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Alternate English names: green vitriol

Alternate Chinese names: 皂矾 zào fán; 青矾 qīng fán; 绛矾 jiàng fán

Kingdom: Mineral

Use: Medicinal

Category: External-use agents / Toxin-attacking, worm-killing, and itch-relieving agents

Properties: Sour and astringent; cool.

Channel entry: Lung and large intestine channels.*

Actions and indications: Dries dampness and transforms phlegm; disperses food and kills worms; stanches bleeding and supplements the blood; resolves toxin and closes sores. Treats yellow obesity; gān accumulations; enduring dysentery; intestinal wind with bloody stool; blood vacuity with withered yellow complexion; damp sores, scab (jiè), and lichen (xiǎn); throat impediment (hóu bì); mouth sores; wind eye with ulceration of the eyelid rim.

Product description: This is a natural mineral (or synthetic product) that takes the form of usually cylindrical or sometimes capillary, fibrous, or stalactitic crystals. It is translucent or slightly translucent with a glassy and is various shades of green that turn yellow after long exposure to the air. It is hard and brittle and has a specific gravity of 1.89–1.90. It mainly consists of FeSO₄·7H₂O. After heat treatment, it loses its crystal water, turns crimson in color, and becomes brittle and loose.

Quality: The best quality is green without impurities.

Production area: Shāndōng, Húnán, Gānsū, Xīnjiāng, Shǎnxī (Shaanxi), ānhuī, Zhèjiāng, Hénán.

Etymology: The name lǜ fán 绿矾 literally means green alum.

See: Lǜ fán (绿矾 Melanteritum , melanterite)

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