Herb
Castor Seed (Bi ma zi)
蓖麻子bi ma zi
1 sourceSafety notes recordedSemen Ricini
Modern safety information is being compiled for this entry.
Recorded, used mainly externally, for opening the orifices and channels, relieving pain, drawing out pus and toxin, and easing delivery. Recorded as toxic.
Source
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·主治（《唐本》）
References
- functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
- WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
- public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：主风虚寒热，身体疮痒浮肿，尸疰恶气，榨取油涂之（《唐本》）；研傅疮痍疥癞，涂手足心，催生（大明）；开通关窍经络，能止诸痛，消肿追脓拔毒（时珍）。
Nature, flavor & meridians
Nature & flavor: 甘、辛，平，有小毒。
Citations
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻（《唐本草》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·子·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·主治（《唐本》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·主治（大明）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·主治（时珍）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十七·草部·毒草类·蓖麻·气味（忌炒豆）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.