Hai Shen is the sea cucumber. The catalogue holds the name and nothing else.
Names
Pinyin
hai shen
Actions and indications
Tonifies Kidney Yang and augments Essence
Kidney deficiency with aging: impotence, nocturnal emission, weak or frequent urination, and a sore, weak lower back
Nourishes Blood and Yin
Depleted Essence and Blood showing as general weakness; moistening rather than drying, unlike many Yang tonics
Moistens dryness of the Intestines
Constipation from Blood or Yin deficiency, as in older people or after childbirth
Stops bleeding
Bleeding from injury
Coughing or vomiting of blood
Blood in the stool
Cautions
contraindication Damp-Phlegm, weak digestion, or acute Excess or Damp-Heat; a rich, cloying tonic can burden a weak Spleen and Stomach and add to Damp and stagnation
caution Where digestion is weak, take it only with a qualified practitioner or with dietary advice
contraindication Shellfish or other seafood allergy; it is a marine animal food, and any seafood allergy should be disclosed to the practitioner
Interactions
Drug interactions
Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: sea cucumber polysaccharides have shown strong anticoagulant activity in laboratory work, and a clinical herb-drug reference warns they may add to these drugs and raise bleeding risk; precautionary, not a demonstrated interaction