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Kingdom: Animal

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Agkistrodon acutus (Guenther) . (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin in unofficial sources: Agkistrodon acutus (Günther); Bungarus multicinctus Blyth; Elaphe moellendorffi (Boettger)

Use: Medicinal

Category: Wind-damp–dispelling agents / Wind-cold-damp–dispelling agents

Properties: Sweet, salty; warm; toxic.

Channel entry: Liver channel.

Actions and indications:

• Dispels wind-damp, frees the network vessels, and soothes the sinews: All patterns of wind-cold-damp impediment, insensitive impediment, hypertonicity and pain of the joints, numbness and tingling of the limbs, wind stroke with hemiplegia.
• Dispels wind and relieves itching: Itching of the skin, stubborn lichen, and dormant papules (urticaria).
• Settles fright and checks tetany: Acute or chronic child fright wind, spasms and convulsions due to wind.

Dosage and method: Oral: 5–15g in decoctions. In pills or powders, use 1–1.5g of qí shé (Agkistrodon) or 0.5–1g of jīn qián bái huā shé (Bungarus Parvus) per dose.

Warnings: Bái huā shé should be used with care in high fever or yīn-blood vacuity engendering wind. It possesses greater toxicity than wū shāo shé (Zaocys).

Notes: Bái huā shé is known by the pharmaceutical name of Bungarus seu Agkistrodon because either species can be used. However, they are often distinguished in the literature as jīn qián bái huā shé (金钱白花蛇 Bungarus Parvus) and qí shé (蕲蛇 Agkistrodon). The former is more potent and is used in a lower dose of 0.5–1 g in pills or powders.

Quality: Undamaged snakes are the best.

Production area: Guǎngdōng, Húnán, Húběi, Zhèjiāng, Guǎngxī.

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