Clam Shell Classic Formulas — Natural Herb Library

Primary Actions

Clears Lung heat and resolves stubborn phlegm - Hai Ge Ke is used for cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and a blocked chest when thick phlegm-heat is difficult to expel.
Softens congealed hardness and helps disperse nodules - this Cyclina-derived shell belongs to the same heavy phlegm-softening family used for scrofula, goiter, and lingering phlegm-fire masses.
Supports fluid movement and mild edema reduction - traditional shell use extends to dampness-related swelling or turbidity patterns when phlegm and water metabolism are both impaired.
When calcined and powdered, it can also be used for acid regurgitation and epigastric pain - a practical processing shift shared with the broader Ge Qiao category.

Hai Ge Ke with Sang Bai Pi, Xing Ren, or Pi Pa Ye - Lung-heat cough strategy when thick sputum and dyspnea dominate.
Hai Ge Ke with Hai Zao, Kun Bu, and Wa Leng Zi - classic shell-seaweed hardness-softening logic for scrofula and goiter patterns.
Calcined Hai Ge Ke with Hai Piao Xiao - shell-mineral pairing for acid regurgitation or sour painful reflux.

TCM Wiki lists Hai Ge Ke as salty and cold, entering the Lung and Stomach, and highlights cough from phlegm-heat, scrofula, and acid regurgitation as core indications.
American Dragon treats Hai Ge Ke as the same broad medicinal family as Ge Qiao and notes the bitter-salty, cold shell profile with additional mention of a mild edema and urinary role.
The narrower Concha Cyclinae label is best read as a source-variant within the same traditional clam-shell therapeutic family rather than as a radically different medicinal.