The role and efficacy of ant lion

What is an antlion? The antlion is an animal of the genus Myrmecophaga, family Myrmecophaga, order Neuroptera. It is widely distributed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia (but not in the UK). Although the antlion looks scary, it has high medicinal value. It can treat many physical ailments. Many medical books say that it can treat children's wind and phlegm, constipation, diarrhea, etc. So let us understand the role and function of antlion.

1. Appearance characteristics

The antlion is also known as sand monkey and sand cow. It is classified as Neuroptera, Chrysopidae. The adult is called "antlion". It is dark gray or dark brown all over, with transparent wings covered with dense mesh veins. It has a small head, but a pair of well-developed compound eyes that protrude to the sides, a chewing mouthpart, and a slender abdomen. The adult body length is 23 to 32 mm, with a wingspan of 52 to 67 mm. Ant flies are mostly medium or large insects that resemble dragonflies. The antennae of ant flies are short, club-shaped, and gradually swell and slightly curve at the tips.

2. The role and efficacy of ant lion

Nature and flavor

Tastes spicy; salty; neutral in nature; poisonous. Enters the bladder meridian.

3. Function and indications

It can calm the liver and relieve wind, relieve fever and calm spasms, remove toxins, eliminate rot and reduce swelling. It is used for hypertension, stroke, high fever in children, convulsions, malaria, abdominal masses, scrofula and tuberculosis, urinary tract infection, bamboo and wood thorns, foreign objects inserted into the flesh, and fractures; it can be used externally to treat otitis media, carbuncles, and unknown swellings.

4. Traditional supplementary prescription

Treatment for malaria: Eleven pieces of ground dried cattle. Mix with wine and swallow, once half an hour before the onset of malaria. For chronic malaria, take the medicine for one week.

To treat malaria in children: seven Rhizoma Cynoglossi. Fry until fragrant and grind into powder, then swallow with boiled water.

Treat carbuncle: seven pieces of ground dried cattle. Apply six pounded wool to the top of the boil, and place another undone wool on the head of the boil and wrap it with cloth. (① The following recipes are from "Secret Recipes of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guizhou Province")

To treat scrofula: mix a little borax and borneol with sand gush, pound it into a paste and apply it to the sores, then cover it with a plaster. (Essentials of the Nature of Raw Medicinal Herbs)

To treat bamboo and wood thorns and iron sand that has penetrated into the flesh and cannot be removed: apply dried cow terrier with pumpkin pulp to the affected area. (Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Records). In general, the medicinal value of antlions is immeasurable.