Ingredient Animal — whole (全虫 quán chóng)

Hai Ma

Seahorse · 海马

Hippocampus kelloggi Jordan et Snyder, Hippocampus histrix Kaup, Hippocampus kuda Bleeker, Hippocampus trimaculatus Leach, Hippocampus japonicus Kaup · Hippocampus

Also known as: Long Luo Zi (龙落子), Shui Ma (水马), Ma Tou Yu (马头鱼)

Seahorse (Hai Ma) is a traditional marine animal used in Chinese medicine to warm the Kidney and strengthen Yang, making it valuable for impotence, infertility, and low back pain from Kidney Yang Deficiency. It also helps dissolve masses and reduce swelling, and is applied topically for sores and abscesses.

Category Yang-tonifying herbs (补阳药) Blood-invigorating and stasis-dispelling herbs (活血化瘀药) Substances for external application (外用药)
Therapeutic focus Men's health Fertility Pain relief Kidney support

TCM Properties

Temperature

Warm

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Salty (咸 xián)

Channels entered

Liver, Kidneys

Parts used

Animal — whole (全虫 quán chóng)

Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Ingredient Does

Every ingredient has a specific set of actions — here's what Hai Ma does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Hai Ma is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Men's health Fertility Pain relief Kidney support

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Hai Ma performs to restore balance in the body:

Warms the Kidney and fortifies Yang Dissolves masses and reduces swelling Invigorates Blood and regulates Qi Alleviates pain

How these actions work

Warms the Kidney and fortifies Yang: This means Hai Ma directly warms the Kidney's Yang energy, which is the body's foundational fire. It is used for conditions like impotence, infertility, low libido, and chronic low back pain caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency. It helps restore sexual function and vitality.

Dissolves masses and reduces swelling: Hai Ma can break down accumulations such as abdominal masses (癥瘕) and chronic cold abscesses. It is used both internally and externally to reduce swelling and promote healing of stubborn sores.

Invigorates Blood and regulates Qi: By moving blood and Qi, Hai Ma alleviates pain and swelling from traumatic injuries, fractures, and blood stasis. It helps speed recovery from bruises and sprains.

Alleviates pain: Its combined warming, moving, and dissolving actions make it effective for various pain conditions, especially those involving cold and stagnation.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Hai Ma is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Hai Ma addresses this pattern

Hai Ma's warm, sweet, and salty nature directly enters the Kidney channel, warming Kidney Yang and fortifying the Ming Men fire. This addresses the core deficiency in this pattern, restoring sexual function, urinary control, and overall vitality.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Erectile Dysfunction

Impotence due to Kidney Yang Deficiency

Cold Extremities

Cold hands and feet

Frequent Urination

Frequent, clear urination

Lumbago

Low back pain and weakness

Infertility (Male)

Male infertility with low sperm count

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Hai Ma is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Kidney Yang Deficiency

TCM Interpretation

In TCM, erectile dysfunction is often seen as Kidney Yang Deficiency, where the body's foundational fire is too weak to warm and activate the reproductive organs. Cold and deficiency lead to poor erectile function, low libido, and fatigue.

Why Hai Ma Helps

Hai Ma directly warms Kidney Yang and fortifies the Ming Men fire. Its warm, sweet, and salty nature enters the Kidney channel, boosting the vital energy needed for sexual function and restoring erectile capacity.

Also commonly used for

Infertility (Female)

Warms the uterus and promotes conception in cold infertility

Enuresis

Warms Kidney Yang to control urinary function

Lumbago

Warms and strengthens the Kidney to relieve low back pain

Asthma

Warms Kidney Yang and helps the Kidney grasp Qi in chronic asthma

Cold Abscess

Applied topically to dissolve nodules and reduce swelling

Ingredient Properties

Every ingredient has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Warm

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Salty (咸 xián)

Channels Entered

Liver Kidneys

Parts Used

Animal — whole (全虫 quán chóng)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Hai Ma — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

3–9g in decoction

Maximum dosage

Up to 12g in some clinical applications for severe yang deficiency, but only under practitioner supervision. Standard maximum is 9g. For powdered form, typical dose is 1–3g per day, not to exceed 3g in most cases.

Dosage notes

For decoction, 3–9g is standard; for powdered form, 1–3g per day, often taken with warm wine or water. In medicinal wines, 1–2 pairs (about 10–20g) are steeped in 500mL of liquor for several weeks, with a daily intake of 10–15mL. Lower doses are used for gentle tonification, while higher doses (9–12g) are reserved for more severe yang deficiency with cold signs. Prolonged use should be avoided to prevent excessive heat accumulation.

Preparation

Before decocting, Hai Ma should be crushed or broken into pieces to facilitate extraction of active constituents. For external use, it is ground into a fine powder and applied directly to the affected area. When making medicinal wine, the dried whole seahorse is steeped in white liquor for at least one month.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same ingredient can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Hai Ma does

Processing method

Remove impurities, brush off dust, and dry. Sometimes the outer skin and internal organs are removed before drying.

