The efficacy and function of arsenic

Everyone is familiar with arsenic, but some people are relatively unfamiliar with it. In fact, arsenic is a relatively common Chinese medicinal material. So what exactly does arsenic do?

[Source] It is a refined product obtained by sublimation of arsenic , see the entry for "Arsenic".

[Preparation] "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Put raw arsenic on fire and cover it with a container. Let the arsenic smoke fly up and hit the container. Then it will condense and hang down like a nipple. The long ones are the best, and the short and flat ones are the second best. The large ones are the inferior ones, and the ones that are like fine crumbs are the worst. The long ones like a nipple should be used as medicine."

[Properties] It is a white powder, odorless, tasteless, soluble in water, ethanol, acids and alkalis. When heated, it will disperse and give off a garlic smell.

[Pharmacological action] See the entry for "arsenic".

【Nature and flavor】Pungent, sour, hot, toxic.

【Meridian】 "Yuchu Yaojie": "enters the spleen, lung, and liver meridians."

【Functions and indications】It can eliminate phlegm, stop malaria, kill parasites, and corrode bad flesh. It is used to treat asthma caused by cold phlegm, malaria, restless dysentery, syphilis, hemorrhoids, scrofula, running tooth scurvy, ringworm, and ulcers with sloughing.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral administration: in pills or powder, 1-5 ml. For external use: grind into powder and sprinkle or mix for application, or mix into plaster and apply.

【Note】 This product is more toxic than arsenic and should be taken with extreme caution. It is not suitable for people with weak constitution or pregnant women.

[Additional prescription] ① For treating asthma: one qian each of arsenic, flour and cuttlebone. Grind it into powder, mix it with water to make cakes, roast it over low heat until it turns yellow, and then grind it into fine powder. Each time you take one word, take a sip with well water, drink it for a long time, and spit it out. For children, reduce the dose by half. Avoid eating hot food. (Red Water Pearl)

【Discussions by various scholars】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Arsenic is used in patients with malaria. If the dose is too high, vomiting and diarrhea will occur. It should be ground into a concentrated form with mung bean juice and drunk with cold water."

[Clinical application] Treatment of asthma: Use 1 piece of arsenic and 1 liang of light fermented black beans, process them into 1000 purple golden pills, take 1 to 6 pills every night before going to bed. Start with 1-2 pills. If there is no obvious reaction, gradually increase the dosage to the sufficient amount. 11 cases were treated, and except for one case with hilar lymphadenopathy with unsatisfactory results, the symptoms of the others were basically controlled. The medication usually takes effect after one day, and the symptoms are basically under control after three days. A few people may experience mild headache, dizziness, and facial edema after taking the medicine, which will disappear on their own within 3 to 5 days after taking the medicine. Some cases experienced loss of appetite and increased transaminase, which returned to normal after using yeast tablets, vitamins, and the Chinese medicine jujube and Artemisia Capillaris decoction; but some cases developed brain fog++, which seemed to indicate that this product had a certain degree of damage to the liver. Some people believe that arsenic has special therapeutic effects on bronchial asthma. It is most suitable for asthma caused by cold; however, some people also point out that arsenic is inherently effective for tropical eosinophilic asthma, but is ineffective for bronchial asthma. Therefore, which type of asthma arsenic therapy is suitable for remains to be further explored.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Bencao Gangmu".

Arsenic is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and can be used to treat a variety of diseases. We should consume arsenic only after fully understanding its effects and functions. I hope everyone doesn’t eat carelessly.