Gui Jia (龟甲) — Tortoise Plastron | TCM Yin-Nourishing & Bone-Strengthening Herb Guide

At a Glance

Herb: Gui Jia
Chinese name: 龟甲 (Guī Jiǎ)
Latin name: Chinemys reevesii (Gray)
Nature: Cold
Taste: Sweet / Salty
Meridian: Liver / Kidney / Heart
Category: Herbs that Anchor, Settle, and Calm the Spirit
Introduction: Gui Jia (龟甲), tortoise plastron (Chinemys reevesii / Cuora trifasciata), is one of TCM’s most potent yin-nourishing and yang-anchoring substances. The plastron (ventral shell) is used medicinally — representing yin, stillness, and the earth principle. Entering the Liver, Kidney, and Heart channels, it nourishes kidney yin, anchors floating yang, clears deficiency heat, and strengthens bones. Its animal-origin depth makes it far more potent than most plant-based yin tonics — used for severe yin deficiency with ascending fire. As an endangered species concern, Gui Jia is now farm-raised rather than wild-caught. Collagen, calcium phosphate, and steroid hormone precursors account for its bone-strengthening, anti-aging, and hormonal effects.

Nourishes yin and anchors yang (滋阴潜阳): the deepest yin tonic — treats severe kidney yin deficiency with yang rising; steaming bone fever, night sweats.
Clears deficiency heat (退虚热): addresses chronic low-grade fever, hot flushes, and steaming bone from yin failing to cool yang.
Strengthens bones and stops bleeding (健骨止血): calcium content strengthens bone; astringent action stops uterine bleeding.
Nourishes heart and calms the mind (养心安神): treats insomnia and anxiety from heart-kidney yin deficiency with ascending fire.
Softens hardness (软坚): treats masses and nodules from yin deficiency with phlegm stagnation.

Steaming bone syndrome (骨蒸潮热): severe yin deficiency with tidal fever — the premier indication; Da Bu Yin Wan.
Night sweats and hot flushes: yin deficiency fire with profuse sweating.
Vertigo and tinnitus: kidney yin deficiency with liver yang rising.
Osteoporosis and delayed bone development: calcium + yin nourishment.
Uterine bleeding from yin deficiency: menorrhagia, dysfunctional bleeding.
Pediatric fontanelle not closing: kidney essence deficiency in children.

Spleen deficiency with cold-damp: contraindicated — cold, heavy nature severely damages spleen yang and worsens digestive weakness.
Pregnancy: use with extreme caution — strongly moves downward; historically listed as pregnancy-cautioned.
Decoction: must decoct first (先煎) 30–60 minutes — shell requires long cooking to extract minerals.
Gui Jia Jiao (龟甲胶): the processed gelatin form is gentler on the stomach — dissolve in hot water and add to finished decoction (烊化).
Standard dose: 9–24g shell (先煎); 3–9g gelatin (烊化).

大补阴丸 (Da Bu Yin Wan): Gui Jia + Huang Bai + Zhi Mu + Shu Di — steaming bone syndrome and yin deficiency fire; the classical yin-deficiency formula from Zhu Dan-xi.
虎潜丸 (Hu Qian Wan): Gui Jia + Huang Bai + Zhi Mu + Shu Di + Suo Yang — atrophy disorder (痿证) from yin-blood deficiency with heat.
三甲复脉汤 (San Jia Fu Mai Tang): Gui Jia + Bie Jia + Mu Li — deep yin deficiency with internal wind stirring; from Wen Bing school.
龟甲胶 (Gui Jia Jiao): processed into gelatin form for easier administration and blood/essence nourishing.

For yin deficiency with liver yang rising and tremors: combine with Bie Jia, Bai Shao, Mu Li (Da Ding Feng Zhu).
For yin deficiency fever with steaming bone disorder: combine with Huang Bai, Zhi Mu, Shu Di Huang (Da Bu Yin Wan).
For heart-kidney yin deficiency with palpitations and insomnia: combine with Long Gu, Suan Zao Ren, Yuan Zhi.
For uterine bleeding from yin deficiency: combine with Bai Shao, Huang Qin, Chun Pi.
For children’s bone weakness and soft fontanelle (五迟五软): combine with Shu Di Huang, Gou Qi Zi, Shan Zhu Yu.
For osteoporosis: combine with Bie Jia, Du Zhong, Gu Sui Bu.
For chronic malaria with abdominal masses: combine with Bie Jia, Chai Hu, Da Huang.

polysaccharides and peptides
- Immunomodulatory: enhance T-cell and macrophage activity
Bone protective
- promotes osteoblast differentiation, increases bone mineral density
Hematopoietic
- stimulates erythropoiesis and bone marrow stem cell proliferation
Thyroid regulation
- modulates thyroid hormone metabolism in hyperthyroidism
polysaccharides
- Antitumor: inhibit tumor cell proliferation
Anti-aging
- reduces oxidative stress and lipofuscin accumulation
calcium ions
- CNS sedative: stabilize neuronal membranes

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》): ‘Governs red and white leakage below, breaks concretions and conglomerations, intermittent malaria, five types of hemorrhoids, genital erosion, damp impediment, heaviness and weakness of the four limbs, and unclosed fontanelle in children.’
Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》): ‘Tortoise Plastron greatly supplements Water and controls Fire; hence it can strengthen sinews and bones, benefit Heart wisdom, stop cough, intercept malaria, remove stasis blood, and continue sinews and bones.’
Ben Cao Jing Shu (《本草经疏》): ‘Tortoise Plastron is sweet and salty in flavor, balanced in qi, non-toxic — a purely yin substance; enters the Foot Shao Yin and Jue Yin channels.’
Ben Cao Zheng (《本草正》): ‘Tortoise Plastron is purely yin in nature, hence it specializes in entering the Kidney to supplement yin; for all cases of yin deficiency with weak blood, taxation heat, and bone-steaming — it is most appropriate.’