Sea urchin, also known as sea belly button, sea snail, and sea pot, is a marine animal belonging to the family Echinometridae. It is composed of the calcareous shells of various species such as Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus (A.Agassiz), Strongylocentrotus nudus (A.Agassiz), Anthocidaris crassispina (A.Agassiz), Temnopleurus toreumaticus (Leske), and T.hardwickii (Gray). It is harvested in the summer and after catching, the flesh and spines are removed, washed, and dried.
【Processing method】1. Sea urchin: Take the raw material, remove the remaining flesh, spines, and impurities, wash and dry it, and crush it when needed.
2. Roasted sea urchin: Take the cleaned sea urchin, place it in a fireproof container, roast it over high heat until crispy, take it out and let it cool, then grind or powder it.
【Appearance of the medicinal slice】Sea urchin is irregularly fragmented, yellowish-brown or brown in color, with a pale blue color on the cross-section and wart-like protrusions on the surface. Intact sea urchins are semi-spherical and hollow. The flatter side is yellowish-brown with a circular mouth opening in the center. The mouth is slightly concave with 5 thin, interconnected U-shaped teeth on the inner edge. The back is brown and raised, with a star-shaped hole with ten angles. It is lightweight, hard, not easily broken, slightly odorous, and has a mild taste. Roasted sea urchin is irregular pieces or powder, grayish-white in color, and crispy in texture.
【Processing properties】Sea urchin has a salty taste and is neutral in nature. It has a slight toxicity. It has the functions of softening hardness and dispersing nodules, resolving phlegm and reducing swelling, and relieving pain caused by acidity. It is used for scrofula, phlegm nodules, chest and flank distention and pain, and stomach diseases. It can be combined with seaweed, Xia Ku Cao, and Zhe Bei Mu to treat cervical lymph node tuberculosis (Shandong Herbal Medicine Handbook). Roasting enhances its acidity and makes it easier to crush, making it suitable for treating stomach pain (China Animal Encyclopedia).
