Zhen Zhu Mu Wan珍珠母丸
Mother-of-Pearl Pill
Ingredients10 herbs
Indications
Yin and blood insufficiency with Liver yang rising and the spirit unsettled— an empty root below and an overactive yang above, so anchoring alone would not hold and nourishing alone would not quiet.
Clinical Manifestations
- Insomnia broken by fright, with vivid dreams
- Palpitations with a jumpy, easily alarmed quality
- Dizziness and blurred vision from Liver yang rising
- Chronic sleeplessness in a depleted, thin-pulsed patient
- Restlessness after long illness or blood loss
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Rhinoceros horn in the classical text — substitute buffalo hornat a much larger dose — the original ingredient is illegal to trade and is never dispensed
- Cinnabar coating in the classical text — omit it; the settling action is carried by Zhen Zhu Mu 珍珠母 and Long Gu 龙骨 without mercury
- Marked Liver yang rising with headache — add Shi Jue Ming and Gou Teng 钩藤
- Blood deficiency prominent — increase Dang Gui 当归 and Shu Di Huang 熟地黄
- Digestion weakened by the rich and mineral ingredients — add Chen Pi 陈皮 or Sha Ren 砂仁
Contraindications
Not for insomnia of phlegm-fire or food stagnation, where the rich nourishing herbs make matters worse. Rhinoceros horn must never be sourced. The traditional cinnabar coating is toxic and cumulative and is omitted; if a preparation is found that still carries it, it is unsuitable for long courses, for pregnancy or childhood, and for anyone with kidney or liver impairment. Heavy shell and fossil ingredients sit poorly on a weak stomach.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Not used in pregnancy. The traditional cinnabar coating alone rules the classical pill out, and the heavy anchoring shell and fossil ingredients are avoided while pregnant; any adapted cinnabar-free version needs a specific indication and practitioner supervision.
References
Source Pu Ji Ben Shi Fang 《普济本事方》 · Southern Song
「治肝经因虚，内受风邪，卧则魂散而不守，状如惊悸。」
- 《普济本事方》 — public-domain classical source.
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— chapter placement and pattern analysis cross-checked.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.