The source is from the red-iron of trigonal system, Fe2O3 as the chief component. The medicinal material is produced in the areas of Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong, etc., dug out and then cleaned. The crude one or the one prepared with vinegar is broken for being used.

  

Bitter in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the liver and heart meridians.

Calm the liver and suppress the hyperactive yang, descend the adverse-rising qi and arrest bleeding..

1. For hyperactivity of liver-yang manifested as dizziness and headache. It is usually combined with Longgu ( Ossa Draconis ) , Muli ( Concha Ostreae ) and Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba), such as Zhengan Xifeng Tang (Decoction); for the syndrome with obvious deficiency of liver-yin and kidney-yin, combined with Guiban (Plastrum Testudinis ) , Muli ( Concha Ostreae ) , Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba ) and others.

2. It is used for the syndromes of adverse-rising of lung-qi and stomach-qi. The syndrome of adverse-rising of stomach-qi manifested as irritable bowel syndrome, hiccup and vomiting is treated with it in combination with Xuanfuhua (Flos Inulae ), Banxia ( Rhizoma Pinelliae ) and Shengjiang ( Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens), such as Xuanfu Daizhe Tang (Decoction); for deficiency of both the lung and kidney, and ad-verse-rising of lung-qi with rapid respiration, it is combined with Renshen ( Radix Ginseng) and Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni), such as Shen Zhe zhenqi Tang (Decoction).

3. It is used for blood-heat syndrome manifested as haematemesis, epistaxis, and metrorrhagia and metrostaxis. For haematemesis and epistaxis, it may be combined with Baishaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Alba ), Zhuru ( Caulis Bambusae in Taeniam ), and Niubangzi (Fructus Arctii), etc., such as Hanjiang Tang (Decoction); for prolonged metrorrhagia and metrostaxis with dizziness, combined with Yuyuliang (Limonitum), Chishizhi (Halloystium Rubrum ) and Wulingzhi ( Faeces Trogopyerorum), etc., such as Zhenling Dan (Pill). 

   

10 - 30 g is used in decoction for oral use, which is broken and decocted early. Or may be used in pill or powder form. The crude one is used for lowering adverse-rising of qi and calming the liver and the calcined one for arresting bleeding. 

It is used in pregnant women with caution.