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Cantharides seu Mylabris, Ban Mao 斑蝥

Blister Beetle, Spanish Fly
Ban Mao (TCM)
Zarawih, Telni-Makkhi, Telni-Pokh (Unani)
Byang Pa བྱང་པ་ (Mylabris spp., Tibet)
Cantharides & Buprestes
(Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563)

Cantharides as imported from hungary
(Scientific and Applied Pharmacognosy, Kraemer, 1915)
A. Cantharis vesicatoria; B. Mylabris cichorii; C. Cantharis vitatta
(Scientific and Applied Pharmacognosy, Kraemer, 1915)

Mylabris at the Chengdu Market (Adam, 2012)
Entomological name:
Several species are used, the two primary species are:
  1. Mylabris spp. is the Cantharide: M phalerata, M. cichorrii
  2. Cantharis spp., C. vesicatoria, C. vitatta
Other species used similarly or synonymously include:
  1. Blister Fly (Lytta spp.)
  2. Blister Beetle (Epicauta sp.)
  3. Oil Beetle (Meloe spp.) are all used similarly, and can be substituted.
In Tibetan Medicine, 3 varieties are recognised:
  1. Black-striped; superior quality
  2. Black and Red striped; medium quality
  3. Golden-striped; inferior quality
Some said the Black is too strong for use, and regarded the Black and Red striped (Mylabris) as best for medicine. In their strength, 3 Black-striped insects were said to be equal to 7 Black and Red-striped, and 11 Golden-striped insects. (Tibetan text)

Parts used:
Dried Beetle with head, legs, tail and wings removed, and roasted.

Temperature & Taste:
Hot, dry (Cold in TCM). Pungent. Toxic
‘Hot in taste, Cold and Toxic in nature’.

Classifications:
2M. DRAWING
3E. DIURETIC,   3I. APHRODISIAC
C. Clear Damp, Promote Urine
TCM:
T. External Medicines

Uses:
1. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones (TCM, West):
-difficulty urinating, urinary Stones, Gonorrhea
-Gout, Arthritis, Rheumatism.
-Leukorrhea

2. Moves the Blood, Clears Masses:
-Scrofula, swollen Lymph nodes and immobile masses.
-Amenorrhea from obstruction of the circulation; forcefully promotes Menstruation
-Uterine growths.
-Cancer (TCM, West)
-internally for ‘obstinate Ulcers’.
-Promotes Labor, also as an Abortifacient (Salmon); TCM uses it for retention of a Dead Fetus.
-used in Tibetan Medicine to clear and 'scrape' the Channels

3. Clears Wind-Phlegm, Stops Spasms:
-Used for some forms of Paralysis, Epilepsy etc. (Ayurveda)

4. Warms the Kidneys (TCM, West):
-Aphrodisiac for both sexes
-its action is via irritation

5. Resists Poison:
-various insect Poisons and otehr Poisons
-'used in a number of Antidotes'. (Galen)
-Traditionally used for possession. (TCM)

6. Externally:
-applied to sores, ulcers, scrofula, swollen lymph glands, and necrotic tissue leukoderma, vitiligo, psoriasis and neuro-dermatitis
-applied to Alopecia; it is used in hair oils to stimulate hair growth.
-applied to joint pains including Gout, Sciatica and Rheumatism. Often it may be used over the spinal nerves as a counter-irritant with good effect.
-similarly applied to various type of Neuralgia.
-used to draw blisters in acute inflammations
-used in external preparations to be rubbed onto the penis to stimulate erection, and as a stimulant aphrodisiac


DOSE:
1. If used internally, always begin with lesser dose, increasing as required.
2. Individual tolerances can vary widely.
Of the roasted, powdered Beetle (head, legs, tail and wings removed): 30–60mg (daily maximum 150mg); traditionally dose was one-quarter to 1 grain.
Of the Tincture (2 drams in a pint of spirit): 5–20 drops, well diluted.

