Witnessed by: TCM · Western
Pumice, of the volcanic glass (a frothed siliceous mineraloid, not a mineral species) family. Light, spongy, grey-white to yellowish frothed volcanic glass, so full of cavities that it floats on water; native range: explosive volcanic deposits, and the rafts and beach drifts of stone that float away from them across the sea. Globally recognized as 海浮石 hai fu shi, 海石 hai shi in Chinese, and pumice, pumice stone, sea-floating stone in English. The part used is the stone, crushed and powdered. Grey-white and full of holes, extremely light, harsh and rasping to the touch, gritty and salty-tasting from the sea, and floating on water.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
PUMICE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- pumice
- Family
- volcanic glass (a frothed siliceous mineraloid, not a mineral species)
Form
- Part used
- the stone, crushed and powdered
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- salty
Temperature
- TCM
- cold
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Lung · Kidney
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- clears heat from the Lung and transforms phlegm that has congealed hard, softens and dissolves lumps and nodules, and promotes urination to move stone
- Western
- abrasive and detergent — chiefly a mechanical action, rubbing away what is hard and rough
Cautions
- Contraindications
- cough from cold or from deficiency without heat or hard phlegm; the western abrasive not for inflamed, broken or thin skin
- Toxicity
- a hard siliceous dust — the powder is an irritant to the eyes and lungs and should not be breathed; long abrasive use wears tooth enamel and skin
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