Learn About Chinese Herbs -Chan Tui (Cicada molt)-
Chan Tui (Cicada molt)
Warning: Please beware that the following article contains images of molts of insects.
This product is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Originally published in "Ming Yi Bie Lu".
Aliases: cicada molt, Zhi Liao skin, insect molt, fairy clothes (Beijing).
Source: Cryptotympana pustulata fabricius, a cicada insect that sheds its shell when it emerges.
Origin: mainly produced in Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and also other places.
Trait identification: the whole shape resembles a cicada, without wings and hollow. Yellowish-brown, translucent, shiny. The membranous is brittle. The smell is faint. It is better to be whole, yellow and bright, and free of soil.
Main ingredient: chitin. The nitrogen content is 7.86% and the ash content is 14.57%.
Pharmacological effects: antipyretic, sedative, antispasmodic. Animal experiments have preliminarily proved that cicada molt has ganglion blocking effect and sedative effect.
Taste: sweet and cold.
Meridian return: into the lungs and liver meridians.
Function: dissipate wind and heat, reduce eye troubles, increase breathability, antispasmodic.
Indications: cold, wind and heat, hoarseness, impermeability, rubella itching, epilepsy in children.
Clinical application: It is generally used in pediatrics, and is often used in internal medicine and ophthalmology.
（1） For the treatment of pulmonary heat hoarseness (acute laryngitis, acute bronchitis), with Niu Bang Zi, raw licorice, etc., if the hoarseness caused by simple external wind and heat, it is used with Pang Hai.
（2） It is used for the treatment of children's cold, fever, irritability, and restless sleep at night, with Gou Teng and Deng Xin Cao.
（3） Treatment of night crying in children. Use mint soup to subdue the lower half of the cicada molt (i.e., remove the head and feet) 7~9 molts.
（4）In ophthalmology, it is mainly used for the treatment of corneal leukoplakia (including inflammatory or traumatic corneal damage left by the clouds, spots, and white spots), and the ancient prescription has been used to treat the white pannus with cicada molt, and the modern practice adds cicada molt to the whole scorpion or with Wu Gong, Feng Huang Yi, Xi Jiao, etc. to treat corneal leukoplakia, according to the preliminary observation of some cases, it does have a certain curative effect and can improve vision. In addition, cicadas can be combined with Mu Zei and Ju Hua to clear wind and heat, and treat eye redness, swelling and pain (acute conjunctivitis, etc.).
（5）It is used to extinguish wind and calm convulsions (such as for tetanus). The effect of single use is not strong, and so it must be used with other anticonvulsants such as Quan Xie, Jiang Can, etc., such as in the formula Wu Hu Zhui Feng Tang.
（6）Recently, some people have tried cicadas to remove urine protein in chronic nephritis, when used with Su Ye, Ai Cao, etc., and the preliminary observation is that it has a certain amount of curative effect. The prescription is cicada molt 15g, Bu Zha Ye 30g, Su Ye 15g, Yi Mu Cao 30g, Jian Bin 15g, decoction in water.
Dosage: The usual amount is 3~15g. To treat chronic nephritis and tetanus, a large amount must be used, even up to 15~30g.
Prescription examples
（1） Chan Tui Wu Bi San (from "Yin Hai Jing Wei"): Cicada molt (head and feet) 3g, snake molt 3g, Bai Ji Li 12g, Shi Jue Ming 15g, Fang Feng 9g, Cang Zhu 6g, Dang Gui 6g, Chuan Xiong 3g, Chi Shao 9g, Zhi Gan Cao 3g, decoction in water.
（2） Wu Hu Zhui Feng Tang: Cicada molt 30g, Zhi Nan Xing 6g, Ming Tian Ma 6g, Whole scorpion (with tail) 7, Jiang Can (stir fried), decoction, one dose a day, for three days.
Note: Zhejiang still produces a kind of golden cicada clothing, which is the skin shell that falls off when the mountain cicada is feathered, and the body is relatively thin and small, about 3cm long. The color is golden and translucent, the tail tip, and the abdomen is single-lined. Most of this commodity is exported.
Case study: Cervical and Thoracic Vertebrae Demyelinating
Patient, Ms. Liu, female, age 64.
Chief complaints: left lower limb weakness accompanied by swelling and soreness for three years. Patient couldn’t walk when the situation was severe. Hospital diagnosis: cervical and thoracic vertebrae demyelinating and left lower limb venous thrombosis. Patient has been taking oral hormones and immunosuppressive drugs for three years. Patient’s situation was sometimes good and sometime bad, and showed strong hormone dependence.
TCM diagnosis: dark tongue, obvious dark blood stasis spots on tip and sides of the tongue, and greasy white coating.
TCM syndrome differentiation: spleen and stomach deficiency, blood stasis obstructing the meridians.
TCM treatment principle: Mainly tonify the spleen, supported by promoting blood and qi circulation.
TCM prescription: Huang Qi 60g, Wu Zhua Long 60g, Bai Zhu 30g, Sheng Ma 10g, Chai Hu 10g, Dang Shen 30g, Chen Pi 10g, Zhi Gan Cao 6g, Zhi Chuan Wu 6g, Dang Gui 15g, Di Long 10, Ji Xue Teng 20g, to make decoction. Take for five consecutive days.
Patient feedback: When drinking Chinese medicine, the patient gradually reduced the amount of hormone intake until stopped taking it completely. Ten days later, patient reported that the skin color of the leg became normal, it was redder before. The leg felt lighter, and the mobility was better. The leg paralysis situation was also improved.
Disclaimer: All above articles are for reference only. If patients are interested, please consult a professional practitioner Traditional Chinese Medicine for a consultation.