Sulphur, Liu Huang 硫磺

Gandhaka (Ayurveda)
Gandhak (Unani)
Liu Huang (TCM)
Mu Zi   མུ་ཟི  (Tibetan)
 Picture
Picture Hortus sanitatis, 1491

Picture Sulphur, from Museum Museorum, Valentini, 1704

Picture Sulphur crystals
Photo by Oscar
Picture Lumps of Raw Tibetan Sulphur (Adam, 2009)

Picture Members CLICK HERE for the PRO VERSION
Mineralogical Name:
Sulphur, Sulfur

Parts Used:
Native (raw) Sulphur may be used externally; Purified Sulphur is better for internal use.

Temperature & Taste:


Hot, dry. Pungent, Sour, Sweet, slightly Toxic

Properties:
Nature: crystalline lumps
Color: sulphur yellow
Streak: Yellow-white
Cleavage: poor
Fracture: Conchoidal
Luster: Resinous
Tenacity: Brittle
Transparency: Translucent
Hardness: 1.5–2.5
Specific Gravity: 1.9–2.1
Fluorescence: none

Classifications:


2B ATTENUATERS.   2F. PURIFYING.   2K. RESOLVENT.   2M. DRAWING.   2Z. CICATRIZING
3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS.   3C. ALEXIPHARMICS.   3K. EXPECTORANT.   3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE
4d. PECTORAL.   4k. ARTHRITIC
Laxative, Purgatives and Cathartics
TCM:
T. External Medicines

Uses:


1. Resists Poison and Toxin (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-various types of Poison

2. Warms and Strengthens the Yang (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-Arthritis, Rheumatism, Sciatica, Lumbago (TCM, West);

3. Purgative (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):

4. Stops Cough and Wheezing:
-Cough, Wheezing

5. Warms the Stomach:

6. Kills Worms
-topically and internally in various systems to Kill Worms and Parasites

7. Yogavani
-enhances the effects of the medicines it is combined with.

8. Counters Melancholy:
-Effective to reduce and absorb Black Bile (Unani)

9. Used in Pharmacy and Alchemy:
-Sulphur is used in various processes in Pharmacy and Alchemy

10. Externally:
-Kills Worms and Parasites: topically to Scabies, Ringworm


Dose:


… available in PRO version

Correctives:


… available in PRO version

Preparation:


… available in PRO version
Picture

Main Combinations:


As a Tonic:
1. Yang deficiency with wheezing, lower back pain, impotence:
i. Sulphur with … available in PRO version
ii. Sulphur with … available in PRO version

For The Lungs
2. Cough and Asthma:
i. purified Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ii. purified Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iii. Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iv. Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version
v. purified Sulphur with … available in PRO version
vi. purified Sulphur with … available in PRO version
vii. purified Sulphur with … available in PRO version
3. Shortness of Breath, Asthma:
i. Sulphur with … available in PRO version
ii. Purified Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iv. flowers of Sulphur with … available in PRO version
v. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
vi. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
vii. Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version
viii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ix. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
4. Catarrh:
i. Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ii. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
iii. Flowers of Sulphur, … available in PRO version
5. Consumption, mix Flowers of Sulphur with … available in PRO version

For the Joints:
6. Rheumatism, Gout:
i. Sulphur … available in PRO version
ii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iii. Sulphur with … available in PRO version
iv. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
v. Sulphur … available in PRO version
vi. purified Sulphur … available in PRO version

Purgative
7. As a purgative:
i. sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
ii. combine Sulphur with … available in PRO version
iii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iv. Sulphur with … available in PRO version
8. Purgative for Hemorrhoids:
i. purified Sulphur with … available in PRO version
ii. purified Sulphur with … available in PRO version
9. Hemorrhoids or Worms:
i. combine Sulphur with … available in PRO version
ii. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
iii. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version

Against Infection:
10. To preserve from Infection, Sulphur with … available in PRO version
11. Boils and Carbuncles, combine Flowers of Sulphur with … available in PRO version
12. Scabies, Eczema, Psoriasis (Itchy skin diseases):
i. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ii. Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version
iii. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
iv. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
v. Sulphur … available in PRO version
13. Diaphoretic Powder:
i. Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
14. Dysentery, Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
15. Cystitis, Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version

Externally:
16. Herpes, Sublimed Sulphur … available in PRO version
17. Scabies and Itch Ointment:
i. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ii. Sulphur … available in PRO version
iii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
18. Scrotal Eczema:
i. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
ii. Sulphur, … available in PRO version
19. Tooth powder, Sublimed Sulphur, … available in PRO version

Major Formulas


Pills Proven for Coughs (Galen)
Antidote Suitable for Cough (Nicholas)
Antidotum Asclepiadus Minus (Nicholas)
Compound Guaiacum Confection (Chelsea Pensioner)

Cautions:


1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Not used in large doses or long-term
3. Not used for Yin deficient Heat or excess Heat conditions (unless corrected).
4. According to Indian Rasa Shastra texts, the following should be avoided while taking Sulphur: Alkalis, Sours of all kinds, fermented liquids, fried and roasted foods, and all types of Pulses.

Toxicity:


1. LD50 for mice via oral administration is 20 g/kg.
2. Sulphur usually contains traces of arsenic in greater or lesser amounts. Processing with fire (as in sublimed sulphur, ‘Flowers of Sulphur’) greatly reduces or eliminates the arsenic content.
3. Toxic dose in humans is 10–20 grams. Symptoms of mild toxicity include poor appetite, difficulty breathing, burning pain in the throat and mouth, and sensitivity to light. Moderate overdose symptoms may progress to headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cyanosis, jaundice and impaired liver function. Large overdose progresses to restlessness, anxiety, palpitations, delirium, possibly leading to death by respiratory paralysis.

Antidotes:
1. Mung Bean (Lu Dou) 15 grams in powder in warm water.
2. Black Soy (Hei Dou) 30 grams, Licorice 15 grams as a decoction.
3. Mung Bean (250 grams), Licorice (60 grams) as a decoction.

Main Preparations used:


Purified Sulphur; Flowers of Sulphur (sublimed Sulphur), ‘Liver of Sulphur’, ‘Milk of Sulphur’ etc.; Compound Troches of Sulphur