Medicinals
bān máo / 斑蝥 / 斑蝥 / mylabris;
Latin pharmacognostic name: Mylabris
Alternate English names: cantharides; Chinese blister fly
Alternate Chinese names: 龙尾 lóng wěi; 老虎斑毛 lǎo hǔ bān máo; 花斑毛 huā bān máo; 花壳虫 huā ké chóng; 斑毛 bān máo; 斑猫 bān māo
Origin: Plant
Use: medicinal
Category: Blood-Quickening Stasis-dispelling agents / Blood-quickening concretion-dispersing agents
Properties: Acrid; cold; very toxic. (Some texts mark it as warm.)
Channel entry: liver, kidney, and stomach channels.
Indications:
- Breaks the blood, expels stasis, and disperses concretions: Concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings; amenorrhea due to blood stasis.
- Attacks toxin and disperses binds: Flat- and welling-abscesses, stubborn lichen, and scrofula.
- Other uses: In ancient formulas, bān máo was commonly used for scrofula as well as rabid dog bites.
Dosage & Method:
Topical: Grind to a powder and apply to the skin to cause blistering; apply mixed with wine or vinegar. Oral: Stir-fry and grind to a powder (0.03–0.06g); use in pills and powders.
Warning:
Bān máo is very toxic, so it should be used internally with care. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and weak health, and the dosage must always be carefully controlled. Bān máo is irritating to the skin; external application produces redness, burning, and blisters. It should not be applied for too long or on too large an area and must be removed as soon as the patient feels a burning sensation. Excessive internal consumption can cause nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, bloody urine, and impaired renal function.
Notes:
Lotus root is available in dried slices, but the fresh root is superior.
Product Description:
This insect is oval in shape. Mylabris phalerata is 10–25 mm long, and 5–10 mm wide, while Mylabris cichorii is 10–15 mm long and 5–7 mm wide. In both species, the head is triangular and black, with two large compound eyes. On the dorsum are two leathery black elytra (wing covers) with three golden brown transverse stripes. On the ventral aspect, a protuberant shiny brown-black thorax has three pairs of black hairy legs attached, while the similarly colored segmented abdomen is covered with black down. This product has an unusual smell.
Quality:
Large undamaged insects with bright golden yellow stripes are best.
Product Area:
Hénán, Guǎngxī, ānhuī, Sìchuān, Guìzhōu, Húnán, Yúnnán, Jiāngsū.
Etymology:
The name bān máo 斑蝥, ""striped mylabris,"" reflects the appearance of this insect.