INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: (BAI) MING FAN - 明礬 - ALUMEN - ALUM

Pharmaceutical Latin: Alumen
Common English: Alum
Potash Alum

CATEGORY

Substances for Topical Application

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sour
Astringent
(Salty)
Cold
(Toxic)
Large Intestine
Liver
Lung
Spleen
(Stomach)
Decoctions: 1-3g
Pills and Powders: 0.6-1.5g

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Relieves toxicity (Purges Fire), dries Dampness, kills parasites and alleviates itching

External wash for Damp-Heat rashes (scabies, tinea)

Swollen, painful throat or eyes

Jaundice

Restrains and inhibits sores, generates flesh and transforms putrefication

Topically for problems where toxins and pathogens have collected and clogged the channels, collaterals and muscles leading to blockage and Stagnation

Topically for toxic sores (Chuang Yung)

Stops bleeding and alleviates diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea, hemafecia, uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge

Topically for epistaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, bleeding gums and bleeding due to external trauma

Clears Heat and expels Phlegm

Wind-Phlegm (Heat) disorders with irritability, delirium, and convulsions

Cough with sputum that is difficult to expectorate

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution when taken internally.
  • Contraindicated in those with a weak digestive system.
  • Contraindicated in those with no Damp-Heat.
  • Contraindicated in those with Yin Deficiency with Internal Heat and Fire Blazing with sore throat.
  • Contraindicated in those with eye pain from Yin Deficiency and Blood Heat.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Antagonizes Concha Ostreae Mu Li.
  • Counteracts Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Fr. Cnidii
She Chuang Zi

Rx. Stemonae
Bai Bu

Powdered Realgar
Xiong Huang

As an external wash for chronic vaginal discharge with itching and eczema.

As a wash for genital itching due to vaginal candidiasis in women.

Intense itching of eczema, damp scrotum and other pruritic disorders.

External wash for eczema.

As a paste with concentrated tea for Wind-Damp-Heat toxin in the muscles and skin with severe itching that results in a yellow exudate after scratching.

Sulfur
Liu Huang

Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis
Ku Shen
Fr. Cnidii
She Chuang Zi

Fr. Carpesii
He Shi
Sm. Arecae
Bing Lang

Topically as a powder for scabies.

As a sitz bath for profuse vaginal discharge and itching from Damp-Heat pouring downward.

Intestinal parasites.

Faeces Trogopterori
Wu Ling Zhi

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Resina Daemonoropis
Xue Jie

Indigo Naturalis
Qing Dai
 Borneolum
Bing Pian

Topically for developing fistulas.

Topically for non-healing ulcers.

Topically for sores of the mouth and ears.

Borneolum
Bing Pian

Catechu
Er Cha

Fr. Chebulae
He Zi

Redness, swelling and pain of middle and outer ear.

Internally and topically for epistaxis, hemoptysis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding from trauma.

Internally as a powder for chronic, recalcitrant diarrhea in the elderly.

Galla Chinensis
Wu Bei Zi
Rx. Sanguisorbae
Di Yu

Fr. Gleditsiae
Zao Jiao
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum,
Zhi Ban Xia

Rx. Curcumae
Yu Jin

Continuous uterine bleeding.

As an enema for the Phlegm Collapse type of Wind-Stroke.

Irritability, delirium, and convulsions with accompanying gurgling in the throat.

Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae
Yin Chen Hao

Bul. Allii Fistulosi
Cong Bai
Grain-Based Alcohol

Fr. Chebulae
He Zi
Sulfur
Liu Huang
Rx. Pulsatillae
Bai Tou Weng
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Jaundice.

Swelling without pus or suppuration.

Chronic diarrhea or dysentery.

Rx. Curcumae
Yu Jin
Fr. Gleditsiae
Zao Jiao
Hb. Menthae
Bo He

 

 

Wind-Phlegm disorders.

 

 

NOTES

  1. It is almost always applied topically because of its strong action on tissues.
  2. Overdose can cause ulceration, vomiting, diarrhea and shock.
  3. This substance has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells.
  4. It is used as a hemostatic and analgesic for healing wounds and promoting granulation.
  5. It is used internally as an astringent and externally for skin conditions.
  6. It is used in small amounts for infantile spasms.
  7. It is said to cure carbuncles, cellulitis, furuncles and malignant boils.
  8. It is used as a purgative to clean the Stomach and Intestines
  9. It is made into boluses with wax to treat pyogenic infections.
  10. For swelling and rigidity of the tongue, powder equal parts of this herb and Arillus Longan Long Yan Rou and place under the tongue.
  11. To relieve vulvar pain, parch and powder 3 parts Ming Fan and 1.5 parts Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao wrap in a piece of cloth and apply topically.
  12. Both Bai Fan and Catechu Er Cha drains Dampness and absorb seepage. Bai Fan resolves toxicity kills parasites, dries Dampness and alleviates itching and is primarily used for Dampness. Er Cha but is more transformational and can be used for sores that are filled with purulent fluid and chronic non-healing sores. It also stops bleeding due to external trauma.
  13. Dried Alumen, Alumen Dehydratum Ku Fan has reduced sour and cold properties with an enhanced ability to restrain and inhibit sores, generate flesh, stop diarrhea and bleeding and transform putrefication and is the form most commonly used externally for sores and abscesses, oral sores, or eye problems. It is prepared so that it is light, spongy, and not translucent.