Uses of Coral Fossil in herbal medicine and its active principles

Despite its looking like a rock or a stone, Coral is actually a living marine creature; specifically, it’s a microscopic coelenterate. Live coral filters seawater and discharges minerals (mainly calcium carbonate) in order to form their exoskeleton, the hard external part (looking like a branch) that everyone is familiar with. Underwater coral is one of two sources that can be used. The other source is made up of fossil deposits and is found above the sea’s surface. It was created over the course of many millions of years (terrestrial or fossilized coral) as the lands emerged. Fossil coral that comes from land deposits is preferably used because taking underwater marine coral causes serious damage to the seabed; moreover, since underwater coral is more recent, it now forms in seas polluted with hydrocarbons and heavy metals, whereas coral fossil formed millions of years ago before pollution even existed. Fossil coral is an important source of Calcium and Magnesium.