Scorpion (Quanxie)

Naming
Quan Xie (Scorpion)-Shu Ben Cao (Materian Medica of Shu)

Origin
The dry polypides of Buthus martensii Karsch of family Buthidae.

Location
Henan, Shandong and Hebei provinces and so on in China, most hand-feeding.

Harvest
Caught wild Quan Xie from the end of spring to the beginning of autumn.

The actual smell and taste
Slight smell of fish, salty taste.

Best quality
Intact, greenish brown or yellowish brown color, clean and straight, hard abdomen, without canal on back and no salt frost.

Processing
Removed, sand, killed and cooked in boiling water or boiling salt water to get stiff polypides, then dried in the shade.

Property
Pungent, neutral, toxic; liver meridian entered.

Actions
Extinguish wind and stop spasm, counteract toxic pathogen and dissipate nodulation, unblock collateral and alleviate pain.

Indications
A. Syndrome of stirring of liver wind
With good actions of extinguishing liver wind and stopping spasm, it is the key herb for stirring of liver wind. For spasm and convulsions caused by various reasons, it is mutually reinforced by Wu Gong, orally taken with fine powder, such as in experiential formula Zhi Jing San. For acute infantile convulsions with symptoms such as high fever, coma, convulsions, it is often combined with heat-clearing herbs and wind-extinguishing and spasm-stopping herbs. For instance, it is combined with Ling Yang Jiao, Ramulus Oncariae cum Uncis (Gouteng), Rhizoma Gastrodiae (Tianma), and so on.

For chronic infantile convulsions, it is often combined with qi-nourishing and spleen-invigorating herbs and wind-extinguishing and convulsions-relieving herbs. For instance, it is combined with Dang Shen, Bai Zhu and Tian Ma and so on. For epilepsy, convulsions due to phlegm congestion, it is often combined with phlegm-resolving and wind-extinguishing herbs and resuscitative herbs. For instance, it is combined with Niu Huang, Dan Nan Xing and Wu Gong and so on.

B. Sores and ulcers, abscess, scrofula, tuberculosis
It has actions of counteracting toxic pathogen, dissipating nodulation and relieving swelling. For kinds of sores and abscesses, it is often combined with heat-purging and toxicity-relieving herbs. For instance, it is combined with Zhi Zi to fry in sesame oil until herbs turned to black color, then remove herbs and put yellow wax into the oil to make paste for external application. For scrofula, goiter, it is often combined with phlegm-resolving and nodulation-dissipating herbs and swelling-relieving and pain-stopping herbs. For instance, it is combined with Rhizoma Pinelliae (Banxia), Semen Strychni (Maqianzi), and so on.

C. Stubborn wind-damp arthralgia, migraine
It is good at unblocking collateral to alleviate pain and treating chronic wind-cold-damp arthralgia, hypertonic tendon, even obstinate arthralgia with arthrentasis. For stubborn wind-damp arthralgia, it can be used singly in powder or combined with wind-dispelling herbs, blood-activating herbs and collateral-unblocking herbs. For instance, it is combined with Radix Aconiti (Chuanwu), Bai Hua She and Mo Yao and so on.

For stubborn migraine, it can be used singly in powder or combined with wind-dispelling, collateral unblocking and pain-stopping herbs. For instance, it is combined with Chuan Xiong and Wu Gong and so on. For wry eye and mouth due to winds attack on meridians, it is often combined with wind-dispelling, phlegm-resolving and spasm-stopping herbs. For instance, it is combined with Jiang Can and Bai Fu Zi in Qian Zheng San from Yang Shi Jia Cang Fang.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 2~5 g. Take 0.6~1 g in powder. Take proper dose for external application.

Cautions
It is toxic, so large dose of it should not be used. It is contraindicated for pregnant women.