Ingredient Shell (壳 ké / 甲 jiǎ)

Chuan Shan Jia

Pangolin scales · 穿山甲

Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus · Squama Manitis

Also known as: Shan Jia (山甲), Jia Pian (甲片)

Pangolin scale was historically one of the most valued substances in Chinese medicine for its powerful penetrating and unblocking actions, used to promote lactation, drain abscesses, and relieve joint pain. It has been removed from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) due to the critically endangered status of the pangolin, and plant-based or other animal substitutes are now recommended in its place.

Category Blood-invigorating and stasis-dispelling herbs
Therapeutic focus Women's health Skin and wound healing Joint and muscle health

TCM Properties

Temperature

Slightly Cool

Taste

Salty (咸 xián)

Channels entered

Liver, Stomach

Parts used

Shell (壳 ké / 甲 jiǎ)

Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Ingredient Does

Every ingredient has a specific set of actions — here's what Chuan Shan Jia does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Chuan Shan Jia is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Women's health Skin and wound healing Joint and muscle health

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Chuan Shan Jia performs to restore balance in the body:

Invigorates Blood and disperses stasis Unblocks the menses and promotes lactation Reduces swelling and promotes the discharge of pus Expels Wind-Dampness and unblocks the channels and collaterals

How these actions work

'Invigorates Blood and disperses stasis' refers to this substance's strong ability to break through areas where Blood has become stuck or clotted. In TCM, when Blood stops flowing smoothly, it pools and creates masses, pain, or blockages. Chuān Shān Jiǎ has an intensely penetrating quality, described classically as being able to 'reach everywhere without obstruction,' making it effective for stubborn Blood stasis conditions such as abdominal masses or chronic pain.

'Unblocks the menses and promotes lactation' means it can restart menstrual flow that has stopped due to Blood stasis, and open the milk ducts in new mothers who cannot produce enough breast milk. A famous folk saying goes: 'Chuān Shān Jiǎ and Wáng Bù Liú Xíng, after taking them a woman's milk flows freely.' This reflects its traditional reputation as a powerful unblocking agent for the breast and uterine channels.

'Reduces swelling and promotes the discharge of pus' describes its use in treating boils, abscesses, and infected sores. In surgical (external medicine) traditions of TCM, this substance was considered indispensable: if an abscess had not yet formed pus, it could help resolve the swelling; if pus had already formed, it could help it drain. The classical text Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu (医学衷中参西录) praised its ability to 'penetrate the viscera, course through the channels, and open all passages.'

'Expels Wind-Dampness and unblocks the channels' means it can relieve joint pain, numbness, and stiffness caused by Wind-Dampness lodging in the body's channels. Its penetrating nature allows it to reach deep into muscles, tendons, and joints where other herbs may not be effective.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Chuan Shan Jia is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Chuan Shan Jia addresses this pattern

Chuān Shān Jiǎ's salty taste and slightly cool nature allow it to enter the Blood level of the Liver channel, where it powerfully disperses congealed Blood. Its unique penetrating quality, often described as 'reaching everywhere without obstruction,' makes it especially effective against stubborn Blood stasis that causes masses, pain, and menstrual blockage. The Liver stores Blood and governs the free flow of Qi, so when Blood stagnates in the Liver channel, menstruation ceases and painful masses may form. This substance's strong moving nature directly breaks through such stagnation.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Amenorrhea

Due to Blood stasis, not deficiency

Abdominal Pain

Fixed, stabbing pain from Blood stasis

Abdominal Masses

Palpable masses due to congealed Blood (zheng jia)

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Chuan Shan Jia is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Blood Stagnation

TCM Interpretation

In TCM, breast milk is considered a transformed product of Blood and is closely related to the Stomach channel (which passes through the breast) and the Liver channel (which governs the free flow of Qi). When Blood stasis or Qi stagnation blocks the channels passing through the breast, milk cannot flow freely despite being produced. This is distinct from insufficient milk due to Qi and Blood deficiency, where the body simply lacks the resources to produce milk.

Why Chuan Shan Jia Helps

Chuān Shān Jiǎ enters both the Liver and Stomach channels, the two primary channels running through the breast tissue. Its powerful penetrating nature physically 'opens' the blocked ducts and stagnant channels, allowing milk to flow. The classical saying 'Chuān Shān Jiǎ and Wáng Bù Liú Xíng, after a woman takes them her milk flows freely' reflects centuries of clinical use for this specific application. It was most effective for cases where the breast felt distended and painful (suggesting blockage) rather than simply empty (suggesting deficiency).

