Mercury (Shui yin)
Modern sources record safety concerns for this herb. Reference information, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Modern sources record heavy-metal toxicity for mercury (shui yin; elemental mercury, Hg). The U.S. ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Mercury reports that neurological and renal effects have been consistently observed in humans and animals exposed to elemental mercury, with neurological effects including tremor and impaired motor, nerve and visual function. This is reference information drawn from modern sources, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Recorded in Bencao Gangmu for scabies, fistulas, tinea and white bald-sores, and for killing skin parasites; recorded externally as a parasiticide and, in classical texts, as abortifacient and for clearing heat-toxin. A toxic mineral substance (mercury); historical record only.
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷九·石类上·水银·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：主疥瘘痂疡白秃，杀皮肤中虱，堕胎除热，杀金银铜锡毒；古载利水道、去热毒，安神镇心、杀虫催生、下死胎。
Nature & flavor: 辛，寒，有毒。
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·水银·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·水银·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·水银·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·水银·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.