INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Scolopendra |
| Common English: | Centipede |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Acrid (Salty) |
Warm Toxic |
Liver |
Decoction: 1-4g Powder: 0.6-1g 0.6-1g. when just the tail is used Tincture: 0.5-1ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Extinguishes Wind and stops spasms and convulsions |
Liver Wind with acute and chronic childhood convulsions, opisthotonis, lockjaw and seizures Facial paralysis due to Wind |
Attacks and relieves Fire toxins, relieves abdominal masses and dissipates nodules |
Toxic nodules including sores, scrofula, carbuncles and neck lumps Chuang Yung (topical) Cancer Snake bites |
Unblocks the collaterals and stops pain |
Stubborn headaches including migraines Bi pain |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
|
INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Scorpio |
Rx. Glycyrrhizae |
|
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. Twitching. Tetany. Opisthotonis. |
Spasms, contractures, and opisthotonis associated with acute and chronic childhood convulsions. |
Topically as a plaster for scrofula, sores and snakebite. |
Tea |
Realgar |
Fish Liver Oil |
Topically for gangrene and ulcerations of the toes. |
Toxic sores topically. |
Topically as a salve, for pustules, of the fingertips which are called “snake head boils”. |
Rz. Gastrodiae |
Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis |
Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong |
Stubborn headaches, migraines or Bi pain. |
Stubborn Bi. |
Chronic headaches due to Blood Stasis. Trigeminal neuralgia. Angioneurotic headaches. Migraines. |
Squama Manitis |
Cornu Saigae Tataricae |
Scorpio |
Stroke. |
Childhood convulsions with a high fever. |
Epilepsy. |
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum |
Concretio Silicea Bambusae |
Realgar |
Tetanus. |
Delirium associated with a high fever, spasms, convulsions or clenched fists. |
Topically as a powder, for toxic nodules. |
Scorpio |
Rz. Coptidis |
|
Tuberculosis of the bones. |
Snakebite with dizziness, blurred vision and spasms. |
|
- This herb is used much like Scorpio Quan Xie in treating toxic sores and convulsions, however this herb is superior.
- It can be used alone topically for submandibular lymphadenitis.
- It treats Stomach and Liver cancers.
- It removes hypochondriac masses.
- For scrofula and ulcerous sores, roast with tea and pound into a powder. Wash the lesion with a decoction of Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao after which, apply the powder.
- For ulcers and tumors, powder one Wu Gong, together with one loaf of Alumen Ming Fan, one Omphalia Lei Wan and 6g Rx. Stemonae Bai Bu and mix with vinegar.
- For female dactylitis with the protrusion of a diabrotic polyp, powder Wu Gong and apply directly to the lesion, then cover with a mixture of Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum Zhi Tian Nan Xing and vinegar.
- Wu Gong , Scorpio Quan Xie, Bombyx Batryticatus Jiang Can and all dispel Wind and stop spasms and are often used together in severe cases. They also can reduce swelling and disperse clumping. Jiang Can is used primarily for Phlegm-Heat and treating throat Bi. Wu Gong is pungent and warm, is the most intense and more appropriate for opisthotonis, convulsions and rigid spasms, while Quan Xie is pungent and neutral and is better for Heat. It more strongly extinguishes Wind and stops spasms and is more effective at treating tremors of the hands and feet, twitching and torticollis. Wu Gong and Quan Xie both attack toxin and are used to treat Heat toxin sores or scrofula and phlegm nodules.