Stiff silkworm is the dried insect body of the larvae of the silkworm moth family insect, Bombyx mori, which has been infected or artificially inoculated with Beauveria bassiana and died. Because of its white color and stiff but not decaying nature, it is also calledWhite Stiff SilkwormSome physicians, for the sake of convenience in writing, split the character "蚕" to form the name, hence it is also calledTian ChongNowadays, it is mostly cultivated, dried, and used raw or stir-fried.
I. Efficacy of Silkworm:
Silkworm tastes pungent, salty, and neutral. It belongs to the liver, lung, and stomach meridians. Its effects includeCalming Wind to Stop Convulsions, Dispelling Wind to Relieve Pain, Detoxifying and Resolving Nodules。
Commonly used inLiver wind with phlegm, convulsions and spasms, infantile acute convulsions, tetanus, facial paralysis in stroke, wind-heat headache, red eyes and sore throat, wind rash and itching, mumps and parotitistreatment of conditions such as
Summary of Famous Works by Renowned Authors:
Ben Jing: "Treats infantile convulsions and epilepsy, night crying, eliminates three types of parasites, removes dark spots, improves facial complexion, and treats male genital sores."
"Compendium of Materia Medica": "Dispels wind-phlegm nodules, scrofula, head wind, wind-insect toothache, skin wind sores, erysipelas with itching, all types of metal wounds, furuncle swelling, and wind hemorrhoids."
Ben Cao Qiu Zhen: "Treating stroke-induced loss of voice, head wind and toothache, throat obstruction and swollen throat, all of which are caused by wind-cold entering internally, accumulating and forming phlegm."
"Compendium of Materia Medica": "Stiff but not decaying, it obtains the qi of clear transformation, thus capable of treating wind and resolving phlegm, dispersing accumulations and promoting meridian flow. Its qi and flavor are both thin, light and floating, ascending, entering the three meridians of the lung, liver, and stomach. Treats wind stroke with loss of voice, head wind and toothache, throat obstruction and swollen throat, erysipelas and itching, scrofula and nodules, phlegm malaria and blood disorders, flooding and vaginal discharge, infantile fright and malnutrition, skin like fish scales. Promotes lactation, eliminates scars."
II. Compatibility and Application of Bombyx Batryticatus:
1. For convulsions and spasms caused by internal stirring of liver wind and phlegm-heat. Silkworm can extinguish wind and stop convulsions, and also clear heat and resolve phlegm. It is often combined with scorpion, gastrodia tuber, and arisaema with bile, namelyQianjin Powder。
For treating chronic diarrhea due to spleen deficiency and chronic convulsions, it is often combined with Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Gastrodia elata, namelyXingpi Powder。
If treating wind stroke with deviation of the mouth and eyes, and facial muscle twitching, it is often combined with scorpion and white aconite, namelyQianzheng Powder。
Zhu Liangchun treats epilepsy, for those who frequently experience seizures, he often combines centipedes, scorpions, earthworms, etc., grinding them into powder for oral administrationCompound Antispasmodic PowderPersistent use can reduce or control its occurrence.
In the treatment of stroke and facial paralysis, Dr. Zhu often uses Bombyx Batryticatus and Scorpio as the main herbs, combined with stir-fried Schizonepeta, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Uncaria, raw Paeonia lactiflora, Bamboo shavings, and Haliotis diversicolor. For more severe cases, Typhonium giganteum is added.Ping Gan Qu Feng Tang。
2. For headache, red eyes, sore throat, and toothache caused by wind-heat or liver heat, silkworm can disperse wind and clear heat, as well as relieve wind and pain. When used alone and ground into powder for oral administration, it can treat headache caused by wind.
