Dragon bone is the fossilized skeletal remains of ancient mammals such as three-toed horses, rhinoceroses, deer, cattle, and elephants. It is divided into two major varieties: five-flower dragon bone and white dragon bone. It has a neutral nature and a bitter-sweet taste. It enters the heart, liver, kidneys, and large intestine meridians. It has the effects of calming the mind, stopping sweating, stopping bleeding, promoting tissue regeneration, and healing wounds. It is used to treat conditions such as epilepsy, hysteria, forgetfulness, insomnia, excessive sweating, spermatorrhea, urinary disorders, vomiting blood, excessive menstruation, diarrhea, rectal prolapse, and non-healing ulcers. Beware of counterfeit dragon bones in the market, where weathered animal bones are coated with talcum powder or charcoal powder to imitate dragon bones. Be cautious when using it.
Authentic Dragon Bone
1. Five-flower Dragon Bone: Also known as greenish dragon bone or floral dragon bone. It has an irregular shape and varies in size. The overall color is pale yellow and white, with blue-gray and reddish-brown patterns of varying shades and thickness. The surface is smooth with occasional small cracks. The cross-section is rough. It is hard and brittle, easily crumbling into pieces. It has strong moisture-absorbing properties, and when licked with the tongue, it has a sticky sensation. It has no odor and tasteless when tasted.
2. White Dragon Bone: It has an irregular shape and varies in size. The surface is white, grayish-white, or yellowish-white. It is relatively smooth, with some textures, cracks, or brown stripes and spots. It is hard in texture, with an uneven cross-section, white in color, and fine and powdery in texture. It also has strong moisture-absorbing properties.
Counterfeit Dragon Bone
Generally, counterfeit dragon bones are smaller or irregular in shape. The surface is covered with more white powder. When broken, the bone structure can be seen, and the cross-section is honeycomb-like with small holes (formed by weathering), lacking the characteristics of genuine dragon bones. When licked with the tongue, it does not have moisture-absorbing properties.
"Medical Secrets of an Eastern Treasure Trove" states, "Dragon bone has the stickiest and most astringent quality, and it has the power to constrict and consolidate vital energy, calm the spirit, and stop excessive sweating." "Compendium of Materia Medica" also states, "Dragon bone has an astringent effect that can stop excessive sweating, it enters the liver to consolidate the soul, and it contracts and controls floating and ascending qi... It is an essential medicine for consolidating vital energy." Counterfeit dragon bone does not possess the aforementioned medicinal properties of genuine dragon bone, so it cannot be used as a substitute for dragon bone in medical treatment to avoid misdiagnosis and mismanagement.
