Ci Shi (Magnetite)

Chinese Herb Actions

Chinese Herb Dosage

• What is the typical dosage of Ci Shi (Magnetite)?

  15–30 g in decoction, decocted first. Because it is a hard, heavy mineral, add it to the pot 20–30 minutes before the other herbs so it can release. When taken as powder in pills, the dose is far smaller — about 1–3 g. As it burdens digestion, it is often paired with a digestive such as Shen Qu.

  Source: standard materia medica ranges; preparation practice for heavy mineral substances. Reference only — not a prescription.

Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions

• Are there cautions or contraindications for Ci Shi?

  Because it is a heavy, hard mineral that is difficult to digest, use Ci Shi cautiously and only short-term. Take care in those with weak Spleen and Stomach, and discontinue once the intended effect is reached rather than using it for prolonged periods. Decoct it first, and prefer the prepared form (calcined and quenched in vinegar), which grinds more easily and is gentler on digestion.

  Source: standard materia medica cautions for heavy mineral substances.

Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose

• Low at normal, short-term therapeutic doses. Magnetite is chiefly ferrosoferric oxide (Fe₃O₄), an insoluble iron mineral. The main practical concerns are digestive burden and, as with mineral drugs generally, possible heavy-metal impurities — so favor quality-controlled material and avoid long-term use. Dedicated modern toxicology data on the medicinal mineral are limited.

  Source: mineralogical composition (ferrosoferric oxide); materia medica caution. Limited toxicology data flagged as such.

Herb-Drug Interactions

• No well-established clinical herb–drug interactions are documented for Ci Shi. As an insoluble oral mineral it is a reasonable general precaution to separate its administration in time from other medications, and to be mindful when it is combined with other minerals. (Flagged for practitioner confirmation — absence of documented interactions is not proof of safety.)

Western / Biomedical Research

Chinese Herb Clinical Studies & Research

Provided as research context — a summary of published biomedical study, not a therapeutic or medical claim.

• Is there modern research on Ci Shi (Magnetite)?

  Very little — and honestly so. Unlike most botanical herbs, the medicinal mineral itself has scarcely any dedicated modern pharmacological or clinical study; it is characterized mainly by its mineralogy as ferrosoferric oxide (Fe₃O₄). The clearest published signal is indirect: as a component of the classical hearing formula Erlong Zuoci Wan, magnetite was reported to contribute to protecting cochlear hair cells against gentamicin-induced ototoxicity in vitro. Human clinical evidence for the isolated mineral is essentially absent.

  Source: PubMed 20694782 (Erlong Zuoci pill and its disassembled prescriptions, gentamicin ototoxicity model in vitro). Scarcity of primary pharmacological data stated as such; research context, not a therapeutic claim.

Chinese Herb Notes

• How is Ci Shi combined and how does it differ from other calming minerals?

  Ci Shi is distinctive as a spirit-settling mineral that also tonifies the Kidney and improves hearing and vision, and directs qi downward. That dual anchoring-and-supplementing character sets it apart from the purely sedating heavy substances.

  How it compares with its neighbors:

  • vs Zhu Sha (Cinnabar) — the classic pairing in Ci Zhu Wan: Ci Shi anchors the Liver and Kidney while Zhu Sha clears Heart heat and calms the spirit; together they steady the spirit and brighten the eyes. (Zhu Sha is mercuric sulfide and carries its own toxicity.)
  • vs Long Gu / Mu Li — these also anchor and settle, but Ci Shi additionally supplements the Kidney and helps it grasp qi for wheezing.
  • vs Dai Zhe Shi — both are heavy and subdue yang, but Dai Zhe Shi is directed more at redirecting rebellious Stomach and Lung qi and cooling the blood.

  Common combinations: with Zhu Sha and Shen Qu (Ci Zhu Wan) for blurred vision, palpitations, and tinnitus; it also appears in Zi Xue Dan.

  Source: standard materia medica (differentiation set and combinations); formula memberships confirmed against the Sacred Lotus record.