Pearl Oyster Shell – 1 lb (454 g)

Pearl Oyster Shell, known in Chinese as 珍珠母 (Zhēnzhūmǔ) and scientifically as Concha Margaritiferae, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Pearl Oyster Shell carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Pearl Oyster Shell helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Pearl Oyster Shell provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Pearl Oyster Shell has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Pearl Oyster Shell, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This item is also known as Zhu Mu, Zhu Mu, Zhen Zhu Mu, and Ming Zhu Mu. It is the shell of bivalve animals: the triangle sail clam Hyriopsis cumingii (Lea), the ridged crown clam Cristaria plicata (Leach), or the pearl oyster Pteria martensii (Dunker). The triangle sail clam pearl shell is mainly produced in Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other regions; the ridged crown clam pearl shell is found in most parts of China; the Hepu pearl oyster pearl shell is mainly produced in Hepu, Guangxi. It can be harvested year-round. After collecting the shells, remove the flesh and mud, wash clean, boil in alkaline water, then soak in fresh water, remove, scrape off the outer black skin, and dry in the sun or by baking.

[Properties] Salty in taste, cold in nature. Enters the Liver and Heart meridians.

[Actions] Calms Liver Yang and suppresses hyperactivity, tranquilizes the mind and stops convulsions, clears the Liver and improves vision.

[Applications]
1. Used for headaches and dizziness caused by Liver Yang rising; often combined with Gou Teng (Uncaria), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum), etc. If Yin deficiency with excessive Yang is severe, it is combined with Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) and Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba).
2. Used for Heart fire hyperactivity causing restlessness, irritability, and insomnia; often combined with Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Ci Shi (Magnetitum), Zhu Sha (Cinnabaris), etc. When combined with heat-clearing, phlegm-resolving, and convulsion-calming herbs, it can also treat epilepsy and convulsions caused by phlegm-heat accumulation.
3. Used for red, swollen, painful eyes, blurred vision, and night blindness. For red swollen painful eyes caused by Liver fire rising, often combined with Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum), Che Qian Zi (Plantaginis Semen), Jue Ming Zi (Cassiae Semen), etc.; for Liver deficiency causing blurred vision, cataracts, and night blindness, it can be cooked with Cang Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), pig liver, or chicken liver; for cataracts obstructing vision, it can be used externally. Additionally, pearl shell has an antacid effect; after calcining and grinding into powder, it can treat stomach pain and acid regurgitation; combined with Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus) to prepare an external ointment, it can treat hand and foot fissures.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 10–25 g, crushed and decocted first; or powdered, 1.5–3 g per dose; or included in pills and powders. External use: appropriate amount, ground into powder and applied topically.

[Cautions] Use with caution in cases of Spleen and Stomach deficiency cold.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents mainly include calcium carbonate and conchiolin protein, also containing aluminum, copper, iron, sodium, zinc, and various inorganic elements. It also contains multiple amino acids. The nacre layer contains mainly alanine, glycine, valine, and aspartic acid, as well as phosphoethanolamine and galactosylceramide.
2. Pharmacological effects: Pearl layer powder prepared by hydrolyzing Hepu pearl oyster with concentrated hydrochloric acid eye drops can significantly delay cataract formation in rats; pearl layer powder injection administered orally to rats with acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers significantly promotes ulcer healing; pearl shell has antioxidant effects, e.g., coronary heart disease patients taking pearl layer powder show a significant reduction in serum lipid peroxides, but no significant effect on total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
3. Clinical reports:
1) Corneal leukoplakia: an eye ointment made from pearl layer powder applied in a green bean-sized amount to the conjunctival sac twice daily, followed immediately by moist heat compress or steam bath for 30 minutes; patients also orally took pearl layer powder tablets 1.5 g three times daily for 4 weeks as one course. In 28 cases (32 eyes), results were: cured 3 eyes, markedly effective 5 eyes, effective 6 eyes, slightly effective 7 eyes, ineffective 11 eyes; total effective rate 65.62%. [Shanxi Medical Journal, 1982,(1):15]
2) Oral ulcers: pearl layer powder 1 g three times daily, with a small amount directly sprinkled on ulcers four times daily. In 13 cases, redness and swelling significantly reduced within 1 day, ulcers completely healed within 3 days. [Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1994,(2):51]
3) Gastric ulcers: oral pearl layer powder 2.5 g three times daily for 5 weeks as one course. In 10 cases, symptoms disappeared in 6, significantly improved in 2, no improvement in 2; X-ray reexamination showed disappearance of niche shadows in 3 cases, significant reduction in 5, no change in 2. [Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1980, 21(10):49]
4) Pressure sores: external application of pearl shell ointment, dressing changed twice daily. In 40 cases, 38 healed within 3 weeks. [Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2002, 37(9):392]