Chronic diarrhea, dysentery treated with TCM kaolin

What is kaolin(Chi Shi Zhi)? Also known as Halloysite, Kaolinite, or China clay, it refers to a layered hydrous aluminum silicate. It is named because initially it was introduced from Gaoling (Kao-ling), a small town close to Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China. Besides, white kaolin clay is also found in some places in Africa and the United States, like Georgia.

The impurities need to be removed after excavation in the medicinal kaolin. It is a kind of dioctahedral phyllosilicate clay, in irregular lumps and in colors of pink, red to fuchsia, and sometimes with red/white patterns. It is soft, fragile, absorbent, tasteless, earthy, and with wax-like luster on the cross section. In addition, there is no sandy feeling at all when eating kaolin clay.

What is kaolin used for?
TCM regards kaolin as sweet, astringent, acid, warm, and non-toxic in nature. And it covers four meridians, such as spleen, stomach, heart, and large intestine. Its dominating functions are to astringe intestine to stop diarrhea, stop bleeding, astringe dampness, and promote tissue regeneration. Prime kaolin uses and indications are chronic diarrhea, lingering dysentery, proctoptosis due to prolonged dysentery, having blood in stool, Nocturnal Emission, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, leucorrhea, chronic unhealing ulceration, Eczema, and traumatic bleeding. Usual dosage is from 9 to 12 grams, normally in decoction, powder, or pills. And in the case of external use, appropriate amount of kaolin clay powder will be just fine.