Agate, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is agate (Agate), a subspecies of quartz—a mineral in the quartz group belonging to the oxide class. It is produced in Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and other regions. It has the efficacy of clearing heat, improving vision, and removing corneal opacities. It is commonly used to treat redness and sores of the eyelids and corneal opacities.
Agate
Agate, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is agate (Agate), a subspecies of quartz—a mineral in the quartz group belonging to the oxide class. It is produced in Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and other regions. It has the efficacy of clearing heat, improving vision, and removing corneal opacities. It is commonly used to treat redness and sores of the eyelids and corneal opacities.
Chinese Name : 玛瑙
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Pungent in taste, cold in nature. Enters the Liver Meridian
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Clears heat, improves vision, and removes opacities.
Indications
Used for redness and ulceration of the eyelids and opacities in the eyes.
Usage and Dosage
External use: Take an appropriate amount, crush it, and grind into a fine powder; or use the water-floated form.
Precautions
Not suitable for infants and young children.
Relevant Discussions
*Supplement to the Materia Medica*: “Pungent in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic.”
*Supplement to the Materia Medica*: “It wards off evil and is used to apply heat to treat redness and ulceration of the eyelids.”
*Compendium of Materia Medica*: “It treats opacities in the eyes; grind into a powder and apply daily.”
*Compendium of Materia Medica*: “Gu Jian’s *Record of the World* states: There are many varieties of agate, produced in both the north and south. The larger ones are as big as a dou, with a hard texture that is labor-intensive to grind and shape.Southern horse-brain agate is produced in countries such as the Great Food [Abyssinia]; it is a pure red color without blemishes and can be used to make cups and goblets. The variety from the northwest is bluish-black; those found in the sandy deserts of Ningxia, Gua, Sha, and Qiang are particularly remarkable. There is ‘cypress-branch’ horse-brain agate, whose patterns resemble cypress branches. There is ‘interlayered’ horse-brain agate, which appears pure white when viewed head-on but resembles congealed blood when viewed from the side—a single stone with two distinct colors. ‘Segmented’ horse-brain agate features alternating bands of black and white.“Hezi” agate features a single white line running through its jet-black mass. “Jinjiang” agate is colored like brocade. “Chansi” agate displays red and white patterns resembling threads; all these are prized varieties. “Jiangshui” agate features freshwater-like patterns. “Jiangban” agate features purplish-red patterns. “Quyu” agate features pale pink patterns. All of these are of lower value.Additionally, Ziyun agate is found in Hezhou, and Tuma agate in Yizhou, Shandong; there are also varieties with red cloud patterns, twisted-thread patterns, and peach-blossom patterns. Furthermore, Zhuye agate, found in the Huai River region, features patterns resembling bamboo leaves; both types can be used for tabletops and screens. The small agates from Yuhua Terrace in Nanjing are suitable only as trinkets. A method to test agate: if it does not heat up when rubbed against a grinding stone, it is genuine.”
Applications
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
After excavation, remove mud, sand, and foreign stones.
Processing Methods
1. Agate: Take the raw material, remove impurities, wash thoroughly, grind or wash with water to produce an extremely fine powder, then dry.
2. Calcined Agate: According to *Special Teachings on Ophthalmology*: “Calcine over fire, then quench in wine three times.” The current method involves placing clean agate in a suitable container, heating it in a smokeless furnace until red-hot, then removing it and allowing it to cool.
3. Tofu-processed Agate: Line the bottom of a pot with tofu, place agate chunks on top, cover with another layer of tofu, add an appropriate amount of water, and simmer for about 2 hours until the tofu develops a honeycomb-like texture. Remove and grind into a fine powder.
Storage Methods
~Store in a dry, airtight container in a cool, dry place, protected from dust~
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
Characteristics of the Herb
Irregularly shaped chunks, nearly oblate or cylindrical (the excess portions from the processing of handicrafts). Colors range from red, orange-red to deep red, as well as milky white and grayish white. Streak is white. Transparent to translucent.The surface is flat and smooth with a vitreous luster; some specimens are more uneven with a waxy luster. Light in weight, hard yet brittle, and easily broken; the fracture surface reveals concentric circular ripples centered on the point of impact, resembling a seashell. It has sharp edges capable of scratching glass and leaving marks. Odorless and bland in taste. Does not heat up easily when rubbed vigorously. Specimens that are hard, red in color, and transparent are considered superior.
Characteristics of the Prepared Herb
Agate appears as an extremely fine powder, ranging in color from light red to orange-red or deep red, with a luster. It is odorless and has a mild taste.
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
Agate: Its crystal structure belongs to the trigonal system. It commonly occurs as dense masses of various shapes, as well as in mammary, grape-like, or nodular forms, often exhibiting a concentric ring structure. Colors vary depending on the type and amount of impurities present; white, gray, brown, and reddish-brown are the most common, though black, blue, and other colors also occur.Colored specimens often exhibit banded, concentric ring, cloud-like, or dendritic structures; the streak is white or nearly white. It has a waxy luster and is translucent to transparent. The fracture is fine, even, and flat to conchoidal. Hardness is 6.5–7. Relative density is 2.6–2.7.
Distribution Area
It is found in Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and other regions.