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Latin
Name
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Scolopendra
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Chinese
Name
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picture
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Origin
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It
refers to the dried body of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans
L. Koch, Scolopendridae.
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Distribution
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It
is mainly produced in Hubei, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Hunan
and Anhui provinces.
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Nature
and Affinity
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It
is acrid in taste, warm in nature and toxic. Its therapeutic
action is related to the Liver Channel.
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Caution
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should be avoided as it is toxic. Liquored centipede is preferable
for the longer-period users. Pregnant women are inhibited form
using it. |
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CHARACTERISTICS |
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The
medicinal product is a flat and long rectangle, 9-17cm long
and 0.5-1cm wide. The whole body is made up of 22 segment on
the head are darkish-red and shrunk. From the second segment,
each somite has a pair of feet on both sides, which are yellow
or reddish-brown in colour and curved like hooks. The dried
body is fragile in texture and crevices are found on its cross
section. It has acrid, and a bit salty in taste. |
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ACTIONS
AND INDICATIONS |
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1.
Relieving convulsion and spasm.
It is often prescribed to relieve acute and chronic infantile
convulsion and tetanus.
2.Detoxicating and resolving a mass.
It is prescribed for skin and external diseases, pyogenic infections,
scrofula, ulceration and snake-bite.
3. Removing obstruction in the channels to relieve pain.
It is used for the treatment of obstinate pain in the head,
and of arthralgia due to pathogenic wind-dampness. |
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ADMINISTRATION
AND DOSAGE |
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3-5
grams are decocted, take the decoction daily for internal use;
or take 0.6-1 gram of powder each time. Proper amount of powder
of centipede may be applied to the affected area for external
use. |
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REMARKS |
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Poisonous;
antidote in poisonous snake-bite; ingredient in cancer prescriptions;
should be avoided by pregnant women; antidote for centipede
bites is juice of fresh mulberry leaves with salt applied directly
to wound. |
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