For treating wind-heat headache, tearing upon exposure to wind, and similar conditions, it is often combined with Schizonepeta, Mulberry Leaf, and Scouring Rush, namelyWhite Stiff Silkworm Powder。
If treating the early stage of febrile disease with symptoms involving both the exterior and interior, regardless of adults or children, it is often combined with cicada slough, licorice root, talc, rhubarb, Chinese honey locust, and turmeric to make pills for oral administration, namelyBiaoli Hejie Dan。
For treating sore throat due to wind-heat, it is often combined with Platycodon root, Saposhnikovia root, and licorice root, namelySix Ingredients Decoction。
For treating high fever and convulsions in children, it is often combined with scorpion, cinnabar, and Artemisia annua larvae, etc., to make pills for targeted application.Jiere Dingjing Wan。
For treating wind-heat type urticaria, it is often combined with turmeric, cicada slough, black-tail snake, and raw rhubarb, ground into powder for oral administration, with significant therapeutic effects. If the condition persists and is not cured, with deficiency of qi and blood, it is advisable to supplement with qi-tonifying and blood-nourishing ingredients; if there is spleen deficiency, it is appropriate to use spleen-tonifying and dampness-eliminating formulas.
For the treatment of wind-heat transforming into dryness type psoriasis, it is often combined with white flower snake, processed white aconite, and white tribulus terrestris, ground into powder in equal parts for oral administration, namelyFour White PowderIf the patient has chronic illness with blood deficiency, it is advisable to combine with blood-nourishing and blood-cooling herbs.
3. For scrofula, phlegm nodules, furuncles, erysipelas, and other conditions. Silkworm has the effects of detoxifying, dispersing nodules, resolving phlegm, and softening hardness. For treating scrofula and tuberculosis, it is often combined with Fritillaria thunbergii, Prunella vulgaris, Forsythia suspensa, and other herbs.
For the treatment of cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis, it is often combined with cicada slough, ground into powder and taken orally, which shows certain therapeutic effects.
For the treatment of lobular hyperplasia of the breast, if the symptoms are due to liver qi stagnation, phlegm and qi congealing, and disharmony of the thoroughfare and conception vessels, it is often combined with honeycomb, Chinese angelica root, red peony root, cyperus tuber, and tangerine seed, namelyXiaohe DecoctionTogether they achieve the effects of soothing the liver to relieve depression, resolving phlegm and softening hardness, and regulating the thoroughfare and conception vessels.
For the treatment of scrofula, which refers to swollen lymph nodes without suppuration, it can be combined with Zhejiang Fritillaria and Scorpion, ground into powder, and then mixed with a concentrated decoction of Scrophularia and Prunella vulgaris to form pills for oral administration. This formula can soften hardness, dissipate nodules, resolve phlegm, and eliminate masses. Consistent use often yields good results.
For the treatment of chronic pharyngitis and the syndrome of throat obstruction due to yin deficiency, one can combine roasted silkworm with roasted whole scorpion, coptis chinensis, roasted honeycomb, honeysuckle flower, hematite, and raw oyster shell, grind them into powder for oral administration.Sore Throat PowderSimultaneously, take it with a tea made from raw rehmannia root, ophiopogon root, and glehnia root. Together, they work to nourish yin, clear heat, resolve phlegm, and soothe the throat.
In addition, Bombyx Batryticatus also has a hypoglycemic effect. When ground into powder and taken orally, it can be used to treat diabetes. It is also effective in eliminating polyps. For polyps in areas such as the vocal cords, rectum, and cervix, it can be decocted together with Mume Fructus or added to syndrome differentiation-based formulas for better results.
III. Usage and Dosage of Bombyx Batryticatus:
Stiff silkworm can be used in decoctions but is more suitable for grinding into powder for consumption. The usual dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams; when taken as powder, the dosage is about one gram per serving.
Generally, it is often stir-fried with bran for use; if used to dispel wind-heat, it is advisable to use it raw.
Currently, there are counterfeit silkworms that are made by mixing lime powder with other dead silkworms. They appear similar to silkworms, but the insect body is softer and prone to decay. Careful identification is necessary when using them. Genuine white silkworms are white and stiff, and they do not decay even after long storage.
Wang Ang said, "The first silkworm, white in color and straight in shape, is of good quality."
IV. Application Precautions for Bombyx Batryticatus:
Stiff silkworm clears heat and disperses wind, thusContraindicated for those without external pathogenic factors and those with yin deficiency and fire excess; use with caution for those allergic to insect proteins。
Wang Ang said, "If all symptoms are due to blood deficiency and there is no invasion of wind-cold pathogenic factors, do not take it.
