Herb

Minium (Qian dan)

铅丹qian dan
1 sourceMinium
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 minium (qian dan; lead tetroxide, Pb3O4). 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 stomach reflux and vomiting, fright epilepsy and seizures, clearing heat and downbearing qi, settling the heart and spirit, staunching blood, and applied externally to sores, burns and to blacken the hair. Minium (qian dan) is a lead oxide.

Used in 1 formulas

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷八·金类·铅丹·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：主吐逆胃反、惊痫癫疾，除热下气；古载止小便、除毒热脐挛、金疮血溢，镇心安神、止吐血及嗽，傅疮长肉及汤火疮、染须发，治疟及久积。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 辛，微寒，无毒。

Used in formulas
Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷八·金类·铅丹·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·铅丹·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·铅丹·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·铅丹·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.