Yu Yu Liang – Limonite – Limonitum

Yu Yu Liang (Yu Liang Shi)

English Name: limonite

Pharmaceutical Name: Limonitum

Medica Category: Astringent Herbs

Properties: Yu Yu Liang enters the Large Intestines and Stomach channels; it is sweet and astringent in nature and neutral in temperature.

What is Yu Yu Liang?:

The Chinese Herb Yu Yu Liang is limonite, a mixture of iron-oxide minerals that forms from the oxidation and hydration of iron-rich sulfide minerals (and from chemical weathering of other iron rich minerals as well). Yellowish to brown in color, it was used historically as a pigment (e.g. as a base for the yellow ocher of Cyprus in ancient times); today, it is used medicinally in TCM for its astringent properties (see section below).

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Yu Yu Liang:

Yu Yu Liang astringes the intestines and stops chronic diarrhea (from Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiencies) up the point that it reaches incontinence.

Yu Yu Liang restrains leakage of body fluids and inhibits bleeding to address chronic, unrelenting uterine bleeding and leukorrhea.

–safety/clinical notes:

Contraindicated in cases of excess (to avoid retention of pathenogenic factors.

Use with caution during pregnancy.

Yu Yu Liang has a strong binding affinity and so it is recommended that ingestion of pharmaceutical drugs and this herb be separated by at least two hours to avoid interference with proper absorption of the drugs being taken.