Long Gu – Dragon Bone – Os Draconis

Long Gu

English Name: dragon bone, fossilized animal bones

Literal Translation: “dragon bone”

Pharmaceutical Name: Os Draconis

Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs

Properties: Long Gu enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is sweet and astringent in nature and cool in temperature.

What is Long Gu?:

The Chinese Herb Long Gu (literally “dragon bone”) is in actuality fossilized mammal bones (usually vertebrae and extremities) and is used medicinally in either raw or calcined (prepared) form.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Long Gu:

Long Gu (unprocessed) calms the Liver and anchor Liver yang rising, which presents clinically as dizziness, vertigo, irritability, short temper, red face, red/bloodshot eyes etc…

Long Gu (unprocessed) calms the shen when there is insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, palpitations, and mania.

Long Gu (processed) is astringent in nature and is used to prevent the leakage of fluids to include a wide variety of clinical presentations (e.g. spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding, enuresis, night sweating, spontaneous sweating, diarrhea/dysentery, and hematochezia).

–safety/clinical notes:

Contraindicated for use in persons with damp-heat or with externally contracted disorders. Inappropriate use may lead to burning dysuria.

Long Chi 龙齿 (Dens Draconis, commonly called “Dragon’s Teeth” or fossilized teeth) is astringent and cool and has roughly the same functions as Long Gu. The difference is that Long Chi is especially effective for palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, convulsions and delirium. It is also used to treat arthritis, osteomyelitis and gastralgia. The dosage is 9-16g.