Sangpiaoxiao is the dried egg case of the mantis, named for its preference for being produced on mulberry branches. It is produced in most regions of the country. After harvesting in spring and autumn, it is scalded in boiling water or steamed thoroughly, then dried in the sun for medicinal use.
I. Efficacy of Mantis Egg-Case:
Mantis Egg-Case tastes sweet, salty, and neutral. It enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. Its functions areTonifying the kidney and assisting yang, consolidating essence and reducing urinationIt is a key medicinal for treating seminal emission and enuresis due to kidney deficiency.
Commonly used inspermatorrhea and nocturnal emission, enuresis and frequent urination, turbid urinetreatment of conditions such as
Abstracts of Famous Works by Renowned Authors:
The Classic of Materia Medica: "It primarily treats internal injuries, hernia and abdominal masses, impotence, enhances essence and promotes fertility, treats amenorrhea and lower back pain in women, unblocks the five types of strangury, and facilitates urination and water passage."
Bie Lu: "Treats male deficiency and weakness, the qi of the five viscera is faint, dream sleep loss of essence, enuresis."
"Treatise on Medicinal Properties": "When cooked and consumed on an empty stomach, it stops excessive urination. For men with declining vitality, spontaneous emission of essence, or those who are weak and experience frequent urination, it should be used in increased dosage."
Compendium of Materia Medica: "Sangpiaoxiao is a medicinal herb for the liver, kidney, and life gate, widely used in ancient prescriptions."
"Ben Cao Feng Yuan": "It is a medicine for the liver, kidney, and life gate, specializing in astringency. Therefore, it is commonly used in prescriptions for male deficiency and weakness, kidney decline and impotence, nocturnal emission in dreams, enuresis, and turbid urine."
Jade Carving Medical Explanation: "Mantis egg-case warms the liver and kidneys, unblocks the bladder, treats nocturnal emissions and incontinence, amenorrhea and impotence, leukorrhea and dribbling, ear pain and throat obstruction, abdominal masses, hernia, and fishbone stuck in throat, all of which are effective."
"Compendium of Materia Medica": "Benefits essence and qi and consolidates the kidneys. Treats deficiency damage, impotence, nocturnal emission, white turbidity, metrorrhagia, lower back pain, internal injury, hernia, and abdominal masses. Unblocks the five types of strangury and reduces urination. Roasted and fed to children, it stops bedwetting."
II. Compatibility and Application of Mantis Egg-Case:
1. For conditions such as spermatorrhea, nocturnal emission, enuresis, frequent urination, and excessive leukorrhea caused by kidney deficiency and yang decline. Mantis Egg-Case has the function of tonifying the kidney and securing astringency, and is particularly effective in treating frequent urination and enuresis due to kidney qi insecurity. For treating uncontrollable frequent urination during pregnancy, it can be used alone as a powder and taken with rice soup.
If treating nocturnal emission and leukorrhea, night sweats and consumptive disease, it is often used together with Os Draconis, ground into powder for oral administration.
If treating kidney deficiency with enuresis, white turbidity, frequent urination, seminal emission, and mental confusion, it is often combined with Polygala tenuifolia, Acorus calamus, and Os Draconis, namelySangpiaoxiao Powder。
For the treatment of frequent urination after childbirth or induced abortion, one may consider using salt-fried mantis egg-case combined with ginseng, poria with hostwood, tortoise plastron, and dragon bones, decocted in water for oral administration, for reference.
For treating enuresis in children, you can use Mantis Egg-Case (Sang Piao Xiao) baked until crisp and ground into powder, mixed with sugar, and taken with warm water; or use Mantis Egg-Case in combination with Suoquan Pills. The therapeutic effect is significant and worth referencing.
For treating enuresis or urinary incontinence in adults due to kidney yang deficiency and instability of the lower origin, it is often combined with herbs such as Epimedium, Raspberry Fruit, Cherokee Rose Fruit, Wasp Nest, and Bitter Cardamon.
Wang Ang said: The kidney and the bladder are interiorly exteriorly related. When the kidney is nourished, qi transformation can occur, thus promoting urination. When kidney qi is consolidated, the water passages function normally, thus also stopping urination.
2. For kidney yang deficiency and impotence. Sangpiaoxiao has the effect of tonifying the kidney and assisting yang. It is often combined with warm yang and kidney-tonifying, impotence-strengthening, and astringent herbs such as deer antler, Cistanche deserticola, dodder seed, Morinda officinalis, wolfberry fruit, and wasp nest.
For treating kidney deficiency and lower back pain, it can be flexibly adjusted according to symptoms, often yielding good results.
III. Usage and Dosage of Mantis Egg-Case:
Sangpiaoxiao is often used in decoctions and is also suitable for grinding into powder for consumption. The usual dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams, as excessive use may cause dryness.
Wang Ang said: "Mantis eggs. Those produced on mulberry trees are of good quality. They are roasted until yellow, or boiled with vinegar, soaked in hot water, and then stewed for use."
IV. Application Notes for Mantis Egg-Case:
Sangpiaoxiao warms and tonifies, securing and astringing, thereforeYin deficiency with effulgent fire, dampness-heat in the lower jiao, yellow and thick leukorrhea, or persistent erection and seminal emission are all contraindications for use。