How it changes properties

The raw form retains the full warming, salty-sweet nature, with strong Kidney-warming, yang-fortifying, and blood-activating actions. It is the most commonly used form.

When to use this form

For general Kidney yang deficiency with impotence, cold infertility, lower back pain, and frequent urination; also for dispersing masses and treating traumatic injuries when blood stasis is present.

Common Ingredient Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Hai Ma for enhanced therapeutic effect

Lu Rong
Lu Rong 1:1 or Hai Ma 3g : Lu Rong 1g (powder form)

Powerfully tonify Kidney Yang and boost Essence, used for severe impotence and cold infertility.

When to use: Kidney Yang Deficiency with profound exhaustion, impotence, and cold limbs.

Ge Jie
Ge Jie Hai Ma 3g : Ge Jie 1 pair (ground together)

Both warm Kidney Yang and grasp Lung Qi, treating chronic asthma due to Kidney Deficiency.

When to use: Kidney Yang Deficiency with wheezing, especially in the elderly.

Dang Gui
Dang Gui 1:1 or Hai Ma 5g : Dang Gui 10g

Hai Ma warms and moves Qi, Dang Gui nourishes and moves Blood, synergistically treating blood stasis pain from trauma or masses.

When to use: Blood stasis due to trauma, abdominal masses, or chronic pain.

Tu Si Zi
Tu Si Zi 1:2 or Hai Ma 3g : Tu Si Zi 10g

Warm Kidney Yang and secure Essence, used for impotence with seminal emission.

When to use: Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence and spermatorrhea.

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature Hai Ma in a prominent role

Gui Ling Ji 龟龄集 Assistant

Gui Ling Ji is a renowned imperial formula for Kidney Yang Deficiency, featuring Hai Ma alongside Lu Rong and Ren Shen to powerfully tonify Kidney Yang and boost vitality.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Lu Rong
Hai Ma vs Lu Rong

Both warm Kidney Yang, but Lu Rong is more potent and also nourishes blood and essence, making it better for severe deficiency with essence depletion; Hai Ma is milder and additionally dissolves masses and reduces swelling, making it suitable for yang deficiency with palpable masses or traumatic swelling.

Ge Jie
Hai Ma vs Ge Jie

Both warm Kidney Yang and grasp Qi for asthma, but Ge Jie specifically targets the Lung-Kidney axis and is preferred for chronic wheezing; Hai Ma also treats impotence and infertility and can dissolve masses.

Identity & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Hai Ma

A known form of adulteration involves injecting cement slurry into the body cavity of the seahorse before drying, significantly increasing its weight. Adulterated specimens feel abnormally heavy, and a hard grey mass can be seen at the anal opening or upon cutting open the abdomen. Authentic Hai Ma should be light and bony, with no such deposits. Occasionally, other small dried fish or inferior seahorse species may be mixed in; careful examination of the characteristic bony rings, head shape, and tail coiling is necessary.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any ingredient.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Hai Ma

Non-toxic

Contraindications

Situations where Hai Ma should not be used or requires extra caution

Avoid

Pregnancy — Hai Ma is traditionally considered to promote abortion (堕胎) and was historically used to facilitate difficult labour. It is absolutely contraindicated during pregnancy.

Avoid

Yin deficiency with fire (阴虚火旺) or yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity (阴虚阳亢) — the herb's warm, drying nature can exacerbate internal heat and consume yin fluids.

Caution

Internal excess heat conditions (实热证) — the warming and tonifying properties may aggravate fever, irritability, and other heat signs.

Caution

Damp-heat patterns (湿热证) — the tonifying nature can trap pathogenic dampness, worsening symptoms like heaviness, nausea, and greasy tongue coating.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Contraindicated. Hai Ma is traditionally known to induce abortion (堕胎) and was historically used as a labour-promoting agent. Its warming and blood-activating properties may stimulate uterine contractions and endanger the pregnancy. It must not be used during any stage of pregnancy.

Breastfeeding

Safety during breastfeeding has not been established. Due to its strong warming nature and potential hormonal effects, it is generally avoided unless specifically prescribed by a qualified practitioner. The herb's components may pass into breast milk, and its yang-tonifying, blood-moving properties could theoretically affect the infant.

Children

Hai Ma has been used in children for enuresis (bedwetting) due to Kidney yang deficiency, often combined with Sang Piao Xiao (桑螵蛸) and Fu Pen Zi (覆盆子). However, due to its strong warming and hormonal properties, it should only be used under strict professional guidance, at reduced doses (typically 1–3g), and for short durations. It is not suitable for children with signs of heat or yin deficiency.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Hai Ma

Hai Ma exhibits anti-thrombotic properties in pharmacological studies, so it may theoretically potentiate the effects of anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (e.g., warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel). Concurrent use should be approached with caution and monitored by a healthcare professional. Its hormonal activity could also interact with hormone therapies, though specific clinical data are lacking.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Hai Ma

