Herb

Blister beetle (Yuan qing)

芫青yuan qing
1 sourceSafety notes recordedLytta caraganae

Modern safety information is being compiled for this entry.

Recorded in Bencao Gangmu for gu-toxin and malign influences, scrofula, hernial qi, promoting urination, dispersing nodules and phlegm binds, and for deafness, eye nebula and mad-dog bite; classical texts also record it as abortifacient. A toxic substance (a blister beetle containing cantharidin).

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷四十·虫部·卵生类下·芫青·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 & zoological facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions

Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.

传统中医记载：蛊毒、风疰、鬼疰，堕胎；治鼠瘘；主疝气，利小水，消瘰疬，下痰结，治耳聋目翳，猘犬伤毒。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 辛，微温，有毒。

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷四十·虫部·卵生类下·芫青·条名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷四十·虫部·卵生类下·芫青·气味Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷四十·虫部·卵生类下·芫青·主治Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷四十·虫部·卵生类下·芫青·安全Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.