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Scorpio

Alternate Chinese names: 全虫 quán chóng; 全蝎 quān xiē; 蝎 xiē; 干蝎 gān xié

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Buthus martensi Karsch (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin in unofficial sources: Buthus martensi Karsch

Use: Medicinal

Category: Liver-calming wind-extinguishing agents / Wind-extinguishing tetany-relieving agents

Properties: Acrid; balanced; toxic.

Channel entry: Liver channels.

Actions and indications:

Extinguishes wind and checks tetany: Spasms and convulsions.
Attacks toxin and disperses binds: Toxin swelling of sores; scrofula and goiter due to phlegm-fire.
Frees the network vessels and relieves pain: Enduring wind-damp impediment; deviated eyes and mouth due to wind striking the channels and network vessels.
Additional uses: Quán xiē may be used to treat stubborn cases of medial headache (regular headache) or hemilateral headache (migraine). For this, it is taken alone as a powder or may be combined with Tiān má (天麻 Gastrodiae Rhizoma, gastrodia [root]), Wú gōng (蜈蚣 Scolopendra , centipede), Chuān xiōng (川芎 Chuanxiong Rhizoma, chuanxiong [rhizome]), and Jiāng cán (僵蚕 Bombyx Batryticatus , silkworm).

Dosage and method: Oral: 3–6g in decoctions. If swallowed as a powder, each dose should be 0.6–1g.

Warnings: Quán xiē is toxic, so it should not be taken in excessive quantities. It should be used with care in pregnancy.

Quality: Best are scorpions with undamaged bodies and tails, that are yellow in color with a good sheen.

Production area: Hénán, Shāndōng.

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