Also commonly used for

Amenorrhea

Due to Blood stasis

Mastitis

Acute breast abscess with painful swelling

Joint Pain

Chronic pain from Wind-Dampness Bi syndrome

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Joint inflammation and deformity

Numbness In The Limbs

From channel obstruction

Scrofula

Lymph node swelling and phlegm nodules

Ingredient Properties

Every ingredient has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Slightly Cool

Taste

Salty (咸 xián)

Channels Entered

Liver Stomach

Parts Used

Shell (壳 ké / 甲 jiǎ)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Chuan Shan Jia — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

5–10g (as per the 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia). Always used in processed form.

Maximum dosage

Up to 15g in severe cases of deep-seated abscess or stubborn Blood stasis, under experienced practitioner supervision. Historically used in powdered form at 1–1.5g per dose when taken as ground powder rather than in decoction.

Dosage notes

The standard dose range of 5–10g applies to the processed scale (炮山甲 or 醋山甲) used in decoction. When ground into powder and taken directly (swallowed with warm water or wine), much smaller doses of 1–1.5g per dose are used because absorption is more direct. For promoting lactation, it was traditionally paired with Wang Bu Liu Xing at moderate doses (5–9g). For treating deep abscesses and expelling pus, higher doses (up to 9–15g) were sometimes used. The vinegar-quenched form (醋山甲) was preferred for treating Blood stagnation and pain, while the plain sand-fried form (炮山甲) was used more broadly.

Preparation

Pangolin scales must always be processed before use — they are never used raw. The standard method is sand-frying (砂烫): clean scales are sorted by size, then stir-fried with hot sand until they puff up and turn golden-yellow, after which the sand is sieved out. For vinegar-quenched scales (醋山甲), the puffed scales are immediately plunged into rice vinegar while still hot, then rinsed and dried. After processing, the scales become brittle and are crushed or ground before adding to decoctions. When used in decoction, crushed processed scales should be decocted first (先煎) for 20–30 minutes before adding other herbs, as they require extended cooking to extract active compounds.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same ingredient can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Chuan Shan Jia does

Processing method

Sand-fried (砂烫): pre-heated sand is placed in a wok at high temperature, then the raw pangolin scales are added and stir-fried until they puff up, curl, and turn golden yellow. The sand is then sieved out.

How it changes properties

Raw pangolin scales are extremely hard and almost impossible to grind into powder. Sand-frying makes them brittle and easy to pulverize, dramatically increasing the extraction rate of active compounds. The thermal nature remains slightly cool but becomes somewhat moderated. The penetrating and channel-coursing actions are enhanced because the processed form is more readily absorbed.

When to use this form

This is the standard clinical form. Virtually all historical and modern use of Chuān Shān Jiǎ involves processed scales. As noted in the Ben Cao Gang Mu: there is no record of raw scales being used in formulas.

Common Ingredient Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Chuan Shan Jia for enhanced therapeutic effect

Wang Bu Liu Xing
Wang Bu Liu Xing 1:1 (Chuān Shān Jiǎ 6g : Wáng Bù Liú Xíng 6g)

Together they form the most famous lactation-promoting pair in TCM. Chuān Shān Jiǎ powerfully penetrates and unblocks the channels running through the breast, while Wáng Bù Liú Xíng invigorates Blood and promotes downward movement through the Liver and Stomach channels. Their combined action is far stronger than either alone for opening the milk ducts.

When to use: Postpartum insufficient lactation when the breast feels distended and painful, indicating channel blockage rather than Blood deficiency.

Zao Jiao Ci
Zao Jiao Ci 1:1 (Chuān Shān Jiǎ 6g : Zào Jiǎo Cì 6g)

Chuān Shān Jiǎ's penetrating nature courses through channels and breaks open blockages, while Zào Jiǎo Cì excels at draining pus and expelling toxins. Together they create a powerful synergy for resolving abscesses: Chuān Shān Jiǎ opens the pathway, and Zào Jiǎo Cì drives the toxic material out. This pair was considered the backbone of surgical (external medicine) treatment for boils and carbuncles.

When to use: Abscesses, boils, and carbuncles that are slow to resolve, or where pus has formed but cannot drain spontaneously.

