Hai Shen
English Name: (Japanese) sea cucumber, sea slug, trepang
Pharmaceutical Name: Strichopus Japonicus
Medica Category: Yang-Tonifying Herbs
Properties: Hai Shen enters the Heart and Kidney channels; it is sweet and salty in nature and warm in temperature.
What is Hai Shen?:
The Chinese Herb Hai Shen is derived from the Japanese sea cucumber (Strichopus japonicus Selenka) which lives in the shallow coastal waters in Southeast Asia and Japan. It is most commonly taken as food.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Hai Shen:
Hai Shen tonifies Kidney yang and jing (essence) and is most commonly used when these deficiencies manifest in impotence, nocturnal emissions, and frequent urination.