. Take 2 qian each time, mixed with Renshen (Ginseng) decoction.
Daily Consumption
Gypsum and Rice Congee: Cook raw gypsum (wrapped in a cloth bag) together with polished rice to make a congee. It helps clear heat and purge fire, and is suitable for fever, thirst, and sweating. Gypsum Tofu: Cook tofu in gypsum water and consume it. It may be used for toothache, mouth ulcers, sore throat, and cough with yellow sputum due to stomach heat. Gypsum Tea: Decoct gypsum and polished rice in 250 ml of water until boiling, then steep green tea in the liquid for 5–10 minutes before drinking.
Medicinal Parts
Ore.
Selection & Storage
Store in a dry, airtight container in a dry place, protected from moisture.