What is the approximate price of the Chinese herb turtle shell, and what are its effects, contraindications, and differences from tortoise plastron?
Turtle shell (Biejia), a Chinese herb name. Also known as Shangjia or Tuanyu shell. It can be caught throughout the year, mostly in autumn and winter. After catching, kill it and place it in boiling water until the hard skin on the back shell can be peeled off, then remove.So what is the approximate price of turtle shell per jin? What are its effects, actions, and contraindications? What is the difference from tortoise plastron?
What is the approximate price of turtle shell per jin?
1. Turtle shell price remains firm at the Anhui Bozhou medicinal materials market: Due to limited resources of turtle shell, its market has remained firm. Currently, available supply on the market is scarce, and holders are asking firm prices. The price for general grade is firm at 115-120 yuan, and for cleaned grade 130-140 yuan. Many traders are optimistic about the later trend.
2. Turtle shell market remains firm at the Hebei Anguo medicinal materials market: After continuous consumption of turtle shell market supply, the currently available amount is relatively tight, and the market is firm and trending upward. Current general grade is 115-120 yuan; cleaned grade 130-140 yuan.
3. Turtle shell market shows no fluctuation for now at the Sichuan Chengdu medicinal materials market: Turtle shell inventory is gradually becoming thin. Recently, market supply movement has been fair, and the market shows no fluctuation for now. Currently, general grade sells for around 120 yuan.
4. Turtle shell supply moves slowly at the Guangxi Yulin medicinal materials market: Recently, not many merchants are seeking turtle shell, market supply movement is slow, and the market remains stable. Current market price for general grade is 120 yuan, and cleaned grade is between 130-140 yuan.
What are the effects, actions, and contraindications of turtle shell?
1. Turtle shell nourishes yin and subdues yang, clears heat and eliminates steaming, softens hardness and dissipates nodules.
2. Used for yin deficiency with fever, bone-steaming consumptive heat, yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, dizziness and vertigo, internal stirring of deficiency wind, amenorrhea, abdominal masses, chronic malaria, and malarial masses.
What is the difference between turtle shell and tortoise plastron?
1. Different source. Tortoise plastron comes from the tortoise of the Testudinidae family, while turtle shell comes from the soft-shelled turtle of the Trionychidae family, commonly known as jia yu.
2. Different medicinal parts. Tortoise plastron uses both the back shell and the belly shell as medicine, while turtle shell uses only the back shell as medicine.
3. The two also differ greatly in properties. The tortoise's back shell is oblong and arched, with 3 ridge crests; the belly shell is flat and plate-like, pale yellow-brown to brown-black, with 12 scutes, each having purple-brown radiating markings, with residual wing-like bridges on both sides, and a salty taste. Turtle shell is raised on the back, with one longitudinal ridge in the middle, and 8 pairs of left-right symmetrical transverse concave lines on each side. The inner surface is off-white, with a protruding spine in the middle, and 8 ribs extending from each side beyond the edge, with a bland taste.
Finally, in terms of effects, tortoise plastron's yin-nourishing effect is stronger than that of turtle shell, can strengthen bones, and also enters the heart meridian, having the effects of nourishing blood and calming the spirit, and stopping bleeding. It can treat weak and atrophic sinews and bones, non-closure of the fontanelle in children, palpitations and forgetfulness, malnourishment of the heart spirit, profuse uterine bleeding and dripping, and excessive menstruation due to yin deficiency and blood heat. Turtle shell excels at clearing deficiency heat, and can also soften hardness and dissipate nodules, and is especially good at treating abdominal masses and accumulations.
From this it can be seen that tortoise plastron and turtle shell have a certain degree of similarity, but their sources, properties, and effects each differ, so they must be distinguished when used.