Medicinal Value and Benefits of the Gecko Explained in Detail
In traditional Chinese medicine, gecko refers to the whole body of the gecko family animals Gekko japonicus, Gekko swinhonis, or Gekko subpalmatus. It has the effects of dispelling wind, activating collaterals, and dissipating masses, and is commonly used for stroke paralysis, rheumatic joint pain, osteomyelitis, lymph node tuberculosis, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, primary liver cancer, intestinal cancer, and other conditions. Let us now take a look at the benefits and effects of the gecko!
Medicinal Value of the Gecko
[Nature and Flavor] Salty in flavor, cold in nature, slightly toxic.
[Meridians Entered] Kidney and liver meridians.
[Effects] Dispels wind, activates collaterals, and dissipates masses; used for stroke paralysis, rheumatic joint pain, osteomyelitis, lymph node tuberculosis, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, primary liver cancer, intestinal cancer, etc.
[Usage] Stir-fry and grind into fine powder; take 0.9-1.5 grams per dose, or 1.5-4.5 grams decocted in water.
Compatible Applications of the Gecko
1. Gecko with Gambir Vine (Uncaria rhynchophylla): Gambir vine is sweet and cold, enters the pericardium and liver meridians, and has good effects of calming wind and stopping spasms, clearing heat and pacifying the liver. Combined with gecko, it enhances the effects of extinguishing wind and relieving convulsions, and also invigorates blood and nourishes blood, unblocks collaterals, and relieves pain.
2. Gecko with Common Selfheal Fruit-Spike (Prunella vulgaris): Common selfheal fruit-spike is bitter and cold, enters the liver and gallbladder meridians, and has the effects of clearing liver fire and dissipating stagnation. It is an important herb for treating liver blood dryness and hard scrofula. Combined with gecko, its effects of softening hardness and dissipating masses, clearing the liver and relieving depression, and clearing heat and detoxifying are greatly enhanced.
3. Gecko with Arisaema erubescens: Arisaema erubescens is good at opening and dispersing, and specifically treats wind-phlegm and damp-phlegm in the meridians. It has the effects of drying dampness and transforming phlegm, dispelling wind, and relieving spasms. When the two herbs are combined, gecko with arisaema enhances the effects of extinguishing wind, relieving spasms, drying dampness, and transforming phlegm; while arisaema with gecko makes the medicinal nature less pungent. Used together, the two herbs have significant effects in treating stroke paralysis, locked jaw and stiff body, tendon and vessel spasms, and convulsions and tetanus.
4. Gecko with Honeysuckle Flower (Lonicera japonica): Honeysuckle flower clears heat and detoxifies, and has both mild dispersing effects and the actions of detoxifying, cooling blood, and stopping dysentery. Combined with gecko, its heat-clearing and detoxifying effects are particularly significant.
5. Gecko with Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha): Myrrh invigorates blood and relieves pain, reduces swelling, and promotes tissue regeneration. Gecko is good at invigorating blood and unblocking collaterals, dispelling wind, and relieving pain. Used together, the two herbs double the pain-relieving effect. For joint wind pain and rheumatic arthralgia, these two herbs give the best therapeutic effect.
Medicinal Supplementary Formulas of the Gecko
1. To treat paralysis with unremitting swelling and pain of the hands and feet (do not use unless there is pain): Opium poppy shell (honey-fried) 1 qian, dried tangerine peel 5 qian, gecko (roasted until yellow), frankincense, myrrh, and licorice 2 qian 5 fen each. Grind the above into powder. Take 3 qian per dose, decocted.
2. To treat acute arthritis with unbearable pain: white grubs (wrapped in wet paper, roasted until cooked, ground) 3 pieces, gecko (ground) 3 pieces, earthworm (cleaned of mud, ground) 5 pieces, frankincense 1 fen (ground), wild aconite root 3 pieces (raw, peeled), costus root 5 qian, musk (ground) 1 qian, tiger brain (ground) 5 fen. For the above eight ingredients, pound and sift wild aconite root and costus root into powder, mix and grind evenly, and make into pills; if dry, add a little wine and cook into a paste with flour, making pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take 30 pills per dose, taken at bedtime with frankincense wine.
3. To treat tetanus with opisthotonus, tendon spasms, and locked jaw: gecko 7 pieces (slightly roasted), Arisaema erubescens 1 liang (roasted until cracked), nifen 1 liang, white aconite 1 liang (roasted until cracked). Pound and sift the above medicines into powder, mix with refined honey, and make pills the size of mung beans. Take 7 pills per dose at any time, ground and taken with warm wine; the effect is achieved when sweating occurs. If there is no sweating, take again.
4. To treat chronic convulsions and epilepsy with insufficient heart blood: gecko 1 liang, pearl, musk, and borneol 1 zi each (ground fine). Take one gecko, secure it with iron pincers, cut off the four feet, grind finely together with the blood, add about 1 zi each of pearl, musk, and borneol, grind fine, and mix with mint soup as one dose. First use Duoming San to expel phlegm and saliva, or use an emetic method, then take this medicine.
5. To treat convulsions and epilepsy due to heart deficiency: one brown gecko. Grind thoroughly together with the blood, add a little cinnabar and musk, and take mixed with mint soup. Then take Erchen Tang.
6. To treat leprosy: one gecko (dried by baking), silkworm droppings 5 sheng (sifted clean, washed twice in water, sun-dried), white flour 4 or 5 jin; mix the silkworm droppings into a net-like cord, and sun-dry. Grind the above into powder. Take 1 to 2 ge per dose, mixed with decocted cypress leaf soup, before meals, 3 times a day.
7. To treat scrofula in its early stages: one gecko, roasted and ground. Take half a fen daily, taken with wine.
8. To treat severe pain from carbuncles and sores: dry the gecko by baking and grind into powder, mix with oil and apply.
9. To treat regurgitation and diaphragmatic qi: ground gecko 7 pieces (roasted until scorched in a clay pot), costus root, ginseng, and cinnabar 1 qian 5 fen each, frankincense 1 qian; grind into powder, make honey pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take 7 pills per dose, taken with costus root soup, once each in the morning and evening.