Earthworm, Di Long 地龙

Di Long ‘Earth Dragon’ (TCM)
Kharateen (Unani)
 Picture Picture
Picture Materia Medica Animalia, Peter Peyto Good, 1853

Picture Bulk Prepared Earthworm as available on the Chinese Market (Chengdu Medicine Market, Adam, 2015)

Picture Dried Earthworm as used in Unani medicine (Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)

Picture Members CLICK HERE for the PRO VERSION

Entomological name:


Primarily Lumbricus and Pheretima spp:
  1. Lumbricus terrestris
  2. Pheretima vulgaris
  3. Pheretima aspergillium (‘Guang Di Long‘; regarded as best in TCM)
  4. Pheretima rubellus
  5. Pheretima asiatica, P. posthuma, P. guillelmi, P. pectinifera, P. koreana, P. carnosa, P. hupeiensis (TCM)
Other sources of Earthworm include Allolobophora caliginosa trapezoides, Eisenia foetida, E. rosea
According to TCM sources, the best Earthworms are white-necked Earthworms.

Parts used:


Cleansed and dried Earthworm.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry (some have claimed them moist; they are moist when fresh). Salty

Classifications:


2B ATTENUATERS    2I. ANTISPASMODICS    2T. GLUTINATE
3E. DIURETIC    3F. LITHONTRIPTIC    3H. LACTAGOGUE    3K. EXPECTORANT    3M. ARTHRITICS
4k. ARTHRITIC
TCM:
B. Clear Heat    B. Clears Deficient Heat     C. Clear Damp, Promote Urine    D. Clear Wind and Damp    I. Medicines for Internal Wind    P. Clear Phlegm

Uses:


1. Clears Wind and Heat, Resists Poison (TCM, West):
-Fever, Epidemic Fever

2. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms and Convulsions (TCM, West):
-Spasms, Convulsions

3. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine (TCM, West):
-hot, painful urinary problems

4. Clears Heat, Stops Coughing and Wheezing (TCM, West):
-Cough, Asthma

5. Clears Wind-Damp, Moves the Blood, Promotes Circulation (TCM, West):
-joint and muscle pain

6. Promotes Milk:
-It has been used to promote Milk. (West)

7. Benefits Kidneys, Nourishes Yin::
-Regarded as tonic

8. Kills Worms:
    
9. Externally:
-boiled in oil to use externally for Erysipelas, chronic open Sores, lower limb Ulcers, Eczema, Burns, Pains, Gout etc. (TCM, West).


Dose:


… available in PRO version

Preparation:


… available in PRO version

Comment:


… available in PRO version

Correctives:


… available in PRO version

Substitutes:


… available in PRO version
Picture

Main Combinations:


Heat, Fever
1. High Fever with convulsions and delirium:
i. Fresh Earthworms … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
2. Infantile Convulsions:
i. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iii. Acute Infantile Convulsions, grind a fresh Earthworm with … available in PRO version
3. Epidemic Fever and Febrile diseases in Children:
i. wash fresh Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. wash the earth from Earthworms, … available in PRO version
4. Sudden swelling of the Throat:
i. beat fresh Earthworms with … available in PRO version
ii. beat 14 fresh Earthworm … available in PRO version
5. Malaria with restlessness and fever, … available in PRO version
6. Consumption and Hectic Fever, Earthworm with … available in PRO version

Head, Nerve, Wind diseases
7. Severe Headaches, Migraine:
i. Baked Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
8. Paralysis, Hemiplegia:
i. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
ii. Post-stroke Hemiplegia or Facial Paralysis, Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iii. Hemiplegia, Loss of Speech, Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iv. For Paralysis and all Hardness: … available in PRO version
9. Stroke, with Hemiplegia, Numbness, Deviation of mouth and eye:
i. with Qi deficiency and Blood stasis, Earthworm with … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
iii. with numbness, muscle contracture, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
iv. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
v. from Wind-Phlegm, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
10. Chronic Convulsions from weakness, … available in PRO version
11. Dizziness and Hypertension, Earthworm with … available in PRO version
12. Vertigo, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
13. Schizophrenia, Mania with Fever, wash fresh Earthworm, … available in PRO version
14. Alzheimer’s Disease, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
15. Deafness, Earthworm, … available in PRO version

