Earthworm
(di long)
Lumbricus
Properties:
Salty in flavour and cold in nature, it acts on liver and
lung channels. Being salty and cold for eliminating the
heat from lung and liver to relieve cough and asthma it is
used for relieving cough, asthma and high fever; and also
for arthralgia, aphonia and hemiplegia.
Effects:
Clearing away heat to arrest convulsion and relieve asthma
and the obsruction in the channels.
Indications:
1. For high fever,
convulsion, it can be used with cow-bezoare (Calculus
Bovis), uncaria stem with hooks (Ramulus Uncariae cum
uncis), scorpion (Scorpio) and gypsum (Gypsum Fibrosum).
2. For asthma,
congh due to lung-heat, it is used with ephedra (Herba
Ephedrae), gypsum (Gypsum Fibrosum), apricot kernel (Semen
Pruni armeniacae), root-bark of white mulberry (Cortex
Mori radicis) and plantain seed (Semen plantaginis).
3. For arthritis
of damp-heat type, it is often used together with root of
large-leaf gentian (Radix Gentianae macrophyllae),branch
of white mulberry (Cortex Mori radicis), honeysuckle stem
(Caulis Lonicerae) and phellodendron bark (Cortex
Phellodendri); for arthritis of wind-damp type, it is used
with monkshood root (Radix Aconiti),Kusnezolff monkshood
root (Radix Aconiti kusnezoffii), arisaema tuber (Rhizoma
Arisaematis), as in Minor Bolus for activating Energy Flow
in Channels; for apoplectic aphonia, heiplagia caused by
deficiency of Qi and blood stasis, it is often used
together with astra-galus root (Radix Astragali seu
Hedysari),Chinese angelica root (Radix Angelicae sinensis),
chuanxiong rhizome (Rhizoma ligustici chuanxiong),
safflower (Flos Carthami), as in Decoction Invigorating
Yang for Rceuperation. In can treat anuresis and painful
micturition due to heat accumulation.
Dosage and
Administration:
3-10g. 1-2g
of its powder for swallow.
