Rhinoceros / Bubalus Cornu, Water Buffalo horn
Xi Jiao (Rhinoceros horn, TCM)Shui Niu Jiao (Water Buffalo Horn, TCM)
Bse ru, བསེ་རུ (Tibetan Medicine)
Rhinoceros (Albrecht Dürer, 1515)(Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Water BuffaloMuseum Museorum, Valentini, 1704
Water Buffalo(Photo by Djambalawa) (Wikimedia)
Zoological name:
Traditionally, the Rhinoceros horn supplied this medicine and was used in most Traditions.
1. Rhinoceros unicornis; R. sondaicus; R. sumatrensis
However, due to being endangered and unethical, Water Buffalo horn now supplies the market.
2. Bubalus bubalis
According to Western texts, Cow horn and related horns have similar effects, but will be weaker.
Parts used:
Horn; the concentrated extract of the Water Buffalo horn can now be used.
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Salty
Classifications:
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC
TCM:
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Cools the Blood: (West, TCM, Tibetan)
-High Fever; Chills and Fever; Epidemic Febrile diseases
-‘good against Poison, Plague and all Pestilential Diseases’ (Salmon)
-Delirium, Mania, Loss of consciousness associated with Fire attacking the Heart
-Bleeding associated with Fever or Heat in the Blood
-Rashes associated with excess heat of the blood, especially febrile
-severe Sore Throat or Headache from excess Heat
-Pus, Blood and Lymph in the Chest and Stomach (Tibetan Medicine)
-‘it treats the hundreds of Toxins’ (Divine Farmers Materia Medica)
2. Clears Heat, Settles Wind: (West, TCM, Tibetan)
-Fright in children
-highly regarded for Spasms, Childhood convulsions (TCM)
-Epilepsy (West)
-Buffalo horn was worn in a Ring for cramps. (Salmon)
Dose:
Water Buffalo horn shavings in Decoction: 30–120 grams, decocted for 30–60 minutes before adding other herbs
Water Buffalo horn powder: 3–15 grams
Water Buffalo horn concentrate (10:1): 300mg–1.5 grams
Rhinoceros Horn was previously given in doses of 300mg–1.5 grams, although Western sources gave up to 1 dram (3.8 grams)
Substitutes:
1. Water Buffalo horn is the accepted modern substitute for Rhinoceros horn in TCM. It can be bought in 10:1 extract which may be used gram-for-gram for Rhinoceros horn in traditional formulas.
2. Narwhal horn (‘Unicorn’) is also used synonymously. ‘[Rhinoceros horn] is often used instead of Unicorn’s Horn’ (Salmon). Narwhal horn was regarded as stronger.
3. Calcined mature Deer horn was famous as an alexipharmic in the Western tradition. It is a suitable modern substitute for Rhinoceros horn, and is sometimes used in Tibetan Medicine as a substitute for Rhinoceros horn.
4. According to the Four Tantras of Tibetan Medicine: “The therapeutic effect of kha sha’i rwa (roe deer) horn and sha ba’i rwa (common deer) horn are the similar to that of Rhino horn”. (sorig.info)
5. Of Cow Horn: “The Horns are Alexipharmic, being Antidotes, against the Plague, Small Pox, Spotted Fevers , and all other malignant Disorders proceeding from the Infection of the Air, the Powder of them being given to the Quantity of one Scruple in all the Distempers before-mentioned”. This clearly shows Cow horn can be used for similar purposes to Rhino horn, and has similar effects to Water Buffalo horn.
Preparation:
1. Water Buffalo horn is usually soaked in hot water for a period of time to soften it before shaving or cutting into thin slices. This facilitates cutting.
2. An extract of Water Buffalo horn can be prepared by prolonged boiling of the shavings. This is then concentrated and spray-dried to form a concentrate. Nowadays, commercial concentrates are available.
