Bear bone is recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica". It refers to the bones of the bear family animals, including the Asian black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus G.Cuvier) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus). After capturing a bear, the skin and flesh are removed, leaving behind the fur and claws on the four paws. The remaining tendons and muscles are then cleaned off and dried in the shade.
[Processing Method] 1. Bear bone: Take the raw material, soak it in clean water for 1-2 weeks, scrape off the tendons, wash it, and dry it in the shade. Crush it before use.
2. Blanch bear bone: Place the oil sand in a pot, stir-fry it over high heat, then add the clean bear bone. Keep stirring until the surface turns yellow, then remove it and let it cool.
3. Wine-soaked bear bone: Take the stir-fried bear bone, put it into a certain amount of wine while hot, wash away the sand, take it out, and dry it. For every 100kg of bear bone, use 20kg of yellow wine.
[Appearance of the medicinal material] Raw bear bone is white or grayish-white, light and loose in texture. The long bone joints are not well-developed, with a white cross-section. The bone marrow occupies 4/5 of the cross-section, appearing dim and without luster, with a slight fishy odor. Blanch bear bone resembles bear bone in shape, with a yellow surface and a relatively brittle texture. Wine-soaked bear bone also resembles bear bone in shape, with a yellow surface, a crispy texture, and a slight wine aroma.
[Processing effects] Bear bone has a neutral, slightly spicy, and warm nature. It has the functions of dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, and calming convulsions. Blanch bear bone has a loose and brittle texture, making it easy to crush and formulate into preparations. Wine-soaked bear bone can also mask unpleasant odors and enhance the effectiveness of wind-dispelling and dampness-eliminating drugs. It is used to treat rheumatic joint swelling and pain, as well as infantile convulsions. It can be combined with other herbs such as cinnamon twig, Atractylodes macrocephala, achyranthes root, Eucommia bark, and stephania root to treat rheumatic joint swelling and pain (Sichuan Materia Medica).
