Herb

Hai can (a sea worm)

海蚕hai can
1 source

Recorded in Bencao Gangmu for vacuity taxation and cold-qi and various wind disabilities, and (with long use) for supplementing vacuity, improving the complexion and countering aging.

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷三十九·虫部·卵生类上·海蚕·主治

References
  • functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
  • WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
  • public pharmacopoeia & zoological facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions

Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.

传统中医记载：虚劳冷气，诸风不遂；久服补虚羸，令人光泽，轻身延年不老。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 咸，大温，无毒。

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十九·虫部·卵生类上·海蚕·条名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十九·虫部·卵生类上·海蚕·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十九·虫部·卵生类上·海蚕·主治Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.