Jī Nèi Jīn (Gizzard Lining)
⚙️- Primary Action Strongly transforms food stagnation and dissolves stones.
- Secondary Action Secures essence and stops bedwetting.
- Character Sweet, Neutral. Acts on SI, ST, BL, LI.
Hǎi Jīn Shā (Lygodium Spore)
🌊- Primary Action Clears Damp-Heat and expels stones from the urinary tract.
- Clinical Note Essential for Stone Stranguary/Kidney Stones.
- Character Sweet, Light, Cold. Acts on SI and BL.
The Breakdown and the Flush
When treating urinary stones or gallstones, TCM focuses on both breaking down the hard mass and promoting diuresis to carry it out.
Jī Nèi Jīn acts as the "Grinder," using its potent transformative power to soften and break stones. Hǎi Jīn Shā acts as the "Waterway Flush," guiding the particles out through the urine.
Relative Action Intensity
How these two herbs contribute to the stone-dissolving process.
Pharmacological & Kinetic Profile
Enzymatic action and diuretic mechanisms.
| Parameter | Jī Nèi Jīn | Hǎi Jīn Shā |
|---|---|---|
| Key Components | Ventriculin, Keratin, Pepsin. | Lygodin, Fatty Acids, Spores. |
| Action Mechanism | Increases gastric secretion and digestive power; physically breaks down calcifications. | Inhibits bacterial growth in the urinary tract; increases urine output to clear debris. |
| Bio-Synergy | Jī Nèi Jīn creates the chemical and physical environment to degrade stones, while Hǎi Jīn Shā provides the kinetic force to eliminate them safely. | |
Formula Architecture
Where this stone-fighting duo appears.
| Formula Name | Context | Primary Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Sān Jīn Tāng | "Three Golds Decoction" | The premier formula for urinary or gallstones (includes Jīn Qián Cǎo). |
| Huà Shí Wán | Stone-Transforming Pill | Focuses specifically on the pain and obstruction of stone-related Lín syndrome. |
| Dà Chéng Qì Tāng (Mod.) | Purging Stagnation | Sometimes added to help pass hard stools or calcified food masses. |
Clinical Insight
This pair operates on the Grind & Flush dynamic. Jī Nèi Jīn provides the enzymatic "hardness-breaking" force needed to degrade calcified stones, while Hǎi Jīn Shā clears the urinary path and provides the osmotic pressure to eliminate the debris safely.