Dang Gui
Dang Gui 2:1 (Dāng Guī 9g : Chuān Shān Jiǎ 5g)

Dāng Guī nourishes and invigorates Blood, while Chuān Shān Jiǎ penetrates channels and disperses stasis. Together they address both the stasis itself and the underlying Blood supply, ensuring that breaking up stagnation does not leave the channels depleted. This pair is effective for Blood stasis causing menstrual blockage or painful masses.

When to use: Blood stasis amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, especially when there is also some degree of Blood deficiency alongside the stasis.

Huang Qi
Huang Qi 4:1 (Huáng Qí 12g : Chuān Shān Jiǎ 3g)

Huáng Qí powerfully tonifies Qi and supports the body's ability to push toxins outward (a process called 'supporting the righteous to expel the pathogen'). Chuān Shān Jiǎ penetrates to the site of the abscess and opens the pathway for discharge. Together they form the core strategy of Tòu Nóng Sǎn: Huáng Qí provides the driving force while Chuān Shān Jiǎ provides the pathway.

When to use: Abscesses that have formed pus but the body lacks sufficient Qi to expel it, causing the abscess to linger without rupturing.

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature Chuan Shan Jia in a prominent role

Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin 仙方活命饮 Assistant

Known as 'the foremost formula in external medicine' for treating abscesses. Chuān Shān Jiǎ serves as Assistant alongside Zào Jiǎo Cì, showcasing its core abscess-draining function: it penetrates through the channels to the site of infection and either disperses the swelling or promotes pus drainage, depending on the stage of the abscess.

Tou Nong San 透脓散 Assistant

From the Wài Kē Zhèng Zōng (外科正宗), this formula pairs Chuān Shān Jiǎ with Huáng Qí, Dāng Guī, Chuān Xiōng, and Zào Jiǎo Cì specifically to promote pus discharge from mature abscesses. It perfectly demonstrates Chuān Shān Jiǎ's role as a 'guide' substance that opens pathways to deep-seated infections.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Wang Bu Liu Xing
Chuan Shan Jia vs Wang Bu Liu Xing

Both invigorate Blood and promote lactation, but Chuān Shān Jiǎ has a much stronger penetrating action that can reach deep into channels, joints, and abscesses, making it superior for draining pus and unblocking stubborn Bi syndrome. Wáng Bù Liú Xíng is milder, adds a urinary-draining action useful for urinary disorders, and is plant-based rather than animal-derived. Since Chuān Shān Jiǎ has been removed from the Pharmacopoeia due to conservation concerns, Wáng Bù Liú Xíng is now the primary substitute for its lactation-promoting function.

Zao Jiao Ci
Chuan Shan Jia vs Zao Jiao Ci

Both are used in surgical (external medicine) formulas for abscesses and boils, and they are frequently paired together. However, Chuān Shān Jiǎ excels at penetrating deep into channels and breaking through obstructions, while Zào Jiǎo Cì focuses more specifically on expelling pus, draining toxins, and killing parasites. Zào Jiǎo Cì is warm in nature versus Chuān Shān Jiǎ's slightly cool nature, making Zào Jiǎo Cì more suitable when there is Cold stagnation in the lesion.

Di Long
Chuan Shan Jia vs Di Long

Both can unblock channels and collaterals for joint pain and numbness. Dì Lóng (earthworm) is cold in nature and also clears Heat, calms asthma, and promotes urination, making it better suited for Heat Bi syndrome and post-stroke paralysis. Chuān Shān Jiǎ has a stronger Blood-invigorating and penetrating action, making it more effective for stubborn stasis and abscess treatment, but it lacks Dì Lóng's Heat-clearing and asthma-calming properties.

Therapeutic Substitutes

Legitimate clinical replacements when Chuan Shan Jia is unavailable, restricted, or contraindicated

Wang Bu Liu Xing

Wang Bu Liu Xing
Wang Bu Liu Xing 王不留行
Cowherb seed

Covers: Covers Chuān Shān Jiǎ's lactation-promoting (tōng jīng xià rǔ) action well. Also partially covers the Blood-invigorating and menses-unblocking action for amenorrhea due to Blood stasis. A classical proverb pairs them as equals for promoting lactation, and modern clinical practice has widely adopted Wáng Bù Liú Xíng as the primary replacement for this indication.

