carapax testudinis

Carapax testudinis (Chinese name: 龟板; pinyin: gui ban) refers to the plastron (ventral shell) of the freshwater turtle Chinemys reevesii and is a traditional Chinese medicine used primarily to nourish yin and subdue yang. It is classified as a yin-tonifying medicinal and is believed to replenish kidney and liver yin, strengthen bones and sinews, enrich blood, tonify heart blood, cool blood to stop bleeding (especially uterine bleeding), anchor yang (to treat symptoms like dizziness or vertigo), and regulate the Ren and Chong vessels. It is commonly used for conditions such as night sweats due to yin deficiency, weakness of lower back/knees from kidney deficiency, developmental delays in children (failure of fontanel closure), chronic fever ("steaming bone disorder"), uterine bleeding due to heat or deficiency syndromes in women, insomnia with forgetfulness or anxiety from heart-blood/yin deficiency. The herb has a salty-sweet taste with cold properties; it enters the Liver, Kidney and Heart meridians. Contraindications include pregnancy or cases of damp-cold stomach/diarrhea due to yang deficiency[1][2][3][5][6].

Other names

gui banplastrum testudinistortoise plastrongui jia龟板龟甲tortoise shell