Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan (Golden Lock Essence-Securing Pill) jīn suǒ gù jīng wán · 金锁固精丸

Safety. Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan is recorded in Yifang Jijie, the seventeenth-century formulary of Wang Ang. It is the first astringent formula in this library, and the whole logic of the class is visible in its five ingredients: where other categories act by clearing, warming or supplementing, this one acts by holding. Sha yuan zi is the supplementing member; qian shi and lian xu bind; the two calcined shells and bone are the heavy, astringent, mineral part of the tradition. The name is a metaphor of a lock, and like most metaphors in this literature it is a description of intent rather than a measurement of anything. Two identification points matter more than the theory, and both are the kind of error that happens quietly. The first is that sha yuan zi is also written sha yuan ji li, and it is the seed of Astragalus complanatus, not the fruit of Tribulus terrestris, which is the other thing a prescription may mean by ji li. The two are used for different things. Species within Astragalus also include locoweeds that contain swainsonine, which is a sufficient reason for the botanical identity to be settled rather than assumed. The second is that long gu is fossil bone — the fossilised bone of large mammals. Fossil material carries the contamination question that mineral drugs always carry: lead and arsenic are raised repeatedly in the pharmaceutical quality literature about it, and this library would rather say that than stay silent. Duan mu li and duan long gu are also substantial calcium sources, and calcium separates in time from tetracyclines, quinolones and levothyroxine, and is not a free addition for someone with hypercalcaemia, a history of calcium stones or impaired renal function. The clinical point is the one this library has made in other entries and will keep making. Involuntary emission is usually benign and usually needs nothing. Blood in the semen, pain, a lump, testicular or groin swelling that does not reduce, difficulty urinating, new erectile difficulty, low mood or a recent change of antidepressant are all reasons to be examined rather than treated, and the reasons are specific: a painless one-sided testicular mass has to be excluded for testicular cancer, sudden severe testicular pain is torsion and is counted in hours, erectile difficulty is now recognised as an early marker of cardiovascular risk, and an inguinal lump that will not go back is a possible strangulated hernia. This library states the classical indication and does not claim this formula secures the essence or treats spermatorrhoea, premature ejaculation, prostatitis or any specific disease.