The efficacy and function of toad

Many people choose toads because of their high-value pharmacological effects, but you should be careful not to eat them casually, otherwise it will have some bad effects on the body. We need to understand it before eating it. Are you ready?

[Other names] Bitter caterpillar (Bielu), toad (Yaoxinglun), shrimp toad (Bencao Yanyi), oyster (Quanying Fanglun), toad, stone clam (Bencao Mengquan), Lai Gebao (Guizhou Folk Prescriptions and Medicines Collection), toad, toad (Jilin Handbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine), clam (Compilation of Medicinal Materials), scale toad, scale toad (Shandong Handbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine).

[Source] It refers to the whole species of Toad family, such as Chinese giant toad or black-spotted toad . Catch in summer and autumn. After catching the toad, the toad venom is first removed, then the toad is killed and dried directly in the sun (in Northeast China and North China); or the internal organs are removed after killing and the body cavity is opened and dried (in East China, Central South, and South China). This kind of dried toad is called "dried toad" in trade, and the product with the internal organs removed is commonly known as "dried toad skin".

【Original form】 ① Chinese giant toad

[Habitat distribution] It is mainly produced in Shandong, Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Liaoning, Jilin and other places.

[Properties] Dried toad: The whole body is contracted and wrinkled, with angular longitudinal surface, four legs with different extension and contraction, and the surface is gray-green or green-brown. After removing the internal organs, the inner surface of the abdominal cavity is grayish yellow, and bones and membranes can be seen. It has a slightly fishy smell and a spicy taste. The best ones are large, dry and complete.

[Toxicity] There are many reports of poisoning caused by eating toads in the literature. Generally, symptoms of poisoning occur 30 to 60 minutes after cooking, and mainly include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, or even coma, pale complexion, cold limbs, weak pulse, irregular heartbeat, etc. The electrocardiogram manifestations are very similar to digitalis poisoning. Toad eggs and secretions of its parotid and skin glands contain a variety of toxic substances. It is not clear whether other parts of the toad are toxic. Cooking does not destroy or eliminate its toxicity. There were two cases of children who developed severe poisoning symptoms after eating a cooked toad. Among them, a 5-year-old child was rescued; the other 1 and a half-year-old child died about 7 hours after the onset of the disease despite failed rescue efforts. Therefore, it is generally believed that toads are not suitable for consumption. If used as external medicine, their toxins may be absorbed into the blood and cause poisoning, so care should be taken.

[Preparation] Toad: Brush off the dust and dirt, cut off the head and claws, and cut into cubes. Roasted dried toad: Pour iron sand into a pot and heat it up. Add the chopped dried toad and stir-fry until it is slightly charred and foamy. Take it out, sieve out the iron sand, and let it cool. There is a folk custom of wrapping a live toad with yellow mud, simmering it in ashes to preserve its essence, and then grinding it into powder for use as medicine.

【Nature and flavor】Pungent, cool, poisonous.

【Return to meridians】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "enters the Yangming meridian."

【Functions and indications】It can break up knots, remove dampness, eliminate toxins, kill insects and relieve pain. It is used to treat furuncle, back furuncle, genital carbuncle, scrofula, malignant ulcer, abdominal mass, ascites, edema, infantile malnutrition and chronic tracheitis.

[Usage and Dosage] For external use: burn the medicine and grind it into powder or boil it into a paste and apply it on the affected area. For internal use: decoct in water, 1 piece; or make into pills or powder, 0.3-1 qian.

[Additional prescription] ① For treating all sores, carbuncles, scrofula and other diseases which do not heal after menstruation and will cause cold fistula: one toad (remove the head), lime sulfur (grind separately), frankincense (grind separately). Half a liang each of costus root and cinnamon (peeled off), and a beehive (burned to ashes). Grind the above six ingredients into powder, use 1 liang of clear oil to mix the powder, put into a porcelain bowl, boil in heavy water in a pot, stir constantly until it becomes a paste, spread on silk and apply it on the surface. Wait for clear water to come out, then replace the medicine with new one. If the sore is severe, apply a thick layer of medicine on it. (Toad ointment from Shengji Zonglu)

【Discussions by various scholars】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Toads enter the Yangming meridian, reduce deficiency heat, remove dampness, kill insects and hide, and are important medicines for malnutrition, carbuncle, and various sores. "Bielu" says that it can treat dog bites, and "Zuohou" also has methods. According to Shen Yue's "Book of Song", Zhang Shou was injured by a dog, and people said that he should eat toad sashimi, and he recovered after eating it. This also means that it can treat carbuncle and furuncle. It is generally because the toad can attack and remove poison. The toads used in various prescriptions in ancient and modern times are not very different, and most of them are toads. Readers should use them carefully and not be confused by the name."

【Clinical application】 ①Treatment of diphtheria

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Ming Yi Bie Lu".

The above is a detailed introduction to the medicinal value of toads. There are also some ways and methods when eating toads. The above methods of eating are very helpful in regulating various problems of the human body, so you can do it with confidence.