Grouper is a name used in traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the meat of fish in the Serranidae family, such as the salmon-spotted grouper (Epinephelus fario (Thunberg)) and the blue grouper (Epinephelus awoara (Temminck & Schlegel)). The salmon-spotted grouper is found in the southern East China Sea and the South China Sea, while the blue grouper is found in the southern East China Sea and the South China Sea.It has the therapeutic effects of nourishing the blood and calming the mind. It is used to treat dizziness due to blood deficiency, palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia, and restlessness.
Grouper
Grouper is a name used in traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the meat of fish in the Serranidae family, such as the salmon-spotted grouper (Epinephelus fario (Thunberg)) and the blue grouper (Epinephelus awoara (Temminck & Schlegel)). The salmon-spotted grouper is found in the southern East China Sea and the South China Sea, while the blue grouper is found in the southern East China Sea and the South China Sea.It has the therapeutic effects of nourishing the blood and calming the mind. It is used to treat dizziness due to blood deficiency, palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia, and restlessness.
Chinese Name : 石斑鱼
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet in taste, warm in nature
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Nourishes the blood and calms the mind.
Indications
Used for dizziness due to blood deficiency, palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia, and restlessness.
Usage and Dosage
Oral use: Stew and consume, 50–150 g.
Pharmacological Actions
The nutritional components of grouper skin gelatin play a significant role in enhancing the healthy growth of epithelial tissue and promoting collagen synthesis.
Relevant Discussions
*Compendium of Chinese Animal Medicines*: “Subdues yang, nourishes blood, and calms the mind. Primarily used to treat restlessness, palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness, dizziness, and other symptoms.”
Applications
Related Compatibility
Postpartum weakness in women: Simmer 50–150 g of grouper meat and an appropriate amount of American ginseng in water over low heat until tender. Drink the broth and eat the fish once daily. (From *Marine Medicinal Plants of Guangxi*)
Notes
Other species within the same genus that share the same therapeutic effects include the Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus amblycephalus (Bleeker)), the Banded Grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus (Blochet & Schneider)), and the Fingerprint Grouper (Epinephelus magachir (Richardson)), all of which are distributed in China’s East China Sea and South China Sea.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Can be caught year-round. After catching, remove the internal organs, wash thoroughly, and use fresh.
Crude Drug Identification
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
1. Salmon-spotted grouper, also known as: Da-ban, Guo-yu, Hong-sai, Jin-sai, Zhu-sai, and Sai-zai-yu. The body is elongated and oval, laterally compressed, generally 12–24 cm in length. The head is slightly elongated; the eyes are medium-sized, positioned on the upper side near the front. The mouth is medium-sized and slightly oblique.The teeth on both jaws are fine and pointed, arranged in irregular rows, with one pair of small conical teeth at the front of each jaw. The teeth on the palatine and vomer bones are small and form narrow bands.The margin of the anterior operculum is finely serrated. The operculum bears 2–3 flattened spines, and there are 9+14 gill rakers. The body is covered with fine ctenoid scales, and the lateral line runs parallel to the dorsal surface. There are 49 (15/29) lateral line scales (porous).Dorsal fin: Ⅺ–16; originates above the pectoral fin, continuous, without notches. Anal fin: Ⅲ–8; opposite the fin rays of the dorsal fin. Pectoral fin: 16; relatively large, with rounded margins. Pelvic fin: I–5; thoracic; caudal fin rounded. Body light brown, with small orange-yellow spots distributed across the head and body sides.All fins are covered with small orange-red spots. The edge of the dorsal fin is yellow; there is one brown spot at the tip of each dorsal fin spine, one at the base of each central fin ray, and one on the caudal peduncle. The pectoral fins are reddish-brown, while the anal and caudal fins are dark brown, with darker edges.2. Blue Grouper, also known as: Blue Spot, Blue Sashimi, Waxed Grouper, or Local Grouper. Morphologically similar to the previous species. Dorsal fin XI-15, anal fin III-8, pectoral fin 16, pelvic fin I-5, lateral line scales 90 (14/29). Gill rakers: 8+14. The dorsal part of the body is brown. Both the head and body sides are dotted with small yellow spots. There are also five dark brown transverse bands on the body sides; the first and second extend downward from the spiny portion of the dorsal fin to the chest and abdomen;the third and fourth extend downward from the fin rays of the dorsal fin to the middle and base of the anal fin; the fifth is located on the caudal peduncle. The ventral side is light brown. All fins are grayish-brown with a greenish tinge; the margins of the fin rays of the dorsal fin and the posterior edge of the caudal fin are yellow.