Contraindications of medicinals in pregnancy

Inappropriateness or inadvisability of taking or prescribing certain medicinals during pregnancy since they may cause miscarriage or harm both the mother and child.

Contraindications of Medicinals in Pregnancy

Vegetable

• 附子 (fù zǐ) aconite (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata)
• 川乌头 (chuān wū tóu) aconite main tuber (Aconiti Radix)
• 天雄 (tiān xióng) tianxiong aconite (Aconiti Tuber Laterale Tianxiong)
• 侧子 (cè zǐ) small aconite (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Parva)
• 钩吻 (gōu wěn) yellow jessamine (Gelsemii Herba)
• 天南星 (tiān nán xīng) arisaema (Arisaematis Rhizoma)
• 姜半夏 (jiāng bàn xià) ginger pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber cum Zingibere Praeparatum)
• 大戟 (dà jǐ) euphorbia/knoxia (Euphorbiae seu Knoxiae Radix)
• 芫花 (yuán huā) genkwa (Genkwa Flos)
• 常山 (cháng shān) dichroa (Dichroae Radix)
• 马钱子 (mǎ qián zǐ) nux vomica (Strychni Semen)

• 川牛膝 (chuān niú xī) cyathula (Cyathulae Radix)
• 胡桃仁 (hú táo rén) walnut (Juglandis Semen)
• 牡丹皮 (mǔ dān pí) moutan (Moutan Cortex)
• 茜草根 (qiàn cǎo gēn) madder (Rubiae Radix)
• 干漆 (gān qī) lacquer 1Toxicodendri Resina)
• 瞿麦 (qū mài) dianthus (Dianthi Herba)
• 三棱 (sān léng) sparganium (Sparganii Rhizoma)
• 鬼羽箭 (guǐ yǔ jiàn) buchnera (Buchnerae Herba)
• 通草 (tōng cǎo) rice-paper plant pith (Tetrapanacis Medulla)
• 红花 (hóng huā) carthamus (Carthami Flos)
• 藏红花 (zàng hóng huā) saffron (Croci Stigma)
• 莪朮 (é zhú) zedoary (Curcumae Rhizoma)
• 苏木 (sū mù) sappan (Sappan Lignum)
• Ejecting, Precipitating, and Slippery Medicinals
• 藜芦 (lí lú) veratrum (Veratri Nigri Radix et Rhizoma)
• 巴豆 (bā dòu) croton (Crotonis Fructus)
• 牵牛子 (qiān niú zǐ) morning glory (Pharbitidis Semen)
• 冬葵子 (dōng kuí zǐ) mallow seed (Malvae Semen)
• 薏苡仁 (yì yǐ rén) coix (Coicis Semen)
• 枳实 (zhǐ shí) unripe bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus)

• 厚朴 (hòu pò) officinal magnolia bark (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex)
• 肉桂 (ròu guì) cinnamon bark (Cinnamomi Cortex)
• 干姜 (gān jiāng) dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma)

Animal

• Blood-Quickening Stasis-Transforming Medicinals
• 水蛭 (shuǐ zhì) leech (Hirudo)
• 斑蝥 (bān máo) mylabris (Mylabris)
• 地胆 (dì dǎn) oil beetle (Meloë)
• 蜘蛛 (zhī zhū) spider (Aranea)
• 蝼蛄 (lóu gū) mole cricket (Gryllotalpa)
• 蜈蚣 (wú gōng) centipede (Scolopendra)
• 蛇蜕 (shé tuì) snake slough (Serpentis Periostracum)
• 虻虫 (méng chóng) tabanus (Tabanus)

Mineral

• 代赭石 (dài zhě shí) hematite (Haematitum)
• 水银 (shuǐ yín) mercury (Hydrargyrum)
• 铅粉 (qiān fěn) processed galenite (Galenitum Praeparatum)
• 硇砂 (náo shā) sal ammoniac (Sal Ammoniacum)
• 砒石 (pī shí) arsenic (Arsenicum)
• 芒硝 (máng xiāo) mirabilite (Natrii Sulfas)
• 石硫黄 (shí liú huáng) sulfur (Sulphur)
• 雄黄 (xióng huáng) realgar (Realgar)
• 轻粉 (qīng fěn) calomel (Calomelas)

Some of these medicinals such as arsenic (Arsenicum, 砒石 pī shí), croton (Crotonis Fructus, 巴豆 bā dòu), and mylabris (Mylabris, 斑蝥 bān máo) are absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy. Others are permitted when suitably processed, e.g., pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏 bàn xià) prepared with ginger juice, which is often used for malign obstruction in the early stages of pregnancy.