Move the Blood
16. To Move the Blood and clear Blood stasis:
i. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iii. to strongly break Blood stasis, Earthworm with … available in PRO version

Urinary, Stones, Jaundice, Arthritis
17. Edema and Ascites, … available in PRO version
18. Swelling and pain of the hands and feet, grind fresh Earthworms … available in PRO version
19. Dysuria, Urinary retention from Heat and Damp:
i. Grind fresh Earthworms, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
20. Jaundice:
i. take as many Earthworms … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
21. To promote Urine, Earthworm with … available in PRO version
22. Gravel and Stones, combine Oil of Earthworms and … available in PRO version
23. Chronic Arthritis, Rheumatism from Wind-Damp:
i. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
iii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
24. Cervical spondylopathy, Earthworm with … available in PRO version

Other
25. Red, Inflamed Eyes:
i. from Wind exposure, … available in PRO version
ii. from Wind-Damp-Heat, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
26. Asthma, Wheezing, Bronchitis from Heat:
i. wash fresh Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iii. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
iv. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
27. Thromboangiitis Obliterans, Scrofula and Osteoarticular Tuberculosis, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
28. Leprosy, beat Earthworms … available in PRO version
29. Diabetes, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
30. To promote Milk:
i. Earthworm with … available in PRO version
ii. Fennel seed, … available in PRO version

Externally:
31. To heal a Wound, Oils of Earthworm, … available in PRO version
32. Fracture:
i. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
ii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
iii. Earthworm, … available in PRO version
33. Hernia, Earthworm … available in PRO version
34. Withered and Wasting of the Limbs, Earthworms, … available in PRO version
35. For Lameness, and tightness of the sinews, mix Oil of Earthworms … available in PRO version
36. Erysipelas, Dermatitis, fresh washed Earthworms … available in PRO version
37. Varicose veins, Earthworm, … available in PRO version
38. Sores, Burns, Scalds, paste of the fresh Earthworm … available in PRO version
39. Inflammations, Earthworms, … available in PRO version
40. Toothache, dissolve fresh Earthworm … available in PRO version
41. Sore, Swollen and Bleeding gums:
i. apply powdered Earthworm … available in PRO version
ii. powdered Earthworm, … available in PRO version
42. Breast Lumps, Wash Earthworms in … available in PRO version
43. Swollen Testes in an infant, powder Earthworm, … available in PRO version
44. Otitis Media with pus, grind dried Earthworm … available in PRO version
45. Tinea, Earthworm powder, … available in PRO version
46. To remove foul flesh in Cancerous Ulcers, apply Earthworm powder … available in PRO version

Major Formula:


Xiao Huo Luo Wan
Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang
Ba Zhu Tang

Cautions:


1. Caution in those with markedly weak digestion, or who are Cold and weak.
2. Avoid use in Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:


Syrup of Earthworm, Distilled Water, Oil of Earthworms
LUMBRICO TERRESTRI by Christian Francisci Paullini.
This book, written in 1703, is dedicated entirely to the use of Earthworms in medicine. It is an exhaustive treatise containing over 230 pages. It contains numerous preparations including Wine, Decoction, Distilled Water, Juice, Spirit, Extract, Essence, Oil, Salt, Volatile Salt and Powder.

Diseases treated include Headache, Paralysis, Convulsion, Epilepsy, Apoplexy, Earache,
Toothache, Asthma, Dysentery, Colic, Diarrhea, Worms, Edema, Fibroid Tumors, Hemorrhoidal Pain, Stones, Sciatica, Gonorrhea, Tumors of the Testicles, Suppressed Menstruation, Atrophy, and Gout.
 
Externally Earthworms were prescribed for Ulcers, Wounds, Alopecia, Inflammation, Cancer, Gangrene, Ganglion, Syphilis, Contracture etc.
1. GENERAL / REVIEW:
–Dilong: Food for Thought and Medicine
–Comparison on pharmacological functions of pheretima
–[Analysis of chemical components from Pheretima].
–Earthworms Dilong: Ancient, Inexpensive, Noncontroversial Models May Help Clarify Approaches to Integrated Medicine Emphasizing Neuroimmune Systems

2. ANTI-PYRETIC
–Anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic activities of earthworm extract-Lampito mauritii (Kinberg).

