Herb

Litharge (Mi tuo seng)

密陀僧mi tuo seng
1 sourceSafety notes recordedLithargyrum
Modern safety noticeRestricted

Modern sources record safety concerns for this herb. Reference information, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.

Modern sources record heavy-metal toxicity for the lead in litharge (mi tuo seng; lead monoxide, PbO). The U.S. NTP Monograph on Health Effects of Low-Level Lead concludes that there is sufficient evidence of an association between blood lead levels below 5 µg/dL and neurological effects in children and reproductive effects in adult women, and between blood lead levels below 10 µg/dL and cardiovascular, renal and immune effects. This is reference information drawn from modern sources, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.

Recorded in Bencao Gangmu for chronic dysentery, hemorrhoids and sores, for staunching blood, killing worms and dispersing accumulation, and applied externally to skin blemishes, foul body odor and as a hair dye. A toxic mineral substance (a lead oxide).

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷八·金类·密陀僧·主治

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 & physical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions

Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.

传统中医记载：主久痢、五痔、金疮，面上瘢䵟，面膏药用之；古载镇心补五脏，治惊痫咳嗽、呕逆吐痰，疗反胃消渴、疟疾下痢，止血杀虫消积，治诸疮肿毒、除胡臭、染髭发。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 咸、辛，平，有小毒。

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷八·金类·密陀僧·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷八·金类·密陀僧·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷八·金类·密陀僧·主治Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷八·金类·密陀僧·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
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