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Ji Nei Jin鸡內金

Gigeriae Galli Endothelium Corneum · Chicken Gizzard Lining

Herbs that Relieve Food Stagnation 消食药Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing 《神农本草经》(recorded under 丹雄鸡)

Overview

The tough yellow membrane lining a chicken's gizzard, dried and used as the strongest of the everyday food-moving herbs. It breaks up stubborn accumulation — including the meat-and-grain stagnation milder herbs leave untouched — while strengthening the Stomach and Spleen rather than draining them. Two further uses follow from the same dissolving quality: it secures the lower burner against bedwetting and seminal loss, and it is given as an adjunct for urinary and biliary stones. Ground to powder it is markedly more effective than decocted.

Nature & Flavor

Sweet · Neutral

Channels

Spleen · Stomach · Small Intestine · Bladder

Typical Dosage

3–9 g in decoction; 1.5–3 g as powder, which is the more effective form
鸡內金Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Reduces food stagnation, strengthens the StomachFullness, belching and loss of appetite from retained food; childhood food accumulation with a distended abdomen.
  • Secures essence, stops enuresisChildhood bedwetting, adult urinary frequency and seminal emission.
  • Dissolves hard accumulationGiven as an adjunct in urinary and gallbladder stones.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Ji Nei Jin

No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Indigestion, fullness and belching from retained food
    - Childhood food accumulation and poor appetite
    - Bedwetting, urinary frequency, seminal emission
    - Urinary and gallbladder stones (as an adjunct)

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

IndigestionBloatingEnuresisKidney stones

Contraindications

Cautions

An animal-derived medicinal taken from poultry gizzard lining — tell patients who avoid animal products, and check for poultry allergy before dispensing. Where there is Spleen deficiency without any real accumulation, using it to force digestion along is misplaced. Stones and persistent digestive symptoms need imaging and a diagnosis alongside herbal treatment.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Not a classical pregnancy contraindication; take it in pregnancy on a practitioner's prescription.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

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.