INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Scorpio
Buthus Martensi
Common English: Scorpion
Buthus
Herbs that Extinguish Wind and Stop Tremors
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Salty
Acrid
(Sweet)
Neutral
Toxic
Liver
2-5g
0.25-1.5g when just the tail is used
Powder: 0.6-1g
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Extinguishes Wind and stops tremors and convulsions

Liver Wind and Wind-Phlegm-Heat with spasms, acute or chronic childhood convulsions, tetany, opisthotonos, tics, muscular tetany, and seizures

Tracks down Wind, unblocks the collaterals and stops pain

Stubborn headaches and Bi pain

Attacks and relieves Fire toxins and dissipates nodules and rashes

Topically for toxic sores, swellings scrofula (Chuang Yung) and cancer

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • This substance is toxic. Always use caution and never overdose.
  • Contraindicated during Pregnancy.
  • Contraindicated for those with Internal Wind Generated by Blood Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for children with Spleen Wind.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Scolopendra
Wu Gong

Cornu Saigae Tataricae
Ling Yang Jiao
Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma

or

Cornu Saigae Tataricae
Ling Yang Jiao
Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Fol. Isatidis
Da Qing Ye

Rx. Codonopsis
Dang Shen
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma

Muscle twitches of the extremities, rigidity and spasms of the entire body to the point of opisthotonos, trismus or convulsions.

Wind due to high fever leading to seizures and convulsions.

Epilepsy.

Toxic, swollen sores and scrofula.

Submandibular lymphadenitis. (internal or topical)

Stubborn migraines.

Wind-Damp Bi pain.

Wind-Cold-Dampness.

Febrile convulsions in children.

Chronic childhood convulsions due to chronic diarrhea associated with Spleen Deficiency.

Cornu Saigae Tataricae
Ling Yang Jiao
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Rx. Curcumae
Yu Jin
Alumen
Ming Fan

Scolopendra
Wu Gong

Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum
Zhi Tian Nan Xing

or

Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum
Zhi Tian Nan Xing
Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma

Convulsions due to Extreme Heat Generating Wind.

Seizures.

Tetanus and tetanus-like disorders.

Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum
Zhi Tian
Nan Xing
Cinnabaris
Zhu Sha

Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can
Ram. cum Uncis Uncariae
Gou Teng
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong
Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae
Bai Zhi

Stiffness and spasms of the jaw and rigidity of the entire body to the point of opisthotonos.

Facial paralysis due to Wind Stroke.

Headache and other painful obstruction.

Rx. Aconiti Preparata
Zhi Chuan Wu
Agkistrodon/Bungarus
Bai Hua She
Myrrh
Mo Yao

Fr. Gardeniae
Zhi Zi
Beeswax

Sm. Strychni
Ma Qian Zi
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi Ban Xia
Faeces Trogopterori
Wu Ling Zhi

Severe painful obstruction with contracted extremities and deformed joints.

Topically as a plaster for scrofula, sores and other toxic swellings.

Scrofula, goiter or other Phlegm masses.

Scolopendra
Wu Gong

Pheretima
Di Long
Tabanus
Meng Chong

Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng

Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui

Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes.

Seizures, convulsions spasms, tics, hemiplegia due to Wind-Stroke, numbness and pain in the limbs, and stubborn migraines or trigeminal neuralgia from Liver Wind or Liver Yang Rising.

Seizures, tetany and childhood convulsions.

Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can

Pheretima
Di Long

Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can

Pheretima
Di Long

Scolopendra
Wu Gong

Wind-Dampness.

Liver Yang Rising and Heat Stagnation.

Severe, continuous pain.

Rz. Typhonii Preparatum
Zhi Bai Fu Zi
Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can

Squama Manitis
Chuan Shan Jia
Pheretima
Di Long

Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma
Succinum
Hu Po
Medulla Junci
Deng Xin Cao

Facial paralysis, and involuntary facial twitching due to Wind and Phlegm.

Stroke.

Seizure and epilepsy.

Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Scolopendra
Wu Gong
Cinnabaris
Zhu Sha

Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma
Scolopendra
Wu Gong
Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis
Gou Teng
Bombyx Batryticatus
Jiang Can

Moschus
She Xiang
Grain-Based Liquor

Tetany, opisthotonos, spasms and cramps.

Headache.

Arthritis.

Periostracum Serpentis
She Tui
Nidus Vespae
Lu Feng Fang

Mel
Feng Mi

Scolopendra
Wu Gong
Mylabris
Ban Mao

 

Malignant tumors.

Cancer of the ascending Colon.

 

  1. This is one of the most effective Wind extinguishing substances.
  2. It is able to get into the muscles and bones to expel pathogenic factors, remove Dampness and eliminate pathogenic Wind.
  3. The venom squeezed from the tail is used to treat cancer.
  4. This herb treats cerebral vascular accident, Wind-Stroke, epilepsy and Wind-Damp Bi pain. It is also good for stubborn headaches.
  5. Toxic side effects include: respiratory paralysis, tonic spasms of the extremities, and drooling.
  6. For toxic sores it follows the principle “use poison to treat poison”.
  7. Traditionally, the tail was used for tetany, acute febrile diseases, and convulsions while the whole body was used for hemiplegia. Today the whole body is commonly used for all indications.
  8. It is considered a good preventive for childhood disorders.
  9. Although it is considered toxic, oral ingestion produces little toxic effect compared to its sting.
  10. Although it is avoided in pregnancy, it is considered safe enough to use in infants which is one of its main historical uses.
  11. Powdered and used alone, it can be applied topically for mastitis.
  12. This herb treats Liver and Colon cancers.
  13. Deep fry two scorpions and eat as food for mumps.
  14. This herb, Bombyx Batryticatus Jiang Can, and Scolopendra Wu Gong all dispel Wind and stop spasms and are often used together in severe cases. Jiang Can is used primarily for Phlegm-Heat, Wu Gong is pungent and warm, is the most intense and is more appropriate for Wind-Cold, while Quan Xie is pungent and neutral and is better for Heat.
  15. Both Quan Xie and Rz. Typhonii Preparatum Zhi Bai Fu Zi expel Wind and stop spasms, are used externally in disorders such as scrofula and are used together to treat facial paralysis, tetanus, and convulsions. Quan Xie more strongly expels Wind to stop spasms and convulsions and is used externally for sores and toxic swellings. Zhi Bai Fu Zi is acrid, warm, intensely drying, ascending and dispersing in nature and is especially indicated for pathogenic Wind-Phlegm in the face and head with facial paralysis, hemiplegia, scrofula, migraines or other severe lateral headaches. It can also be used for Wind-stroke with profuse Phlegm welling up in the throat making speech difficult. It is also applied to skin disorders such as chloasma.