Main Combinations:
1. High Fever from Heat and Toxin:
i. Water Buffalo horn with Gypsum Shi Gao, Scrophularia Xuan Shen
ii. Water Buffalo horn, Bezoar, Camphor (West)
iii. with restlessness, rapid pulse, Febrile Convulsions, Menignitis etc, Water Buffalo horn, Bezoar, Coptis Huang Lian, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Gardenia Zhi Zi, Curcuma Yu Jin, Pearl, Musk, Borneol Camphor, Cinnabar, Realgar (as in An Gong Niu Huang Wan)
iv. High Fever with Delirium, Fainting, Meningitis etc, Water Buffalo horn with Clove, Camphor, Tabasheer, Sandalwood, Safflower, Swertia (as in Camphor 14 of Tibetan Medicine)
v. High Fever with spasms, delirium, convulsions as seen in Febrile Convulsions, Meningitis, Measles, Water Buffalo horn with Gypsum, Calcite, Antelope horn, Musk, Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Magnetite, Licorice, Aloeswood, Clove, Cinnabar, Mirabilite, Saltpeter, Gold (as in Zi Xue Dan)
vi. with deep purple rashes, Water Buffalo horn with Lithospermum Zi Cao, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang (as in Shen Xi Dan)
2. Febrile Convulsions:
i. Water Buffalo horn with Antelope horn (Goat horn concentrate)
3. Bleeding with Fever, Purpura from Heat in the Blood:
i. Water Buffalo horn with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
4. High Fever with Convulsions, Loss of Consciousness or Manic behavior, Water Buffalo horn with Musk, Benzoin, Borneol Camphor, Bezoar, Realgar, Amber, Cinnabar (as in Zhi Bao Dan)
5. Phlegm and Damp obstructing the Brain with pale complexion, excess mucus, as seen in loss of conscioussness, mental withdrawal, post concussion syndrome, Water Buffalo horn with Storax, Musk, Borneol Camphor, Benzoin, Costus, Sandalwood, Aloeswood, Frankincense, Clove, Cyperus rotundus, Long Pepper, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Chebula (as in Su He Xiang Wan)
6. Paralysis, Insanity, Trembling, Water Buffalo horn with Aloeswood, Sandalwood, Tabasheer, Nutmeg, Clove, Bezoar, Safflower, purified Nux Vomica (as in Aloeswood 20 of Tibetan Medicine)
7. Toxic Hepatitis, drug or alcohol induced Liver damage, Water Buffalo horn with Safflower, Sandalwood, Clove, Aconitum heterophyllum, Caesalpinia, Triphala, Costus, Bezoar, Cinnabar, Musk (as in Safflower 13 of Tibetan Medicine)
Major Formulas:
An Gong Niu Huang Wan (TCM)
Shen Xi Dan (TCM)
Su He Xiang Wan (TCM)
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang (TCM)
Zhen Zhu Mu Wan (TCM)
Zhi Bao Dan (TCM)
Zi Xue Dan (TCM)
Aloeswood 20 (Tibetan)
Antelope Horn 14 (Rgya ru bcu bzhi) (Tibetan)
Camphor 14 (Tibetan)
Chebula 25 (Tibetan)
Copper 25 (Zangs thal nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Goethite 25 (Mdung rtse nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Pearl 25 (Mu tig nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Precious and Great Multi-Jewel Compound Pill (Rin chen mang sbyor chen mo) (Tibetan)
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel) (Tibetan)
Rhinoceros Horn 25 (Bse ru nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Safflower 13 (Gur gum bcu gsum) (Tibetan)
Wish-fulfilling Jewel (Sam Phel Nor Bu) (Tibetan)
Cautions:
1. Only used in cases with High Fever or strong Heat
Drug Interactions:
1. Incompatible with Aconitum (TCM)
Main Preparations used:
Water Buffalo horn extract
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‘It is good against Poison, Contagion the Plague, Pestilence, and all manner of Malignant Fevers; for being a high alkali both fixed and volatile, it encounters, seizes upon, and destroys the Malignant and pestiferous acids, which stir up, generate and |
influence the most pernicious diseases; being accounted a strong sudorific. It is thought by some to be full as virtuous and efficacious as Unicorns Horn, and therefore in the absence of the other is substituted in its place.’ (Salmon, Seplasium, 1693) |
2. Metabolomics of the Antipyretic Effects of Bubali Cornu (Water Buffalo Horn) in Rats