It is a good Chinese medicine that makes people love and hate it

When I think back to my childhood, I always feel ignorant and naive. At that time, we preferred to play in the mountains and fields, either picking some wild flowers and fruits on the hillside, or catching crickets and butterflies on the ridges of the fields. However, there is one thing that still makes us laugh today: we encountered a bug that could fart. At that time, a few of us caught a bug, but we didn't expect that the bug gave off a foul odor. We were so scared that we quickly threw the bug away, and we didn't dare to eat, for fear that the smell would affect our appetite and stomach.

Later, we learned that this insect was actually a traditional Chinese medicine called Jiuxiangchong. The nine-scented bug is a melon black bug of the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera, family Pentatomidae. It is a flying blue-black insect, the size of a fingernail and shaped like a water turtle. Generally in spring and summer, it crawls on the stems and leaves of crops to suck the sap. If you accidentally touch it, it will release a very smelly gas that makes people stay away from it. Therefore, it is also called "stinky board bug", "fart bug" and "fart bug". But what’s interesting is, why is this stink bug also called the nine-scented insect? That's because the stink bug contains nine-fragrant insect oil. Once fried, it becomes a delicious medicinal delicacy that can cure diseases and prolong life. Therefore, after its death, it earned the reputation of "Nine-fragrant Insect".

Nine-scented insect is also a Chinese medicinal material with good medicinal value. So, what exactly is the function of this nine-scented insect? Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the nine-scented insect is salty and warm in nature; it enters the liver, spleen, and kidney meridians; it has the effects of regulating qi and relieving pain, warming the middle and assisting yang, and is suitable for stomach cold and bloating, liver and stomach pain, kidney deficiency and impotence, and low back and knee pain; the general oral dosage is 3 to 9 grams.

Of course, the application of nine-scented insects in clinical practice is quite extensive. For example, it can relieve stagnant qi in the diaphragm and help treat liver and kidney deficiency. Specifically, you can use 30 grams of half-cooked nine-scented insects, 12 grams of slightly fried Plantago seeds, 12 grams of tangerine peel, 15 grams of Atractylodes macrocephala, and 24 grams of fried Eucommia ulmoides. Grind them into fine powder, and make them into pills with refined honey. The pills should be as big as sycamore seeds. Take 4.5 grams each time, with salt soup or salt wine, on an empty stomach, and take it again before going to bed.

Nine-scented insects can also treat impotence caused by kidney deficiency, such as pepper and salt nine-scented insects. The specific usage is to first put 30g of nine-scented insects, put appropriate amount of oil in the pot, and after it is fried until fragrant, stir-fry the nine-scented insects, then add a little pepper powder and salt, and wash it down with wine or warm water.

Jiuxiangchong has a good effect on promoting qi and relieving pain. For example, Jiuxiangchong can be used for chest, epigastric and flank pain as long as it is caused by qi stagnation. The specific usage is to take 90 grams of nine-scented insects, 60 grams of roasted whole scorpion, grind them into fine powder, and make pills with refined honey. Each pill weighs 3 grams. Take half a pill each time, which is 1.5 grams, twice a day.

Jiuxiangchong can also be used for patients with symptoms such as low back and knee pain caused by liver and kidney deficiency, accompanied by symptoms such as spleen deficiency, poor appetite, qi stagnation, and abdominal fullness. The specific usage is to take 30g of Jiuxiangchong, 25g of Eucommia ulmoides, 15g of Atractylodes macrocephala, and 12g of dried tangerine peel, grind them into fine powder, make pills with refined honey, take 5g each time, once in the morning and evening, with light salt and boiled water. This prescription is unique in that it regulates both the spleen and kidneys. The nine-scented insect and eucommia bark in the prescription can nourish the liver and kidneys and strengthen the waist and knees. The white atractylodes and tangerine peel in the prescription can strengthen the spleen and regulate qi.

Generally speaking, the nine-scented insect is caught in spring and autumn. After being caught, it is scalded to death with boiling water and then dried in the sun or in an oven. When stir-frying, you can take the cleaned nine-scented insects and put them in the pot, heat them over low heat, and when the aroma comes out, you can take them out and let them cool for later use. Although Jiuxiangchong has a tonic effect, it is not suitable for patients with Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity.