Realgar (Xiong 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 realgar (xiong huang; arsenic sulfide, As4S4) 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 chills and fever, scrofula and malign sores, abscesses, hemorrhoids and dead flesh, killing worms and resolving snake- and herb-toxins, and for malaria, fright epilepsy and head-wind dizziness. A toxic mineral substance (an arsenic sulfide).
Used in 1 formulas
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷九·石类上·雄黄·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：主寒热、鼠瘘恶疮、疽痔死肌，杀精物恶鬼邪气百虫毒；古载疗疥虫疮、目痛、鼻瘜肉，杀诸蛇虺毒、解藜芦毒，治疟疾寒热、惊痫、头风眩运。
Nature & flavor: 苦，平、寒，有毒。
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷九·石类上·雄黄·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·雄黄·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·雄黄·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·雄黄·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.