Ci Shi (磁石) — Magnetite | TCM Herb Guide
Key Takeaways
- Nature: Cold | Taste: Salty
- Category: Herbs that Calm the Spirit
- Latin: Magnetitum
At a Glance
- Herb: Ci Shi
- Chinese name: 磁石 (Cí Shí)
- Latin name: Magnetitum
- Nature: Cold
- Taste: Salty
- Meridian: Liver / Heart / Kidney
- Category: Herbs that Anchor, Settle, and Calm the Spirit
- Introduction: Ci Shi (磁石), Magnetitum, is the natural iron oxide mineral magnetite (Fe₃O₄), found in metamorphic and igneous rock deposits. Its heavy, sinking, and cold nature anchors floating yang, calms the spirit, benefits hearing and vision by nourishing kidney yin, and subdues panting from kidney deficiency. One of the key mineral anchoring herbs for liver-kidney deficiency patterns with yang rising. Modern research confirms iron content with hematopoietic effects and mild sedative properties.
Action
- Anchors liver yang and calms the spirit
- Benefits hearing and vision (nourishes kidney yin)
- Subdues panting from kidney deficiency
- Calms convulsions and tremors
Clinical Application
- Liver yang rising with dizziness, tinnitus, headache — combines with Long Gu, Mu Li, Dai Zhe Shi
- Kidney deficiency with tinnitus and hearing loss — combines with Shu Di Huang, Shan Zhu Yu, Wu Wei Zi
- Spirit anxiety, palpitations, insomnia from yin deficiency and floating yang — combines with Suan Zao Ren, Zhu Sha
- Kidney deficiency asthma: dyspnea on exertion, weak breathing — combines with Wu Wei Zi, Hu Tao Ren
- Dim vision from liver-kidney deficiency — combines with Gou Qi Zi, Tu Si Zi
Precautions
- Dosage: 15–30 g in decoction; must be decocted first (先煎) 30–60 minutes
- Contraindicated in spleen-stomach deficiency cold
- Long-term use may cause iron accumulation — use in courses with breaks
- Contains Zhu Sha (cinnabar) in Ci Zhu Wan — limit duration due to mercury content
- Use with digestive herbs (Chen Pi, Sha Ren) when treating weak patients to prevent stagnation
Formula
- Er Long Zuo Ci Wan (耳聋左慈丸): Ci Shi, Shu Di Huang, Shan Zhu Yu, Mu Dan Pi, Ze Xie, Fu Ling, Wu Wei Zi, Shi Chang Pu — nourishes kidney yin, benefits hearing
- Ci Zhu Wan (磁朱丸): Ci Shi + Zhu Sha — anchors spirit, calms anxiety, improves vision and hearing
- Zhen Ling Dan (镇灵丹): Ci Shi, Long Gu, Mu Li, Dai Zhe Shi — four-mineral anchoring formula for floating yang
Combinations
- Magnetite (磁石) + Cinnabar (朱砂) + Medicated Leaven (神曲) → Ci Zhu Wan (磁朱丸): calm the shen, brighten the eyes; palpitations, visual disturbances, and tinnitus
- Magnetite (磁石) + Abalone Shell (石决明) + Mother-of-Pearl Shell (珍珠母) → anchor liver yang, brighten eyes; tinnitus, vertigo, and blurred vision from liver yang rising
Pharmacological Effects
- Sedative
- iron ions calm CNS excitation
- Antihypertensive; anti-inflammatory; antianemic
- iron source
- Promotes inner ear circulation
- benefits hearing
- Anticonvulsant; antioxidant; must be decocted long
- 30+ min) or calcined to increase bioavailability
Classic Description
- Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》): ‘Governs generalized impediment from wind-damp, pain in the limb joints preventing holding objects, weakness and soreness, eliminates great heat with vexation and fullness, and treats deafness.’
- Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》): ‘Magnetite is black and enters the Kidney; therefore it treats all Kidney-related diseases, opens hearing and brightens vision, stops deficiency wheezing, calms fright epilepsy, disperses swelling toxin, and calms the Heart spirit.’
- Ming Yi Bie Lu (《名医别录》): ‘Nourishes the Kidney organ, strengthens the bones, benefits essence and eliminates vexation, unblocks the joints, disperses carbuncle swelling and scrofula, and treats neck nodes and throat obstruction.’