Lù Jiǎo Jiāo (鹿角胶), known in English as Deer antler glue (Colla Cornus Cervi), is a warm, sweet and salty Chinese herb from the Tonify yang category. It enters the Liver and Kidney channels. Its main action: tonifies Kidney Yang, nourishes Essence and Blood.
| Pinyin | Lù Jiǎo Jiāo (Lu Jiao Jiao) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 鹿角胶 |
| English | Deer antler glue |
| Botanical name | Colla Cornus Cervi |
| Category | Tonify yang |
| Nature | Warm |
| Flavour | Sweet, Salty |
| Channels | Liver, Kidney |
| Dosage | 3–9g (melted into the strained decoction) |
| Cautions | Yin deficiency with heat; excess heat; bleeding from heat |
Actions
- Tonifies Kidney Yang, nourishes Essence and Blood
- Stops bleeding from deficiency and cold
Indications
- Kidney Yang and Essence deficiency with cold limbs, weak lower back and knees, impotence
- Deficiency-cold bleeding such as uterine bleeding
How to remember Lù Jiǎo Jiāo
Tonify yang herbs are mostly warm or hot and sweet, and most enter the Kidney and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Warm, Sweet, Liver channel: like most Tonify yang herbs
- Kidney channel: from its action “Tonifies Kidney Yang”
- Learn by heart
- Salty: unusual for Tonify yang herbs (most are sweet)
Formulas containing Lù Jiǎo Jiāo
Other Tonify yang herbs
- Dù Zhòng
- Lù Róng
- Xiān Máo
- Yín Yáng Huò
- Bǔ Gǔ Zhī
- Tù Sī Zǐ
- Bā Jǐ Tiān
- Suǒ Yáng
- Xù Duàn
- Ròu Cōng Róng
- Dōng Chóng Xià Cǎo
- Hé Táo Rén
- Shā Yuàn Zǐ
- Yì Zhì Rén
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Lù Jiǎo Jiāo?
Lù Jiǎo Jiāo is warm and sweet and salty.
Which channels does Lù Jiǎo Jiāo enter?
Lù Jiǎo Jiāo enters the Liver and Kidney channels.
What are the actions of Lù Jiǎo Jiāo?
Tonifies Kidney Yang, nourishes Essence and Blood; Stops bleeding from deficiency and cold.
What is Lù Jiǎo Jiāo used for?
Kidney Yang and Essence deficiency with cold limbs, weak lower back and knees, impotence; deficiency-cold bleeding such as uterine bleeding.
Which formulas contain Lù Jiǎo Jiāo?
Zuǒ Guī Wán and Yòu Guī Wán.
Practise Lù Jiǎo Jiāo and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.