adipem deer
Lù Zhī (Deer Fat) is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is the fatty oil derived from Sika Deer (Cervus nippon Temminck) or Red Deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus), animals belonging to the family Cervidae. It is the oil obtained by rendering the fat from these animals. The fat appears as yellowish-white blocks, strips, or slices, 15–20 cm in length, 10–15 cm in width, and 2.0–5.0 cm in thickness. It has an oily luster and is semi-translucent. It is light in weight and soft in texture. The fatty oil is greyish-white, resembling congealed pork fat. It is hard, smooth, and slightly greasy with a mild gamey odor.
Efficacy & Actions
Dispels wind, moistens the skin, detoxifies, and reduces swelling.
Indications
Indicated for wind-type headache and wind-dampness arthralgia, skin itching and pain, and carbuncles and sores.
Modern Pharmacology
Fatty acid and amino acid composition: Deer fat contains 11 types of fatty acids and 15 types of amino acids, with unsaturated fatty acids accounting for 38.48% of the total. The main components include undecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecenoic acid, octadecenoic acid, and octadecadienoic acid, among others. Deer fat is a widely available and easily obtainable natural biological resource. Skin protective effects: In addition to natural animal triglycerides, deer fat is rich in provitamin B5 (D-panthenol) and vitamin E, which can repair the skin, provide moisture, and promote smooth, lustrous skin. Rich in fatty acids and amino acids, deer fat is easily absorbed by the skin, helps prevent moisture loss, and delays aging. Gastric mucosal protection: Deer fat has been shown to protect against ethanol-induced acute gastric mucosal injury.
Ingredients
Fatty acids: Contains 11 types of fatty acids, including undecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecenoic acid, octadecenoic acid, octadecadienoic acid, and others. Unsaturated fatty acids account for 38.48% of the total. Amino acids: Contains 15 types of amino acids. Vitamins: Contains provitamin B5 (D-panthenol) and vitamin E.
Usage & Dosage
For oral administration: make into an ointment or paste; take an appropriate amount. For external use: apply an appropriate amount topically to the affected area; or burn for fumigation.
Contraindications
Do not apply near the genital area.
Selected Formulas
For wind‑headache, wind‑impediment, and skin itching and pain (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of deer fat, apply to the affected area, several times daily. For carbuncles, sores, and toxic swellings (empirical formula) Take deer fat, boil into a paste, and take orally or apply externally to the affected area. For facial acne or pustules (Zhongguo Yixue Dacidian) Take deer fat, apply frequently to the affected area.
Medicinal Parts
Fatty oil.
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry place in a sealed container, protected from moisture, light, and odors. Avoid high temperatures.
