Glauber‘s Salt, Mirabilite, Mang Xiao 芒硝Sal Mirabile, Natrum sulphuricumMang Xiao (TCM) Mze tsha |
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Glauber’s Salt crystalPhoto: Shizhao (Wikimedia)
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Mang Xiao from Collection of the Essential Medical Herbs of Materia Medica (1505) |
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Mineralogical name:
Sodium Sulphate
Parts used:
Salt
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Salty, Bitter
Uses:
1. Moves the Bowels, Clears Heat, Purges Accumulation, Resolves Stagnation::
-Constipation from Heat; it lubricates and softens hardness
-Acute Appendicitis, bowel Pain
-Dysentery, inflammatory conditions of the bowels
-Edema with sluggish stomach and bowels.
-hepatic congestion; chronic Jaundice with Constipation
2. Clears Heat, Drains Fire:
-Lung Heat Cough; Tuberculosis
-Cerebral Congestion, Mastitis, Conjunctivitis etc. especially when accompanied with constipation.
-Acute Breast Abscess
-Hypertension
3. Externally: Clears Heat and Inflammation:
-heat, redness, swollen and painful Eyes (as a wash)
-painful sores or Ulcers of the Mouth or Throat (powder topically)
-Red skin lesions; Damp Eczema (as a wash)
-Rheumatic Joint pain and similar Inflammations (fomentation of 5–25%)
-Boils and Carbuncles (mixed with glycerin and applied)
-Sprains, Bruises, Orchitis, erysipelas, epididymitis, insect bites and cellulitis (25% solution as a wash)
-it has been used as a wash or fomentation to promote Breast Milk.
-swollen fingers (soak hands in a warm solution)
Dose:
5–15 grams (up to 30 grams) dissolved in warm water or a strained decoction. One–2 teaspoonfuls dissolved in warm water and taken before bed is an effective dose. Topically in washes (5–25%), Baths and powders. Also in Enemas. Should always be taken in warm water or tea as it works more effectively.
Main Combinations:
Often combined with Rhubarb in TCM
Purgative:
1. As a Purgative:
i. Glauber’s Salt is used with Rhubarb (Da Huang) in TCM for Heat of the Stomach and Intestines.
ii. Glauber’s Salt combined with equal parts of Epsom Salts.
iii. Glauber’s Salt, Manna (1 oz. each), dissolve in boiling water (3 oz.) (Sobernheim, 1840)
iv. Glauber’s Salt (½ oz.), Tamarind pulp (1 oz.), Syrup of Lemon juice, sufficient to form an Electuary. Dose: 2 teaspoonfuls. (Sobernheim, 1840)
Heat and Toxin:
2. Sore Throat or acute Toothache from Heat and Poison:
i. Glauber’s Salt with Borax and Borneol Camphor (TCM)
ii. Glauber’s Salt with Cinnabar, blown directly onto the throat
iii. Glauber’s Salt with Cinnabar, Borneo Camphor and Borax applied topically:
3. Lung Heat Cough, Glauber’s Salt with Scutellaria Huang Qin.
Other:
4. Glauber’s Salt is combined with Salt of Wormwood for all obstructions and Damp humors; Sciatica, Rheumatism, Hardness of the Liver, Gravel etc.
5. To promote Labor, Glauber’s Salt with Boy’s Urine (under 10 years old) (TCM)
Externally:
6. Topically for Eczema, Glauber’s Salt with Burnt Alum.
7. Corns of the Feet, Glauber’s Salt with Alum and Yellow Lead
8. Swollen Eyelids, steamed Tofu and Glauber’s Salt are applied.
9. Abdominal masses, apply Glauber’s Salt with Rhubarb and Garlic (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
Major Formulas:
Da Xian Xiong Tang
Fang Feng Tong Sheng San
Huang Long Tang
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Zi Xue Dan
Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Not used in Cold and Weak Stomach and Digestion.
Main Preparations used:
Refined Salt