✵The article gives records of the herb Calamine, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its source mineral, ①.Smithsonite, with a detailed introduction to the physical properties of this mineral, the natural environment, distribution of this mineral, the features of the herb Calamine, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Calamina(Calamine).
Pin Yin Name: Lú Gān Shí.
English Name: Calamine.
Latin Name: Calamina.
Property and flavor: neutral in nature, tastes sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Calamina is calcined and elutriated powder of smithsonite, it is mainly composed of zinc carbonate(ZnCO3) with a pink tint due to the presence of a small amount of ferric oxide, used externally as an astringent for chronic ulcers, eczema, conjunctivitis, and keratitis. The herb is commonly known as Calamina, Calamine, Lú Gān Shí.
Mineral Source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Calamina (Calamine) as the mineral stone of the carbonate mineral smithsonite, cleaned impurities soils. This commonly used mineral is introduced:
Smithsonite.
Mineral Description: Its mineral sources are Smithsonite or Hydrozincite.
Smithsonite: its crystal structure is a trigonal system. The single crystals are rhombohedral, or ditrigonal scalenohedral, but rare. It is often stalactitic, lumpy, earthy, husk aggregates. The pure crystals are white and are often dyed ash gray (grayish white), faint yellow (pale yellow), light green, or light brown. It is transparent to translucent, has vitroclastic luster (glassy luster) or dull earthy luster, and the crystal plane sometimes has pearl luster. Its hardness value is 4.5~5, crisp, fracture surface is jagged.
Hydrozincite: its crystal structure is a monoclinic system. The crystals are in blocks, earthy shape, cellular to compact, husk-like, concentric zonary shape, with a fibrous structure. Its colors are white to grayish yellow, puce (purple-brown), and lilac. It has an earthy luster, as well as a bombycine (silky) luster. Its hardness value is 4, and its relative density is 3.5~3.8.
Natural Environment: the mineral is mainly produced in southwest area, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The herb is an irregular block, flat and round, in different sizes, the surface is white, ash gray, light soil yellow, or reddish, striations are ash gray to hazel (pale brown), the surface has concaves or many small holes and pores, faveolate (alveolate); and it is floured (powdery). The herb is light, the texture of the herb is loose, hard and fragile, easily broken, the fracture surface is white or light reddish, granular, with tiny pores and hygroscopicity. The herb has no odor, and it tastes slightly puckery. After calcination, it becomes a white or yellowish amorphous agglomerate or fine powder. The herb of a better grade is big, white or light reddish, and light, with a loose texture. It does not melt. Burning it on charcoal produces a thin film of zinc oxide, which turns yellow when hot and turns white when cold. Hot and diluted hydrochloric acid can dissolve it and generate foam.
Chemical Constituents: The main chemical composition is zinc carbonate, containing a small amount of calcium oxide 0.27%, magnesium oxide 0.45%, iron oxide 0.58%, manganese oxide 0.01%. Zinc in this stone is often replaced by a small amount of iron (divalent). Besides, some calamine varieties still contain a small amount of drill, copper, cadmium, lead and trace amounts of germanium and indium.
Pharmacological actions: ①.The herb Calamine is a natural zinc carbonate, insoluble in water, widely used in dermatology as a moderate antiseptic, astringent and protective agent for the treatment of skin inflammation or surface trauma. Generally use 5-10% aqueous suspension (lotion), ointment is also used; ②.Topical use can inhibit the growth of local staphylococcus; ③.It can partly absorb the wound secretion and has the effect of convergence and protection.
Medicinal efficacy: Detoxification, improving eyesight (improving acuity of vision), removing nebula, astringing dampness, relieve itching, astringing sores (healing sores), promoting granulation (promote tissue regeneration, regenerating tissue). It is indicated for hot eyes swelling pain, blepharitis marginalis (red ulcerated eyelid), blepharitis marginalis and wind eye, hyperdacryosis and photophobia (excessive tears and aversion to light), hot eyes and nebula, conjunctivitis and nebula film cover the eyes, pterygium cover the eyes, unhealing ulcer, pus is dripping, wet sore, wet sore and itching, wet itching of genital region, etc.
Administration of Calamina (Lú Gān Shí):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Calamina (Lú Gān Shí)
TCM Books:
①.Externally:proper amount; ②.Externally:levigating (prepare to finely ground herb powder while adding water) and dropping in eyes, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or mixed and apply stick; ③.Externally:levigating (prepare to finely ground herb powder while adding water) and dropping in eyes, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or mixed and apply stick.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions:The herb Calamina should avoid use internally.
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References:
1.Introduction of Lu Gan Shi:Calamine or Calamina.
✵The article gives records of the herb Calamine, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its source mineral, ①.Smithsonite, with a detailed introduction to the physical properties of this mineral, the natural environment, distribution of this mineral, the features of the herb Calamine, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Lú Gān Shí.
Characters of herbs: The herb is an irregular block, flat and round, in different sizes, the surface is white, ash gray, light soil yellow, or reddish, striations are ash gray to hazel (pale brown), the surface has concaves or many small holes and pores, faveolate (alveolate); and it is floured (powdery). The herb is light, the texture of the herb is loose, hard and fragile, easily broken, the fracture surface is white or light reddish, granular, with tiny pores and hygroscopicity. The herb has no odor, and it tastes slightly puckery. After calcination, it becomes a white or yellowish amorphous agglomerate or fine powder. The herb of a better grade is big, white or light reddish, and light, with a loose texture. It does not melt. Burning it on charcoal produces a thin film of zinc oxide, which turns yellow when hot and turns white when cold. Hot and diluted hydrochloric acid can dissolve it and generate foam.
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