Scorpion, Quan Xie 全蝎Chinese Gold Scorpion, Manchurian Scorpion (TCM)Quan Xie (TCM) Aqrab (Unani) |
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Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
Buthus mariefranceae (from Morocco), related to the species used in TCM.Photo by Christian Ferrer) (Wikimedia)
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Scorpion species used in Medicine Shaw, G. Zoological Lectures delivered at the Royal Institution, 1809 |
Bulk Scorpions as used in TCM (Adam, 2011) |
Entomological name:
Various species have been used, especially of the Scorpio, Buthus and Typopellis genus.
TCM uses Buthus martensii (official species), however a number of species are available on the market..
In Europe, the common European Scorpion (Buthus occitanus) has been used medicinally, although mostly externally.
Parts used:
Whole dried Scorpion
Temperature & Taste:
Neutral. Salty, pungent. Slightly Poison.
Classifications:
2I. ANTISPASMODICS 2M. DRAWING
3E. DIURETIC 3F. LITHONTRIPTIC
TCM:
I. Medicines for Internal Wind
Uses:
1. Calms the Internal Wind, Calms Spasms (TCM):
-internal Wind and phlegm type Spasms, Childhood Convulsions, Tics, Lockjaw, Seizures, Opisthotonos
-Strokes, Facial Paralysis, Hemiplegia, Vertigo
-considered by Old TCM physicians to be ‘indispensible’ for convulsive diseases.
-Lunatics and Madness
-Hypertension (proven prolonged anti-hypertensive effect)
2. Clears Wind and Damp, Stops Pain (TCM, Tibetan, West):
-severe Headaches, Migraines, and other severe pain from wind and dampness blocking the circulation
-chronic cases of Arthritis, Sciatica and Rheumatic pains.
-In Europe, a tincture was used for Joint Pain and Sciatica
-in pills for Gout and Arthritis in Tibetan Medicine.
3. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Break Stones:
-ashes potently promote urine and break Stones
-Scorpion powder is used in Tibetan Medicine for Kidney disease also.
-Oil of Scorpions was used internally and externally over the Kidneys (West)
-helps Jaundice (West since Dioscorides; Tibetan Medicine)
-“The burnt scorpion when taken orally, dissolves cystolith and nephrolith effectively”. (Avicenna)
-“And a common Scorpion roasted and eaten by those that have the Stone, makes them piss the stone without torment” (Magic of Kirani)
4. Clears Poison, Resolves Nodules:
-Poisonous Sores, Swellings, Neck Lumps, Scrofula.
-Hard swellings under the Jaw
-Acute Mastitis (proven effect)
-Urticaria, Poisonous Bites (TCM, West)
-In Europe they were used for Cancer, old sores, and the Plague. (Salmon, Mesue)
-proven effective in Whooping Cough
5. Benefits Sight:
-The ash has been used for poor Eyesight. (Galen, Mesue, Salmon)
6. Kills Worms:
-occasionally listed to Kill Worms (Salmon, others)
7. Externally:
-deafness, gout, inflammations.
-Oil of Scoprion is applied to suppurating otitis media and earache. (Avicenna)
-powdered and mixed with vinegar, it is applied to Leucoderma (Unani)
-topically with Rose Vinegar to gout, inflammations, and skin deformities.
-oil in which scorpions have been infused is applied to burns (Europe)
Dose:
1. The tail is considered stronger and is given in half to one-third the dose given below.
2. The Tail was traditionally used for Convulsions, Toxin and High Fever while the Body was preferred for Paralysis and Hemiplegia. Today, the whole Scorpion is used for all functions by most practitioners.
3. When used in Decoction, it is best to take the powder with the decoction rather than decocting the Scorpion.
Decoction: 2–4 grams (up to 9 grams)
Powder: 500mg–1 gram (up to 3 grams)
Ashes of Burnt Scorpion: 100–500mg
Comment:
Scorpion and Centipede are similar in use and often used together. Scorpion is regarded as stronger for Twitching and Tremors while Centipede is stronger for Spasms, Convulsions and Toxic Swellings.
Substitute:
1. Centipede (Wu Gong) is similar in use.
2. The toxin in Scoprion is similar in effect to Viper toxin.
Preparation:
1. In TCM, they are washed, boiled briefly in water, then dried in the sun or in an oven.
2. They maybe soaked in wine, then dried. This enhances their blood-moving effect, is better for Wind-Damp and stronger to ease pain.
