Wiseman’s Chinese Medical Database

yuán cán shā / 原蚕沙 / 原蠶沙 / silkworm droppings

Latin pharmacognostic name: Bombycis Faeces

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 晚蚕沙 wǎn cán shā; 蚕沙 cán shā; 蚕砂 cán shā

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

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

Properties: Sweet and acrid; warm; nontoxic*.

Channel entry: liver, spleen, and stomach channels.*

Indications:

• Dispels wind and dampness: Wind-damp impediment (fēng shī bì) pain; eczema with itching.
• Harmonizes the stomach and transforms turbidity: vomiting and diarrhea with cramps.

  Dosage & Method:

  Oral: 5–10g; or use in pills and powders. Can also be applied topically.

  Quality:

  Dry firm uniform black droppings without impurities are the best.

  Product Area:

  Zhèjiāng, Jiāngsū, Guǎngdōng.