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Alternate English names: ground beetle

Alternate Chinese names: 土鳖 tǔ biē土鳖虫 tǔ biē chóng; 地鳖 dì biē; 地鳖虫 dì biē chóng

Kingdom: Animal

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker; Steleophaga plancyi (Boleny) . (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin in unofficial sources: Eupolyphaga sinensis Walke*r; Opisthoplatia orientalis Burmeister*; Polyphaga plancyi Bol.; Steleophaga plancyi (Boleny) *

Use: Medicinal

Category: Blood-quickening stasis-transforming agents / Blood-quickening injury-healing agents

Properties: Salty; cold; slightly toxic.

Channel entry: Liver channels.

Actions and indications:

• Breaks blood, expels stasis, and joins sinew and bone: Injury from knocks and falls, damage to the sinews, bone fractures, static blood with swelling and pain; also used for blood stasis with amenorrhea, concretions and accumulations, and postpartum stasis obstruction abdominal pain.
• Modern applications: Zhè chóng has been used recently for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy and uterine fibroids, generally in combination with medicinals such as Chuān shān jiǎ (穿山甲 Manis Squama, pangolin scales) and Táo rén (桃仁 Persicae Semen, peach kernel).

Dosage and method: Oral: 3–10g in decoctions. If taken as a powder, each dose should be 1–1.5g, taken with yellow wine. Zhè chóng is mostly used in its raw form for external use; for internal use, it is stir-fried to reduce its unpleasant fishy flavor.

Warnings: Zhè chóng is slightly toxic and has a potent blood-quickening effect. Hence, it is contraindicated in pregnancy.

Quality: Undamaged large insects that have not been burnt by oven drying.

Production area: Fújiàn, Jiāngsū, Héběi.

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