3. ANTI-BACTERIAL
–Antibacterial Activity of Lumbricus Rubellus Earthworm Extract Against Porphyromonas Gingivalis as the Bacterial Cause of Periodontitis
–Antibacterial activity of endosymbiotic bacterial compound from Pheretima sp. earthworms inhibit the growth of Salmonella Typhi and Staphylococcus aureus: in vitro and in silico approach

4. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY:
–Anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic activities of earthworm extract-Lampito mauritii (Kinberg).
–Earthworms Dilong: Ancient, Inexpensive, Noncontroversial Models May Help Clarify Approaches to Integrated Medicine Emphasizing Neuroimmune Systems

5. ANTI-OXIDANT
–Earthworms Dilong: Ancient, Inexpensive, Noncontroversial Models May Help Clarify Approaches to Integrated Medicine Emphasizing Neuroimmune Systems

6. SEDATIVE & ANTI-CONVULSANT
–Decoction and alcohol extracts are effective.

7. ANALGESIC
–Study of analgesic effect of earthworm extract

8. HYPOTENSIVE:
–Tincture, Powder and Decoction have shown this effect.
–[A hypotensive analog of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in pheretima].
–[Study on fibrolytic and hypotensive activity of earthworm homogenate of ultrafiltration separation from enzymolysis].

9. ANTI-ARRHYTHMIC
–Tincture, Powder and Decoction have shown this effect.

10. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
–Bazhu Decoction, a Traditional Chinese Medical Formula, Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

11. DIURETIC
–Comparison on pharmacological functions of pheretima

12. WOUND HEALING
–Effects of extract of dilong (pheretima) on the scalded skin in rats.
–Effect of Earthworm on Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
–The effect of earthworm extract on promoting skin wound healing
 13. PROMOTE NERVE REGENERATION:
–Earthworms Dilong: Ancient, Inexpensive, Noncontroversial Models May Help Clarify Approaches to Integrated Medicine Emphasizing Neuroimmune Systems

14. PROMOTES BONE HEALING
–Earthworm (Pheretima aspergillum) extract stimulates osteoblast activity and inhibits osteoclast differentiation

15. PROMOTES NERVE CELL REGENERATION
–Dilong: Food for Thought and Medicine
–Dilong: Role in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

16. BRONCHODILATOR;
–including that caused by histamine and pilocarpine

17. ANTI-ASTHMATIC
–In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the anti-asthmatic activities of fractions from Pheretima.
–[Study on the proportion & mechanism of reliving asthma of drug partnership comprising herbal Ephedrae sinica & Pheretima aspergilum].
–[Effect of earthworm decoction on airway inflammation of bronchial asthma in guinea pigs].

18. ANTI-THROMBOTIC, INHIBITS PLATELET AGGREGATION
–Decoction has demonstrated this effect.
–[Study of the fibrinolytic, anti-coagulative, thrombolytic and hemorheologic action of Lumbricus].
–Dilong: Food for Thought and Medicine
–Bioevaluation of Pheretima vulgaris Antithrombotic Extract, PvQ, and Isolation, Identification of Six Novel PvQ-Derived Fibrinolytic Proteases

19. INDUCES THROMBOLYSIS
–due to Lumbrokinase

20. FIBRONOLYTIC:
–[Study of the fibrinolytic, anti-coagulative, thrombolytic and hemorheologic action of Lumbricus].
–Isolation and properties of a novel fibrinolytic enzyme from an earth worm
–[Study on fibrolytic and hypotensive activity of earthworm homogenate of ultrafiltration separation from enzymolysis].
–Bioevaluation of Pheretima vulgaris Antithrombotic Extract, PvQ, and Isolation, Identification of Six Novel PvQ-Derived Fibrinolytic Proteases

21. ANTI-TUMOR
–Evaluation of cytotoxic and anti-tumor activity of partially purified serine protease isolate from the Indian earthworm Pheretima posthuma

22. ANTI-CANCER
–Lumbrokinase lower Fibrinogen in cancer patients, reduces metastasis, slows Tumors growth

23. ANTI-AGING
–Anti-elastase, anti-tyrosinase and matrix metalloproteinase-1 inhibitory activity of earthworm extracts as potential new anti-aging agent

24. UTERINE STIMULANT