Zhì Bǎo Dān (至宝丹) — Greatest Treasure Special Pill
Information only — not used or prescribed at this clinic. This page documents a traditional Chinese herbal formula that contains one or more animal-derived ingredients, for reference and education. I do not use or prescribe any animal products. Every formula I prescribe is built entirely from plant and mineral herbs.
This substance comes from an endangered or protected species and cannot be legally prescribed in the UK. The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) prohibits the use of any endangered species, and trade is restricted under CITES.
Plant and mineral alternatives I use instead include plant orifice-opening and phlegm-clearing herbs such as Shi Chang Pu and Yu Jin.
On this page
- Overview
- Ingredients
- Traditional actions and indications
- Plant-based alternatives
- Why it is not prescribed
1. Overview
Zhì Bǎo Dān (至宝丹) — Greatest Treasure Special Pill — is a traditional formula of the Chinese Materia Medica that contains one or more animal-derived ingredients. It is described here for information and reference only. I do not use or prescribe Zhì Bǎo Dān or any formula containing animal products; where a comparable effect is needed I prescribe a plant-based formula matched to the patient's TCM pattern.
2. Ingredients
Traditional ingredients include:
- Niu Huang (ox gallstone) (animal product)
- She Xiang (musk) (animal product)
- Shui Niu Jiao (water buffalo horn, replacing rhino) (animal product)
- Dai Mao (hawksbill turtle shell — CITES) (animal product)
- An Xi Xiang, Bing Pian (plants)
3. Traditional actions and indications
Traditional actions
- Clears Heat and opens the orifices
- Transforms turbid phlegm
Traditional indications
- Loss of consciousness with phlegm and heat; stroke with coma
4. Plant-based alternatives
In my practice I use plant-based formulas in place of Zhì Bǎo Dān. Depending on the TCM pattern, suitable alternatives include plant orifice-opening and phlegm-clearing herbs such as Shi Chang Pu and Yu Jin. Read more about Chinese herbal medicine or book an online herbal consultation.
5. Why it is not prescribed
Zhì Bǎo Dān contains ingredients from endangered or protected species. It cannot be legally prescribed in the UK, and such ingredients are restricted internationally under CITES and prohibited by the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM). All Chinese herbs and formulas should be prescribed by a fully qualified herbalist registered with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM), which prohibits the use of endangered species. Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto is a member of the RCHM and the British Acupuncture Council and does not use animal products of any kind.
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