CORRECTIVE:
1. Mung bean; Mung bean tea (TCM)
2. Licorice and Mung Bean tea correct its function.
3. Ghee, Almond oil, animal fats
4. Gum Arabic, Tragacanth
5. Talc acts an adjuvant to its cleansing action, stopping the painful urine that can easily accompany its use. (TCM)

SUBSTITUTES:
1. As stated above Blister Fly (Lytta spp.), Blister Beetle (Epicauta sp.), Oil Beetle (Meloe spp.) are all used similarly, and can be substituted.
2. Winged Ants were used similarly.
3. The potato-bug (Doryphora decemlineata) contains cantharidin; a strong tincture was proposed as a substitute for topical use.
4. Copper sulphate can be used externally. (Unani)

Main Combinations:
1. Strongly promote Urine in Edema:
i. Cantharide powder (5 grains), Extract of Squill (1 scruple), Licorice juice sufficient to form 30 pills. Dose: 1 pill, up to 3 times daily. (Sobernheim, 1840)
ii. calcined Egg shells (½ dram), Camphor (1 scruple), Cantharide prepared (½ scruple), Venice Turpentine sufficient to make 9 pills. (Fuller)
iii. Cantharide with Celery seed, Saltpeter, Madder, Juniper berry, Asarabacca, Bitter Almond, Melon seed (as in Pills for Retention of Urine)
2. For Stones, Cantharide with Pill Millipedes, Bees
3. Aphrodisiac:
i. Cantharide with Borax, Ashe tree keys, Skink, Long Pepper, Cinnamon
ii. Cantharide with Saffron, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove
iii. Cantharide with Cinnamon, Mace, Clove, Long Pepper, Rocket seed, Parsnip seed, Deer/Bull Pizzle (as in Powder to Stimulate Venery)
4. Impotence, Debility, Cantharide with Camphor
5. To strongly promote Menstruation, Hippocrates recommended a pessary of Cantharide, Myrrh and Frankincense, applied topically (this would, of course, not be repeated today). The same combination may be of use internally to treat Uterine tumors, for example.
6. Acute Asthma, Tincture of Cantharide (1 dram), Spirit of Angelica, Compound Camphorated Spirit (2 oz. each)
7. Fibroid tumors and Cancer, Cantharide with Millipedes, Bee and Toad
8. To promote hair growth:
i. Cantharides (1 oz.), Bay Rum (half oz.), Musk (2 drams), Rosemary (2 drams), Water (4 oz.). Shake the bottle and apply to the hair roots once daily. (Valuable Herbal Prescriptions, late 1800's)
ii. Vaseline (2 oz.), Cantharide powder (1 dram), Oil of Rosemary, Oil of Lavender (15 drops each). Mix well. Apply once daily to promote hair growth. It was applied to the eyebrows to help them grow thick and full.

Major Formulas:
Pills for Retention of Urine (Wirtzung)
Powder to Stimulate Venery (Wecker)

Cautions:
1. Highly toxic and irritant.
2. Not used in Pregnancy, the very young or the very old.
3. Not used in women with heavy menstrual bleeding.
4. When used to promote blisters, care must be taken over sensitive skin, and to avoid secondary infection after bursting of the blister.

TOXICITY:
1. Overdose can cause burning urine, excruciating pain, blood in the urine, bloody diarrhea.
2. Toxic effects may be caused with doses of 125–500mg but usually occurs with doses over 600mg. Fatality has been reported with doses of 1300mg.

ANTIDOTES:
Do not induce vomiting.
1. Take 5–10 Egg Whites immediately.
2. Halloysite (Red Earth, Chi Shi Zhi) 30 grams
3. Decoction of 60 grams of Green Tea
4. Licorice (30 grams), Isatis folium Da Qing Ye (15 grams) as a decoction
5. Decoction of Mung Bean (30 grams), Licorice (10 grams), Coptis Huang Lian (3 grams)
6. To settle strong irritation of topical application, Coptis Huang Lian or Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian) can be applied. Honey can be applied for mild irritation.

Main Preparations used:
Tincture of Cantharides, Volatile Salt of Cantharides, Blister Plaster

1. Tincture of Cantharides:
i. Cantharide powder (2 drams), Proof Spirit (1 pint). Form a tincture and strain.
Dose: 5–20 drops, well diluted.

2. Tincture of Capsicum and Cantharides:
i. Cantharides (10 drams), Capsicum (1 dram), Proof Spirit (1 pound). Digest 10 days, filter.
This tincture is highly irritant. It was used in Gangrene. Dose: 10 drops in gum water or Decoction of Marshmallow. (Niemann)

3. Blister Plaster:
i. White Pitch (8 oz.), Venice Turpentine, Cantharides finely powdered (2 ½ oz. each), mix. (Fuller)