Musk is the dried secretion from the scent glands of mature male forest musk deer, horse musk deer, or alpine musk deer. It is named for its strong, pervasive fragrance. High-quality musk in granular form is also calledDangmenziNowadays, musk is mostly obtained through artificial domestication, yet even so, the yield remains scarce and the price is high. After extraction, musk must be dried in the shade, sealed, and stored away from light.
Currently available synthetic musk, although inexpensive, is far less potent than animal musk.
I. Efficacy of Musk:
Musk has a pungent taste and is warm in nature. It belongs to the heart and spleen meridians. Its effects includeOpening the orifices and awakening the spirit, activating blood circulation and dispersing masses, reducing swelling and relieving painKnown as the essential medicine for inducing resuscitation and restoring consciousness.
Commonly used forComa in excess syndrome, sores and ulcers with swelling and toxins, scrofula and phlegm nodules, swollen and sore throat, blood stasis and amenorrhea, abdominal masses, sudden severe pain in the heart and abdomen, headache, traumatic injuries, wind-cold-dampness impedimentIt is used in the treatment of conditions such as modern common coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, acute cerebrovascular diseases, other neurological disorders, or surgical sores and ulcers.
Summary of Famous Works by Renowned Authors
The Classic of Materia Medica: "Primarily dispels foul qi, kills ghostly and spiritual entities, treats warm malaria, gu toxins, epilepsy and convulsions, and expels the three worms."
Bie Lu: "Treats sudden abdominal pain, distension, and urgency, fullness and obstruction, wind toxin, difficult childbirth in women, and miscarriage."
Compendium of Materia Medica: "It unblocks all orifices, opens the meridians, penetrates muscles and bones, resolves alcohol toxicity, and eliminates food stagnation from melons and fruits. It treats wind stroke, qi stroke, evil qi stroke, phlegm syncope, and accumulations and masses."
Ben Cao Bei Yao: "Opens the meridians, penetrates the muscles and bones, warms the water organs. Treats sudden stroke, various winds, various qi, various blood disorders, various pains, phlegm syncope, convulsions, abdominal masses, miasmal malaria, nasal congestion, deafness, eye opacities, and genital coldness. Repels evil and detoxifies, kills parasites and induces abortion. Spoiled fruits and spoiled wine treat fruit accumulation and wine accumulation."
II. Compatibility and Application of Musk:
1. Used for febrile diseases with heat entering the pericardium causing unconsciousness and convulsions, stroke with phlegm syncope, epilepsy, and other syndromes. Musk is particularly effective in promoting circulation and opening orifices, making it a key medicine for reviving consciousness and restoring alertness. For treating phlegm-heat obstructing the pericardium syndrome, characterized by unconsciousness, delirium, fever, restlessness, abundant phlegm, and coarse breathing, or for stroke, heatstroke, and infantile convulsions due to phlegm-heat, it is often combined with bezoar, amber, realgar, etc., forming the famous cooling and opening formula.Zhibao Dan。
If treating febrile diseases, pathogenic factors entering the pericardium, high fever with convulsions, delirium, it is often combined with bezoar, buffalo horn powder, pearl, coptis root, scutellaria root, turmeric, etc., namelyAngong Niuhuang Wan。
If treating phlegm syncope coma, stroke hemiplegia, limb dysfunction caused by phlegm confusing the heart orifice, as well as heatstroke, heart and stomach qi pain and other syndromes, it is often combined with storax, clove, benzoin, borneol, sandalwood, etc., which is the famous warm-opening formulaSuhexiang Wan。
The above three prescriptions are all famous formulas for opening the orifices, reviving consciousness, clearing heat, and stopping convulsions, with remarkable efficacy, making them highly worthy of study. Nowadays, there are proprietary medicines from renowned manufacturers available for selection, but their high prices affect their application.
Ben Cao Feng Yuan: "Musk is pungent, warm, and intensely aromatic, serving as a specialized medicine for unblocking passages and promoting orifices."
2. For sores, ulcers, swellings, and toxins. Musk can both invigorate blood and disperse nodules, as well as reduce swelling and relieve pain. It can be taken orally or applied externally. For treating carbuncles, abscesses, swellings, and toxins with hardness and pain, it is often combined with frankincense, myrrh, realgar, etc., namelyXingxiao Wan。
If treating breast cancer, scrofula, lung abscess, and deep multiple abscess, it is often combined with bezoar, frankincense, and myrrh to jointly achieve the effects of detoxifying, dispersing abscesses, and resolving masses, namelyRhinoceros Gall Pill。
Musk has penetrating properties and can also be used as a medicinal guide. It is often used in many skin plasters, such asMusk Bone Strengthening Plaster。
Li Dongyuan said, "Musk enters the spleen to treat flesh, bezoar enters the liver to treat tendons, and borneol enters the kidney to treat bones."
3. For sudden and severe pain in the chest and abdomen, injuries from falls or trauma, and various pains associated with arthralgia syndromes. Musk can promote blood circulation, disperse stagnation, open up stasis, and relieve pain, showing good efficacy whether taken orally or applied externally. For treating syncope and heart pain, it is often combined with herbs that promote qi and blood circulation, such as Aucklandia root and peach kernel, namelyMusk Decoction。
For treating traumatic injuries, it is often combined with Su Mu, Ru Xiang, Mo Yao, Zi Ran Tong, etc.Eight Fen Powder。
If treating coronary heart disease and angina pectoris, it is often combined with toad venom, ginseng, etc., namelyShexiang Baoxin Pill。
4. For conditions such as fetal death in the womb or retained placenta. Musk promotes blood circulation and unblocks the meridians, with the ability to reach the uterine palace, and has the effect of inducing labor and expelling the fetus. It is often combined with cinnamon, namelyXianggui PowderBecause of this,Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy should all avoid use。
III. Usage and Dosage of Musk:
Musk is expensive and used in very small amounts, so it is often made into pills or powders and is not suitable for decoctions. For oral use in powder form, the daily dosage is about 0.06 to 0.1 grams. If using synthetic musk, the dosage can be slightly increased. For external use, apply an appropriate amount.
Wang Ang said: "Grind for use. When using musk, the use of Dangmenzi is especially wonderful."
IV Application Precautions of Musk
Musk is pungent, warm, and dispersing, promoting labor and inducing childbirth, thereforeContraindicated for those with yin deficiency and weak constitution, as well as pregnant women; also contraindicated for those preparing for pregnancy。
