Cornu Saigae Tataricae
April 7, 2009 by Jack
Name: Cornu Saigae Tataricae
Resource: The horn of Saiga tatarica L.,family Bovidae.
Characteristic: The horn long-conical,somewhat curved,top acute,base brosd,20-40 cm long,base 4-7 cm in diameter,bright as jade,jade-white to yellow-white,slightly transparent;surface finely and longitudinally wrinkled,bearing 10-20 protruding rings except a short section of the upper end,dull and non-transparent,bony structure occupying 1/2 to 1/3 of the interior,with many longitudinal grooves on the surface.A fine canal in the non-bony part up to the tip of the horn seen through the light.Hard in texture.Prepared as slices or powder.Salty in taste,cold in nature,and attributive to liver and heart channels.
Pharmacodynamics: 1.Clear away heat and calm the liver,expel wind and relieve spasm:For heat syndrome with convulsion,hyperactivity or wind transformation of liver-yang with dizziness,numbness and tremor of extremities and convulsion,usually used together with Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis and Rhizoma Gastrodiae;for severe liver-fire syndrome manifested as epilepsy and insanity,used together with Lumbricus and Bombyx Batryticatus. 2.Clear away liver-fire to improve visual acuity:For conjunctivitis and headache,usually used together with Flos Chrysanthemi,Spica Prunellae. 3.Clear away heat and toxic material:For febrile diseases with coma,delirium and mania.
Pharmacological: 1.Intraperitoneal injection of its alcoholic extract(0.05mg/g)exerts sedative effect in mice. 2.Its alcoholic extract and hydrolysate lower vaccine-induced fever in rabbits. 3.Analgesic,anti-convulsive and hypotensive.
Usage: Decoction:1-3g as slices decocted separately.Juice:0.5-1.0g prepared by grinding.Powder:0.5-1.0g.
Caution:
Cornu Saigae Tataricae is rare and precious and the Cornu Procaprae Gutturosae and Cornu Caprae may be used as substitutes since their antipyretic,sedative,anti-convulsive,hypotensive and analgesic ef