Does not cover: Significantly weaker at penetrating deep into channels, joints, and abscess cavities. Does not match Chuān Shān Jiǎ's ability to drain pus from deep abscesses (xiāo yōng kuì jiān) or to reach entrenched Wind-Dampness in joints. Not a substitute for the channel-coursing, abscess-draining indications.

Use when: Use as a first-line replacement whenever Chuān Shān Jiǎ was indicated primarily for promoting lactation or unblocking menses. Widely available as a plant-based herb and recommended as a substitute since Chuān Shān Jiǎ was removed from the 2020 Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Identity & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Chuan Shan Jia

Due to severe scarcity and extremely high black-market prices, pangolin scales are frequently adulterated or substituted. Common adulterants include plastic imitations, scales from other species of armadillo or reptile, and processed pig or buffalo hoof material shaped to resemble pangolin scales. Authentic scales can be distinguished by their characteristic horn-like translucency, internal arched ridge line, and orderly longitudinal striations. Pig nail (猪蹄甲, Zhu Ti Jia) is the most widely recognized clinical substitute, with amino acid profiles largely overlapping those of pangolin scales. Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccariae Semen) is often used as a plant-based alternative for lactation and Blood-moving indications. Other substitutes in clinical practice include combinations of Zao Jiao Ci (Gleditsia thorn), San Leng, E Zhu, and Wu Gong (centipede) for the penetrating and stasis-breaking actions.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any ingredient.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Chuan Shan Jia

Non-toxic

Pangolin scales are classified as non-toxic in traditional pharmacopoeia texts. However, some classical sources such as the Yao Xing Lun (《药性论》) describe them as having 'great toxicity' (有大毒), likely referring to their powerful Blood-moving action rather than chemical toxicity in the modern sense. The scales are composed primarily of keratin (over 90% protein), along with cholesterol, fatty acid amides, cyclic dipeptides, free amino acids, and trace elements. They are never used raw — traditional processing (sand-frying until puffed and golden, or sand-frying then quenching in vinegar) is essential to make the hard, elastic scales brittle enough to grind and to improve extraction of active components. Case reports of adverse reactions include allergic responses such as dizziness, chills, shortness of breath, itching, and skin rashes, suggesting possible anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals. Illegally sourced pangolins may also carry injected sedatives, stimulants, or heavy metals used during trafficking, posing additional health risks.

Contraindications

Situations where Chuan Shan Jia should not be used or requires extra caution

Avoid

Pregnancy. Chuan Shan Jia has strong Blood-moving and channel-penetrating properties that can stimulate the uterus, potentially causing miscarriage or premature labor. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition) explicitly states pregnant women should use with caution (孕妇慎用).

Avoid

Active hemorrhage or bleeding disorders. The herb's strong Blood-invigorating and channel-penetrating actions may worsen uncontrolled bleeding.

Caution

Carbuncles and abscesses that have already ulcerated and are draining well. The herb's primary surgical use is to 'draw out' pus and toxins; once drainage is established, its penetrating action is no longer needed and may delay healing.

Caution

Qi and Blood deficiency without concurrent stagnation. The herb's powerful dispersing nature can further consume Qi and Blood in weakened patients. Should only be used if there is a clear pattern of stagnation.

Avoid

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. All pangolin species are CITES Appendix I. Pangolin scales were removed from the 2020 Chinese Pharmacopoeia as a raw ingredient. Use is now effectively illegal in most jurisdictions, and ethical alternatives such as pig nail (猪蹄甲, Zhu Ti Jia) or Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccariae Semen) should be considered.

Avoid

Known allergy to pangolin scale products. Case reports describe anaphylactic reactions including dizziness, chills, shortness of breath, sweating, itching, and skin rashes following use of Squama Manitis.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Contraindicated in pregnancy. Chuan Shan Jia is a powerful Blood-invigorating and channel-penetrating substance with a strong downward-moving and dispersing action. These properties can stimulate uterine contractions and promote the movement of Blood in the lower abdomen, posing a risk of miscarriage, premature labor, or excessive uterine bleeding. The 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia explicitly states 'pregnant women should use with caution' (孕妇慎用), but in clinical practice this is treated as an absolute contraindication.

Breastfeeding

Paradoxically, one of the classical indications of Chuan Shan Jia is to promote lactation (通经下乳) in women with insufficient milk flow due to Qi and Blood stagnation. However, the herb's strong Blood-moving and dispersing properties raise concerns about potential transfer of bioactive compounds through breast milk, and there is no modern safety data on its use during breastfeeding. Given that the herb is now effectively unavailable and that safer galactagogue alternatives exist (such as Wang Bu Liu Xing or Lu Lu Tong), it should be avoided during breastfeeding.

Children

Classical texts such as the Xiao Er Wei Sheng Zong Wei Lun Fang include pangolin scales in pediatric formulas for treating carbuncles and scrofula, typically at reduced doses (one-third to one-half of adult doses). However, given the herb's powerful Blood-moving nature, the critically endangered status of the species, its removal from the pharmacopoeia, and the availability of safer alternatives, use in children is not recommended under any circumstances today.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Chuan Shan Jia

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications: Pangolin scales have demonstrated anticoagulant activity in pharmacological studies, including prolonging clotting time and reducing blood viscosity in animal models. Concurrent use with warfarin, heparin, aspirin, clopidogrel, or other blood-thinning drugs could theoretically increase bleeding risk.

No other well-documented drug interactions exist in the published literature. Given that pangolin scales have been removed from the pharmacopoeia and their clinical use is now extremely rare, systematic pharmacokinetic interaction studies have never been conducted.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Chuan Shan Jia

When taking this herb for Blood stasis or abscess conditions, avoid cold and raw foods that might impede Blood circulation. Warm, easily digestible foods are preferred. Alcohol (particularly warm rice wine) was traditionally used as a vehicle to enhance the herb's channel-penetrating properties. Greasy and rich foods should be moderated during treatment to avoid generating Dampness that could impede the herb's dispersing action.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Chuan Shan Jia source animal

Note: Chuan Shan Jia is not a plant but an animal product. It is the dried scale (鳞甲) of the Chinese pangolin, Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus, belonging to the family Manidae (鲮鲤科).

The Chinese pangolin is a mammal with a narrow, elongated body measuring 50–100 cm in length with a flattened tail of 10–30 cm. Its body is covered in overlapping keratinous scales arranged in a tile-like pattern, dark brown to grey-brown in color, with sparse coarse hairs interspersed between the scales. The ventral surface is scaleless and covered in sparse brownish hair. The animal has a conical head, small eyes, a pointed snout with no teeth, and a very long sticky tongue used for catching ants and termites. Its four limbs are short and stout, each bearing five toes with strong, sharp claws adapted for digging. Pangolins are solitary, nocturnal burrowing animals that inhabit humid forests, hillsides, and scrubland. When threatened, they curl into a tight ball using their scales as armor.

The Chinese pangolin is now classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Wild populations have declined by over 90% since the 1970s due to habitat destruction and extreme poaching pressure driven by demand for their scales and meat.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Chuan Shan Jia is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Historically captured year-round, with no specific seasonal preference. After capture, the animal was killed and placed in boiling water to loosen the scales, which were then collected, washed, and sun-dried.

Primary growing regions

The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) was historically distributed across provinces south of the Yangtze River in China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Taiwan, and Hainan. As a 'Guang Yao' (Southern medicine), it was considered finest when sourced from Guangxi and Guangdong. The main commercial supply came from Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Imported scales historically came from Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Today, wild populations in China are functionally extinct. The species is Critically Endangered and no legitimate new harvest occurs.

Quality indicators

Good quality scales (historically) are even in size, dark blue-black (青黑色) in color on the outer surface with clearly visible longitudinal ridges and several transverse lines along the base edge. The inner surface is lighter with a prominent arched horizontal ridge line in the center. The scales should be horn-like in texture, slightly translucent, tough and elastic yet difficult to break. They should have a faint fishy smell and a bland taste. The best scales are uniform in size, free of attached skin or flesh, and without a strong rank odor. Imported scales were traditionally graded: small brownish scales ('iron scales,' 铁甲片) were considered superior to larger greyish-yellow ones ('copper scales,' 铜甲片). Tail scales (尾甲) were traditionally considered the most potent. After processing (sand-frying), quality scales puff up and turn golden-yellow, becoming crisp and easy to crush.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Chuan Shan Jia and its therapeutic uses

《名医别录》(Ming Yi Bie Lu, Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians)

Original Chinese: 主五邪惊啼悲伤，烧之作灰，以酒或水和方寸匕，疗蚁瘘。

Translation: It treats the five pathogenic evils causing fright, crying, and grief. Burned to ash and taken with wine or water at a dose of one square-inch spoonful, it treats scrofulous sores (ant fistulas).

《本草纲目》(Ben Cao Gang Mu, Compendium of Materia Medica) — Li Shizhen

Original Chinese: 穿山甲入厥阴、阳明经。古方鲜用，近世风疟、疮科、通经、下乳，用为要药。盖此物穴山而居，寓水而食，出阴入阳，能窜经络，达于病所故也。

Translation: Chuan Shan Jia enters the Jue Yin (Liver) and Yang Ming (Stomach) channels. It was rarely used in ancient formulas, but in recent times has become an essential medicine for malarial disorders, surgical conditions, unblocking the menses, and promoting lactation. This is because the animal dwells in mountain burrows and feeds in water, moving between Yin and Yang, and thus can penetrate the channels and collaterals to reach the site of disease.

《本草纲目》(Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Original Chinese: 除痰疟寒热，风痹强直疼痛，通经脉，下乳汁，消痈肿，排脓血，通窍杀虫。

Translation: It eliminates phlegm-malaria with alternating chills and fever, Wind-Damp impediment with rigidity and pain, unblocks the channels, promotes lactation, resolves carbuncles and swelling, expels pus and blood, opens the orifices, and kills parasites.

《医学衷中参西录》(Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, Records of Medicine Integrating Chinese and Western) — Zhang Xichun

Original Chinese: 穿山甲，味淡性平，气腥而窜，其走窜之性，无微不至，故能宣通脏腑，贯彻经络，透达关窍，凡血凝血聚为病，皆能开之。

Translation: Chuan Shan Jia is bland in flavor and neutral in nature, with a fishy smell and a strongly penetrating quality. Its penetrating nature reaches everywhere without exception, and thus it can open and free the organs, thread through the channels and collaterals, and penetrate the passes and orifices. Wherever Blood congeals or accumulates to cause disease, it can break it open.

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Chuan Shan Jia's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Chuan Shan Jia first appeared in the medical literature under the name 'Ling Li Jia' (鲮鲤甲) in the Ming Yi Bie Lu (名医别录), compiled by Tao Hongjing during the Southern Qi dynasty (around 480 CE). The name 'Chuan Shan Jia' (穿山甲), meaning 'scales that penetrate mountains,' came into use during the Song dynasty via the Ben Cao Tu Jing (本草图经). This vivid name reflects both the animal's powerful digging ability and the herb's therapeutic logic in TCM: just as the animal can bore through mountains, its scales were thought to penetrate obstructions within the body's channels and tissues.

Li Shizhen (1518–1593) devoted significant attention to the pangolin in the Ben Cao Gang Mu. He personally followed hunters to observe and dissect pangolins, correcting earlier texts that claimed the animal used its scales to lure ants, noting instead that it catches them with its tongue. Li also recorded the folk saying 'Chuan Shan Jia, Wang Bu Liu, fu ren fu le ru chang liu' (穿山甲、王不留，妇人服了乳长流) — 'Pangolin scales and Vaccariae seed, once a woman takes them, milk flows freely' — highlighting its prized role in promoting lactation. Zhang Xichun, in his early 20th-century Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, championed a broader view of the herb's uses, arguing it could serve as a guide drug for any condition involving Blood stagnation, numbness, or obstruction. In 2020, pangolin scales were removed as a standalone raw ingredient from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia amid growing conservation pressure. In 2025, pangolin-based formulas were also removed from the official pharmacopoeia, marking a major regulatory shift.

Modern Research

A published study investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Chuan Shan Jia

1

Evidence for the medicinal value of Squama Manitis (pangolin scale): A systematic review (2020)

Jin X, Chua HZ, Wang K, Li N, Zheng W, Pang W, Yang F, Pang B, Zhang M, Zhang J. Integrative Medicine Research, 2021, 10(1): 100486.

This systematic review searched six databases and found only 15 clinical studies (4 RCTs, 1 case-control study, 3 case series, 7 case reports) spanning 15 different diseases. Two RCTs suggested possible benefit when pangolin scales were added to herbal decoctions for postpartum low milk supply and mesenteric lymphadenitis, but these had serious methodological flaws. Two other RCTs showed negative results. The authors concluded there is no reliable evidence supporting the clinical value of pangolin scales, and that the removal from the Pharmacopoeia was rational. They also noted reports of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.

PubMed

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.