Lu Jiao Jiao – Deer Horn Gelatin – Gelatinum Cornu Cervi

Lu Jiao Jiao

English Name: deer horn gelatin

Pharmaceutical Name: Gelatinum Cornu Cervi

Medica Category: Yang-Tonifying Herbs

Properties: Lu Jiao Jiao enters the Kidney and Liver channels; it is sweet and salty in nature and warm in temperature.

What is Lu Jiao Jiao?:

The Chinese Herb Lu Jiao Jiao is gelatin that is made by boiling down the antlers of the mature male deer of two species: the Sika deer (aka spotted deer or Japanese deer—Cervus nippon Temmiinck) or the red deer (aka elk—Cervus elaphus L).

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Lu Jiao Jiao:

Lu Jiao Jiao warms the lower jiao when Kidney yang is deficient. Said to “tonify the yin within the yang”, it is gentler than Lu Rong and best used when the jing (essence) is exhausted as well. Clinical applications include wei (atrophy) syndrome, weight loss, childhood malnutrition/delayed physical growth, impotence, and clear/watery leukorrhea.

Lu Jiao Jiao is used topically for chronic ulcerations or yin-type boils (those that are concave, ooze clear fluid or do not heal).

–safety/clinical notes:

Contraindicated for perons with yin deficient fire.

Contraindicated for those who do not have exhausted jing (essence) and blood.

Contraindicated for those who do not have deficiency of ming mien (life gate) fire.