Deer Thyroid: A name for a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is the thyroid gland of the Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck) or the Elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus) of the Cervidae family. It has the efficacy of dispersing nodules and eliminating goiters. It is primarily used to treat goiters.
Deer Thyroid
Deer Thyroid: A name for a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is the thyroid gland of the Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck) or the Elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus) of the Cervidae family. It has the efficacy of dispersing nodules and eliminating goiters. It is primarily used to treat goiters.
Chinese Name : 鹿靥
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Slightly salty in taste; warm in nature
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Dispels nodules and eliminates goiters.
Indications
Goiter.
Usage and Dosage
Oral use: Soaked in wine, as needed.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Shenghui Fang*: “Treats goiter, causing it to dissolve internally.”
2. *Yao Xing Kao*: “Dissolves goiter nodules.”
Applications
Related Compatibility
Treatment for the Five Types of Goiter: Soak deer thyroid gland in homemade wine, roast until dry, place back in the wine, roast again until fragrant, hold in the mouth and swallow the liquid; repeat until the flavor is gone, then replace with a new batch. Ten doses will cure the condition. (*Shen Shi Fang*: Five Goiter Pills)
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
After slaughtering the deer, remove the thyroid gland; use it fresh or dry it.
Crude Drug Identification
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
1. Sika Deer: The Sika deer is approximately 1.5 m in body length and weighs about 100 kg. It has prominent suborbital glands, large erect ears, and a slender, long neck. Its limbs are slender and long; on the outer side of the hind ankle joints are brown plantar glands. The main hooves are narrow, and the lateral hooves are small. There is a distinct white patch on the rump, and the tail is short.Male sika deer have branched antlers; when fully grown, they have 4–5 tines. The brow tine extends diagonally forward; the second tine is set relatively far from the brow tine, and the main shaft splits into two small tines at its tip. The winter coat of the sika deer is chestnut brown, with inconspicuous white spots. The hair on the muzzle and cheeks is short, with sandy-yellow tips. A dark brown dorsal stripe runs from the top of the head along the spine to the tail.The white rump patch has a dark brown border. The undercoat is pale brown, and the groin area is white. The outer sides of the limbs match the body color, while the inner sides are slightly lighter. The summer coat is thin, without underfur, reddish-brown in color, with prominent white spots arranged in vertical rows along both sides of the spine and the lower edges of the flanks; there is a black dorsal stripe. The belly is white, the dorsal surface of the tail is black, and the limbs are lighter in color than the body.2. Gueland Deer: This species is large, with a body length of 2 m and a weight exceeding 200 kg. Its shoulder height is approximately 1 m; the back is straight, and the heights at the shoulders and hindquarters are equal. The tip of the nose is bare, and the ears are large and conical. The neck is about one-third the length of the body, with relatively long undercoat on the underside of the neck. The limbs are long, and the hooves on both sides are long enough to touch the ground.The tail is short. Males have antlers; the brow tines extend forward, forming nearly a right angle with the main shaft, which curves slightly backward and inward. The surface of the antlers is rough except at the tips, and the base of the antlers has a small ring of tubercle-like protrusions. The winter coat is grayish-brown. The muzzle and lower jaw are dark brown, the cheeks are brown, and the forehead is brownish-black.The outer surface of the ears is yellowish-brown, while the inner surface is white. The neck and dorsal surface of the body are slightly yellowish-brown, with a blackish-brown dorsal stripe. The outer sides of the limbs are brown, while the inner sides are lighter in color. The rump has a yellowish-ochre patch. The summer coat is shorter, without undercoat, and reddish-brown in color.
Distribution Area
1. Sika Deer: Found in Northeast, North, East, and South China. 2. Elk: Found in Northeast, Northwest China, and Inner Mongolia, among other areas.