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Bombyx Faeces, Silkworm Feces, Can Sha 蚕沙

Can Sha (TCM)
Silkworm, Silkworm Cocoon, Silk
Insectorum sive Minimorum Animalium Theatrum, 1634

Entomological name:
Bombyx mori

Parts used:
Feces

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Sweet, Pungent

Uses:
1. Clears Wind, Transforms Damp:
-painful obstruction of the muscles or joints from Wind-Damp
-Wind-Damp damp and itchy rashes from Wind-Damp; Pruritus, Eczema
-Convulsions, Spasms of the calf muscles,
-Paralysis, Tetanus
-mild in nature, so is especially suited to weak patients; it can be used internally and topically.

2. Strengthen the Stomach, Transforms Damp:
-nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
-stomach and gastric disorders (Unani Pharmacopoeia of Bangladesh)
-hepatitis, acute pancreatitis, chronic nephritis (Unani Pharmacopoeia of Bangladesh)

3. Moves the Blood, Stops Bleeding:
-Amenorrhea
-Flooding and Spotting
-stops excess Uterine Bleeding (taken with wine)

4. Externally:
-applied warm to Wind-Damp muscle and joint pain
-applied to Trauma
-topically to irritations of the eye including Blepharitis, Conjunctivitis


Dose:
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams

Preparation:
It can be dry-fried or heated in an oven to sterilize.

Main Combinations:
1. Wind-Damp joint pain in the extremities:
i. Silkworm feces with Achyranthes Niu Xi, Angelica pubescens Du Huo
ii. Silkworm feces with Eucommia Du Zhong, Cinnamon twig Gui Zhi
iii. Rheumatism from Damp-Heat, Silkworm Feces with Stephania Han Fang Ji, Talcum Powder (Hua Shi), Coix Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), Gardenia Zhi Zi (as in Xuan Bi Tang from Wen Bing Tiao Bian [Systematic Differentiation of Warm Disease]).
iv. Wind-Damp-Heat joint pain, Silkworm feces with Stephania Han Fang Ji, Jobs Tears (Yi Yi Ren), Forsythia Lian Qiao
v. dry fry until warm, put in a thin gauze bag, sprinkle with rice wine, and apply to the place directly.
2. Tetanus, Convulsions, Silkworm feces, Scorpion (Quan Xie), Uncaria Gou Teng, Cicada slough (Chan Tui)
3. Abdominal pain, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Silkworm feces with Evodia Wu Zhu Yu, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Chaenomelas Mu Gua
4. Amenorrhea, Silkworm feces, Dang Gui, Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
5. Trauma, Silkworm feces with Mung bean meal, Alum mixed with vinegar into a paste and applied.
6. Ulcerated Blepharitis, Silkworm feces are macerated in Sesame Oil for 3 nights, then finely ground, and applied every second night. This is said to be very effective, no matter how old the disease is. It removes toxins and drys up the moisture.

Major Formulas:
Xuan Bi Tang

Cautions:
None noted.
It is good practice to sterilize the feces by heating in an oven at 100 degree C. for 45–60 minutes. This can also be achieved by dry-frying until yellowish.

Main Preparations used: