Herb

Hai Fu Shi

Pumice | 海浮石

Also known as:

Fu Hai Shi (浮海石) , Hai Shi (海石)

Hai Fu Shi

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Properties

Herbs that cool and transform Phlegm-Heat (清化热痰药) · Cold

Traditionally supports*

Respiratory Health Thyroid Health Urinary Health

Parts Used

Mineral (矿物 kuàng wù)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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About This Herb

Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties

Herb Description

Hai Fu Shi is a mineral substance used in Chinese medicine to clear heat from the lungs and dissolve stubborn, thick phlegm. It can be derived from the skeleton of marine bryozoans or from volcanic pumice stone. It is commonly used for chronic coughs with thick, sticky phlegm, thyroid nodules, and urinary stones.

Herb Category

Herbs that cool and transform Phlegm-Heat (清化热痰药) Phlegm-transforming herbs (化痰药)

Main Actions

  • Clears Lung Heat and Transforms Phlegm
  • Dissipates Nodules and Softens Hardness
  • Promotes Urination and Relieves Stranguria

How These Actions Work

'Clears Lung heat and transforms phlegm' means Hai Fu Shi helps cool the Lungs when heat has caused phlegm to become thick, sticky, and difficult to cough up. Its salty taste has a natural softening effect that breaks down hardened, old phlegm. This is the herb's primary action and the reason it is classified among the heat-clearing, phlegm-transforming herbs. It is especially suited for chronic, stubborn phlegm that has condensed over time, and for cases where Lung heat causes blood-streaked sputum.

'Softens hardness and dissipates nodules' refers to this herb's ability to address hard lumps and masses formed by the accumulation of phlegm. In TCM, conditions like thyroid nodules (yǐng liú), swollen lymph nodes (luǒ lì), and other firm, palpable swellings are often attributed to phlegm congealing with heat or stagnation. The salty, cold nature of Hai Fu Shi softens these hardened accumulations and helps disperse them.

'Promotes urination and unblocks stranguria' means Hai Fu Shi can help with painful, difficult urination, especially when there are urinary stones (stone stranguria) or blood in the urine (blood stranguria). Classical texts explain that by clearing heat from the Lungs (the 'upper source of water'), it helps restore the normal downward flow of fluids to the Bladder.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Hai Fu Shi is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.

The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.

Why Hai Fu Shi addresses this pattern

When heat accumulates in the Lungs and scorches fluids into thick, congealed phlegm, the result is a pattern of coughing with heavy, sticky, yellow sputum that is difficult to expectorate. Hai Fu Shi directly addresses this pathomechanism through its cold nature, which clears Lung heat, and its salty taste, which softens and dissolves hardened, old phlegm. It is particularly valued when phlegm has been accumulating for a long time and has become dense and clumped, or when Lung heat damages the blood vessels of the Lung, causing blood-streaked sputum.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Hypochondrial Pain That Is Worse On Coughing And Breathing

Chronic cough with thick, sticky, yellow phlegm that is hard to expectorate

Bloody Sputum

Phlegm streaked with blood due to heat damaging Lung vessels

Wheezing

Wheezing and chest tightness from phlegm obstruction

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Salty (咸 xián)

Channels Entered
Lungs Kidneys
Parts Used

Mineral (矿物 kuàng wù)

This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page

Product Details

Manufacturing, supplier, and product specifications

Product Type

Granules

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Botanical & Sourcing

Quality Indicators

For pumice (Fu Shi): good quality pieces are light in weight, greyish-white in colour, and float readily on water. The surface should have numerous fine, evenly distributed pores. The texture is hard yet brittle, and the cross-section may show a glassy or silky lustre. Avoid pieces that are heavy, dark-coloured, or sink in water. For stone flower (Shi Hua): good quality specimens are greyish-white or pale yellow, with clearly visible coral-like branching structures and dense fine pores. They should be light, brittle, and have a faint briny smell. The branching tips should be mostly intact rather than broken off.

Primary Growing Regions

Hai Fu Shi is collected from coastal regions of China. Pumice (Fu Shi) is mainly sourced from the coasts of Guangdong, Fujian, Shandong, and Liaoning provinces, where volcanic stones wash ashore. The bryozoan skeleton form (Shi Hua / stone flower) is principally produced in Zhejiang and Fujian (for Costazia aculeata) and Liaoning and Shandong (for Costazia costazii). Fujian and Zhejiang coastal areas are traditionally regarded as producing the highest quality Shi Hua specimens.

Harvesting Season

Pumice (Fu Shi) can be collected year-round from coastlines, with summer being the peak season. Stone flower (Shi Hua, bryozoan skeletons) is typically harvested from the sea between June and October.

Supplier Information

Treasure of the East

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Usage & Safety

How to use this herb and important safety information

Important Medical Disclaimer

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. This herb is a dietary supplement and has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are taking other medications. Discontinue use and consult your healthcare provider if you experience any adverse reactions.

Recommended Dosage

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Traditional Dosage Reference

Standard

9-15g

Maximum

Up to 30g in large-dose clinical applications for conditions such as stubborn hemoptysis, under practitioner supervision.

Notes

Standard decoction dose is 9-15g, crushed and decocted first (先煎). For transforming phlegm-Heat and treating cough, 10-15g is typical. For softening hardness and dispersing nodules (goitre, scrofula), it is often combined with other salty, softening herbs at standard doses. When taken as powder (ground and swallowed directly rather than decocted), doses are smaller, typically 3-6g per serving, two to three times daily. The calcined form (煅海浮石, Duan Hai Fu Shi) is preferred for softening hardness and is easier to grind into fine powder.

Processing Methods

Processing method

The cleaned Hai Fu Shi is placed in a clay pot and calcined over fire until thoroughly heated through, then removed, cooled, and crushed into powder.

How it changes properties

Calcination makes the herb more friable and easier to grind into fine powder for topical use or for making pills and powders. It may slightly moderate the cold nature. The calcined form is considered better for external application and for treating chronic sores.

When to use this form

Used primarily for external application (blown into the ear for purulent ear infections, applied to chronic non-healing sores) and when a finer powder is needed for pills. Also preferred when the vinegar-quenched form is used for treating persistent skin sores, as described in classical formulas.

Toxicity Classification

Non-toxic

Hai Fu Shi is classified as non-toxic in both classical and modern sources. The Ben Cao Shi Yi records it as "平，无毒" (neutral, non-toxic). However, classical cautions exist about prolonged overuse. The Ben Cao Cong Xin warns that excessive consumption can damage Blood and Qi. As a mineral/biological substance, it contains no known toxic organic compounds. The pumice form is primarily silicon dioxide, and the stone flower form is mainly calcium carbonate, both inert substances. The main safety concern is its strongly cold nature rather than any inherent toxicity.

Contraindications

Avoid

Cough from deficiency-Cold patterns (cold in the Lungs with thin, white, watery sputum). Hai Fu Shi is cold in nature and will worsen cold-type cough by further chilling the Lungs.

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency-Cold with poor digestion, loose stools, or low appetite. The cold, salty nature of this herb can further impair weak digestive function.

Caution

Prolonged or excessive use. Classical sources warn that overuse can damage Blood and Qi. The Ben Cao Cong Xin (本草从新) states that excessive consumption harms the blood and Qi.

Caution

Cough or wheezing from Qi deficiency rising upward (deficiency Qi counterflow). The Ben Cao Shu Gou Yi warns against use when cough is from deficient Qi ascending rather than true phlegm-Heat.

Special Populations

Pregnancy

Use with caution during pregnancy. Hai Fu Shi is cold in nature and has descending, draining properties. While not explicitly listed as a prohibited pregnancy herb in most classical texts, its cold nature could theoretically be detrimental in pregnancy, particularly for women with underlying Spleen-Stomach deficiency-Cold. Some modern Chinese references list pregnancy as a caution. Avoid unless specifically prescribed by a qualified practitioner.

Breastfeeding

No specific classical or modern data addresses Hai Fu Shi use during breastfeeding. As a mineral substance (silicon dioxide or calcium carbonate), significant transfer through breast milk is unlikely. However, its cold nature means it should be used cautiously in postpartum women, who often have underlying deficiency. Use only under practitioner guidance.

Pediatric Use

Modern Chinese references list children as requiring caution. Dosage should be reduced proportionally based on the child's age and weight. It appears in the classical formula Hai Fu Shi Hua Shi San from the Yi Xue Cong Zhong Lu, which was specifically designed for childhood asthma. However, prolonged use in children should be avoided due to the cold nature of the herb potentially impairing the still-developing digestive system.

Drug Interactions

No well-documented pharmacological drug interactions have been reported for Hai Fu Shi. As a primarily mineral substance (silicon dioxide or calcium carbonate depending on the form), it has limited systemic bioavailability when taken orally. However, theoretical considerations include:

  • The calcium carbonate in the stone flower (Shi Hua) form could potentially act as an antacid, affecting the absorption of drugs that require an acidic stomach environment (e.g. ketoconazole, iron supplements, certain antibiotics like tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones). If using the Shi Hua form, it may be prudent to separate administration from such medications by at least two hours.
  • Due to its diuretic properties noted in pharmacological studies, concurrent use with pharmaceutical diuretics should be monitored.

Dietary Advice

When taking Hai Fu Shi for phlegm-Heat cough, avoid greasy, fried, and overly rich foods that generate more phlegm and Dampness. Cold, raw foods should also be moderated if there are any signs of Spleen weakness, as the cold nature of the herb already taxes digestion. Warm, easily digestible foods are preferred. Avoid excessively spicy or hot foods that may counteract the cooling therapeutic effect.

Cautions & Warnings

Although this herb is typically safe for most individuals, it may cause side effects in some people. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, postpartum women, and those with liver disease should use the formula with caution.

As with any Chinese herbal remedy, it is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified TCM practitioner before beginning treatment.