3. In the West, they were sometimes carbonized or burnt to ashes.
Main Combinations:
Often combined with Centipede (Wu Gong) in TCM. The two are combined for muscle twitches, rigidity or spasms of the whole body, and convulsions, as well as Paralysis, Hemiplegia etc. The pair are powdered in equal parts and are known as Zhi Jiang San, and given in doses of 1–2 grams.
Wind, Nerves, Spasmodic disorders
1. Internal Wind, Convulsions, Epilepsy, Paralysis, Hemiplegia:
i. in chronic Epilepsy, Scorpion taken for 6–12 months gave marked relief in around 80% of cases.
ii. Scorpion with Centipede (Wu Gong) (as in Zhi Jiang San)
iii. Scorpion, Paeonia Bai Shao, Gastrodia Tian Ma, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng
iv. Wind-Phlegm Epilepsy, Scorpion, Pinellia Ban Xia, bile-prepared Arisaema Dan Nan Xing, White Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can) (as in Wu Xian Wan, Pill for 5 Kinds of Epilepsy)
2. Infantile Convulsions:
i. chronic infant convulsions with weakness, Scorpion with Codonopsis Dang Shen, Astragalus Huang Qi, Gastrodia Tian Ma
ii. Scorpion with Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang), Amber (Hu Po), Saposhnikovia Fang Feng (as in Bo Ying Compound)
iii. Febrile Convulsions from High Fever, Scorpion with Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Uncaria Gou Teng
iv. Wind-Heat or Heat-Phlegm, Scorpion, bile-prepared Arisaema Dan Nan Xing, Pearl, Amber, Tabasheer, Bezoar, Water Buffalo Horn extract
v. from Phlegm-Heat, Scorpion, Curcuma Yu Jin, Alum (Bai Fan)
vi. Febrile Convulsions, Scorpion, Uncaria Gou Teng, Bezoar (Niu Huang), Cinnabar (Zhu Sha)
3. Epilepsy, Mania from Phlegm-Heat, Scorpion, Alum (Bai Fan), Cicada Slough (Chan Tui), Curcuma Yu Jin
4. Tetanus with Spasms and Convulsions: Scorpion with Centipede (Wu Gong), Cicada Slough (Chan Tui), bile-prepared Arisaema Dan Nan Xing
5. Headache and Migraine from Wind:
i. Scorpion with Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Gastrodia Tian Ma, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng,
ii. Scorpion with Centipede (Wu Gong), White Dead Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can), Ligusticum Chuan Xiong
iii. Scorpion with Placenta (equal parts), powder, and take 900mg three times daily. This was used in a trial and found to give marked relief in 12 hours and total relief in nearly all subjects in 48 hours. (Chen & Chen)
6. Facial Paralysis, Scorpion, White Dead Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can), Typhonium Bai Fu Zi
7. Cerebral Embolism, Scorpion, Centipede (Wu Gong), Bungarus Bai Hua She (Viper),
8. Sesquele of Stroke with Hemiplegia etc.:
i. Scorpion with Centipede, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Safflower (Hong Hua), Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Salvia Dan Shen (as in Zhong Feng Hui Chu Wan, ‘Stroke Rejuvenation Tablets)
ii. Scorpion, Viper (Agkistrodon, Qi She), Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Dang Gui roots.
iii. Scorpion, Earthworm, Centipede, Pearl
Stones, Arthritic disorders
9. Stones:
i. Scorpion ashes with Maidenhair, Gentian, Jews stone, Cucumber seed, Pumpkin seed, Aniseed (as in Electuary for Stones)
ii. Scorpion with the Four Cold Seeds, Marshmallow seed, Fennel seed, Jews Stone, Maidenhair (as in Powder for Kidney Stones from Heat of Unani)
10. Obstinate Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis:
i. Scorpion with prepared Nux Vomica (Ma Qian Zi), Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can), Frankincense (Ru Xiang), Myrrh (Mo Yao), Ephedra Ma Huang, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Atractylodes Cang Zhu, Licorice (as in Feng Shi Ma Qian Pian)
ii. with poor joint mobility, Scorpion, Aconitum Chuan Wu, Viper (Agkistrodon, Qi She), Myrrh (Mo Yao)
Toxin, Sores & Swellings
11. Furuncle, Toxic Sores:
i. Scorpion can be fried in oil and taken alone
ii. Scorpion with Centipede (Wu Gong) and Realgar (Xiong Huang) topically.
iii. Scorpion, Gardenia Zhi Zi (7 of each), fry in sesame oil until crisp, strain, add beeswax and form an ointment.
