Orpiment (Ci huang)
Modern sources record safety concerns for this herb. Reference information, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Modern authoritative sources classify the inorganic arsenic in orpiment (ci huang; arsenic sulfide, As2S3) as carcinogenic. The U.S. NTP Report on Carcinogens lists arsenic and inorganic arsenic compounds as known to be human carcinogens, associated with cancers including those of the skin, lung, urinary bladder, kidney and liver. This is reference information drawn from modern sources, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Recorded in Bencao Gangmu for malign sores, bald-sores and scabies, killing toxic worms and lice, eroding nasal growths and genital sores, and for cold phlegm cough, blood-qi worm accumulation, heart pain and epilepsy. A toxic mineral substance (an arsenic sulfide).
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷九·石类上·雌黄·主治
- 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 & physical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：主恶疮头秃痂疥，杀毒虫虱、身痒邪气诸毒；古载蚀鼻瘜肉、下部䘌疮、身面白驳，治冷痰劳嗽、血气虫积、心腹痛、癫痫。
Nature & flavor: 辛，平，有毒。
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·雌黄·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·雌黄·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·雌黄·主治Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·雌黄·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.