Avoid consuming cold, raw foods (e.g., salads, iced drinks) while taking Hai Ma, as these can counteract its warming, yang-tonifying effects. Also limit spicy, heating foods (e.g., chilli, lamb, alcohol in excess) to prevent overstimulation and internal heat buildup. A neutral, warm diet with cooked grains, root vegetables, and moderate amounts of animal protein supports the herb's action.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Hai Ma source animal

Hai Ma is not a plant but a small marine fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family (seahorses). It has a truly unique appearance: the head and neck resemble a horse, with a long tubular snout and small, deep-set eyes; the trunk is compressed and covered in bony rings arranged in seven longitudinal ridges, giving it a segmented, armour-like look; the tail is prehensile, four-angled, and curls inward, used to anchor onto seagrass or coral. Unlike most fish, seahorses swim upright using a rapidly vibrating dorsal fin. One of nature's curiosities, the male possesses a brood pouch on the abdomen where the female deposits eggs; the male then incubates and gives birth to live young. Adults range from 7–30 cm depending on species, with colours varying from pale yellow-white to dark brown, often with spots or bands. They inhabit shallow coastal waters with abundant seaweed, especially in temperate and tropical seas.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Hai Ma is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Year-round, but most commonly caught in summer and autumn. After capture, the internal organs are removed and the body is washed and dried in the sun.

Primary growing regions

Hai Ma is harvested from coastal waters rather than cultivated. The primary producing areas are the coastal regions of Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan, with the South China Sea being the main source. The concept of 道地药材 (dào dì yào cái) applies less strictly than for plants, but specimens from these warm, seaweed-rich waters are considered superior.

Quality indicators

Good quality Hai Ma is large, intact, with a yellowish-white or light brown colour, a fully curled tail, and a complete head and body. The best specimens are dried whole with the internal organs removed. Species-specific markers: Xian Wen Hai Ma (线纹海马) has fine white transverse lines; San Ban Hai Ma (三斑海马) has distinct black spots on the 1st, 4th, and 7th dorsal body rings; Da Hai Ma (大海马) is darker with tiny silver-white spots. The body should be light but bony-hard, with a faint fishy smell and slightly salty taste. Avoid specimens that are broken, mouldy, or infested with insects.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Hai Ma and its therapeutic uses

  • 《本草拾遗》 (Tang Dynasty): “主妇人难产。”
    “It mainly treats difficult childbirth in women.” — This is the earliest recorded medicinal use of Hai Ma.
  • 《本草纲目》 (Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen): “暖水脏，壮阳道，消瘕块，治疔疮肿毒。”
    “It warms the water viscera (Kidneys), strengthens the yang pathway, disperses abdominal masses, and treats furuncles, sores, and toxic swellings.”
  • 《本经逢原》 (Qing Dynasty, Zhang Lu): “阳虚多用之，可代蛤蚧。”
    “In cases of yang deficiency it is often used; it can substitute for Ge Jie.”
  • 《本草新编》 (Qing Dynasty, Chen Shiduo): “海马，亦虾属也，入肾经命门，专善兴阳，功不亚于海狗，更善堕胎，故能催生也。”
    “Hai Ma, also belonging to the shrimp category, enters the Kidney channel and Life Gate; it specialises in arousing yang, its effect not inferior to Hai Gou Shen; it is particularly effective at inducing abortion, hence it can hasten delivery.”

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Hai Ma's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

The medicinal use of Hai Ma dates back at least 1,500 years. It was first recorded in the Tang Dynasty by Chen Cangqi in Ben Cao Shi Yi (《本草拾遗》) for difficult labour. Early texts, such as Nan Zhou Yi Wu Zhi (《南州异物志》) from the Three Kingdoms period, described a creature called “water horse” (水马) that women in labour would hold or ingest to facilitate delivery — this is believed to be the seahorse. The name Hai Ma (海马, “sea horse”) was formally adopted in the Tang Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen expanded its indications in Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》) to include warming the Kidneys, strengthening yang, and treating masses and sores. This marked a shift from a primarily obstetric remedy to a broader tonic and anti-swelling agent. The herb earned the nickname “南方人参” (Southern Ginseng) due to its potent yang-tonifying properties, paralleling the revered status of Ren Shen in the north. In the Qing Dynasty, it was noted as a substitute for Ge Jie (蛤蚧) in yang deficiency patterns. The unique reproductive biology of the seahorse — male pregnancy — also fascinated early scholars and contributed to its symbolic association with male potency and fertility.

Modern Research

A published study investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Hai Ma

1

Anti-tumor and antioxidant activities of different extracts from Hippocampus kuda (大海马) — 2019

Wang PZ, Lin XK, Fang QY, et al. Anti-tumor and antioxidant activities of different extracts from Hippocampus kuda. Lishizhen Medicine and Materia Medica Research, 2019, 30(6): 1333-1335.

This study examined the anti-tumour and antioxidant activities of different polarity extracts from freeze-dried Hippocampus kuda. The ethyl acetate fraction showed significant anti-tumour activity against human glioma LN229 cells, while all three fractions (ethyl acetate, n-butanol, water) demonstrated antioxidant capacity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH and FRAP methods.

Link

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.