12. Scrophula, Nodes:
i. Scorpion, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
ii. Scoprion, Nux Vomica (Ma Qian Zi), Pinellia Ban Xia, Trogopterus Wu Ling Zhi, made into pills
iii. Scorpion, Centipede, Earthworms
13. Mastitis: taking 2 Scorpions or 3 grams of the powder daily has been very effective in resolving acute Mastitis. (Chen & Chen)
14. Whooping Cough, cook one Scorpion and take with an Egg twice daily. In a trial of 74 patients all recovered in 4–7 days. (Chen & Chen)
15. Thromboangiitis obliterans and Tuberculosis of the bones, Scorpion, Centipede (Wu Gong), Earthworm (Di Long), Eupolyphaga (Tu Bie Chong), made into powder or pills. This combination has proven effective and is also used for Scrofula.
16. Tuberculosis of the Bones and Joints, Scorpion, Centipede, Earthworms
17. Otitis, Scorpion boiled in olive oil with Rue (Europe)
18. Mumps, stir fry Scorpions until yellow, powder and give in divided doses.
Major Formulas:
Confection of Ashes
Electuary for Stones (Azaricon)
Electuary of Scorpion (Unani)
Powder for Kidney Stones from Heat (Unani)
Bo Ying Compound
Ding Xian Wan
Feng Shi Ma Qian Pian
Hui Chun Dan
Qu Feng Zhi Bao Dan
Zhi Jing San (Scorpion & Centipede Powder, equal parts)
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel) (Tibetan)
Cautions:
1. Avoid overdose.
2. Not used during Pregnancy.
3. Not used in Wind disorders from Blood or Yin deficiency.
Toxicity:
1. Overdose occurs when 30–60 grams is taken in Decoction, or more than 20 grams in powder.
2. Symptoms of overdose include dizziness, fever, photophobia, nausea, leading to decrease or increase of heart rate, hypo- or hyper-tension, seizure, unconsciousness and respiratory depression. Blood and protein in the urine has also been reported.
3. LD50 for intraperitoneal injection in mice is 2.4 mg/kg.
Antidotes:
Traditional Western Medicine:
1. Sage, Scordium, Wormwood, Agrimonia, Dandelion, Mother of Thyme, Basil, Gentian, Birthwort, Bay berry. Wild Parsnip seed, Fennel, Radish
From TCM:
1. A dose of 20 grams of Sodium sulphate (Mang Xiao) to purge the toxin.
2. Decoction of Rhubarb (Da Huang) 15 grams, Sodium sulphate (Mang Xiao) 6 grams, divided into 3 equal doses.
3. Decoction of Lonicera Jin Yin Hua 30 grams, Lobelia chinensis Ban Bian Lian 10 grams, China root (Tu Fu Ling) 15 grams, Mung Bean (Lu Dou) 15 grams, Licorice 10 grams.
4. Decoction of Flying Squirrel Feces (Wu Ling Zhi) 10 grams, Typha Pu Huang 9 grams, Realgar (Xiong Huang) 3 grams. Divide into 3 equal doses and take one every 4 hours with Vinegar. (Chen & Chen)
Main Preparations used:
Powder, Ashes, Oil, Compound Oil
1. Oil of Scorpions:
Applied externally to venomous Bites, also rubbed on the loins and pubis for Calculi.
i. Scorpions (100), Olive oil (2 lbs.). Digest 3 days in a water-bath, strain. (Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)
2. Compound Oil of Scorpions:
i. Scorpions (50), Olive oil (1 lb.), Round Birthwort root, Gentian root, Cypress root, Caper root-bark (6 drams each). Digest for 24 hours in a moderate heat. (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)
ii. Oil of St. Johns wort (4 lbs.), Scordium, Rue, Dittany of Crete (2 handfuls each), Zedoary, Round Birthwort, Angelica, Saffron, Storax (1 oz. each), Turpentine (3 oz.), Mithridate, Theriac (half oz.), Living Scorpions (300). Digest leaves, root, and saffron for 3 days in a water-bath, then express strongly. Then dissolve the Storax, Mithridate and Theriac in the expressed oil, and lastly add the Scorpions. Digest another three days in a water-bath, when cold, express strongly. (Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)
NOTE: The folowing research is mostly focused on species used in TCM. However, a number of other species are also cited.