Gryllotalpa, Mole Cricket
Lou gu 螻蛄 (TCM)
Gryllotalpa spp.
(Photo by Fir0002) (Wikimedia)
Entomological name:
Gryllotalpa spp.
The species listed in Chinese sources include::
- G. africana
- G. unispina
- G. orientalis
A number of related species have been used.
Parts used:
Whole insect
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Salty. Slightly Toxic
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Resolve Swellings:
-Toxic Sores, Abscesses, Boils
-Toxic Swellings including Scrofula, Fistula
-“They resolve poison and eliminate malign sores”. (Ben Jing)
-“They break open obstruction-illness swellings”. (Ben Jing)
2. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-very effective for Edema and Fluid Swelling, as well as Ascites
-difficult or obstructed urine; stranguria caused by Urinary Stones
-“Edema and difficult urination.” (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
-“Water swelling. Swollen head and face”. (Ri Hua)
-“They open the passage in the case of dripping urine with Stones”. (Li Shi Zhen)
3. Moves the Blood:
-Bruising, Trauma
-Cirrhosis
-promotes Labor in difficult delivery, helps expulsion of the Placenta.
4. Externally:
-Toothache, apply the roasted powder.
-used topically for Deafness
-“They make thorns stuck in one’s flesh come out”. (Ben Jing)
-“They are very effective in curing oral sores”. (Zhen Heng)
Dose:
In Powder: 1–3 grams;
Decoction: 3–4 ½ grams
1–2 dried and roasted Mole Crickets can be taken as a dose. Up to 10 per day were recommended for severe fluid swelling or obstructed Urine.
Comment:
According to some traditional Chinese sources, the front half is astringent and can stop urination and defecation, while the rear half promotes urine and bowel movement. The whole insect, however, generally has the effect of promoting Urine and Bowel movement.
Preparation:
1. Remove the wings and legs, then roast to yellowish.
2. Some scalded them in boiling water before drying them
Main Combinations:
1. Edema, Fluid swelling:
i. take one qian (3 grams) of roasted, powdered Mole Cricket with hot water.
ii. Mole Crickets 5, Euphorbia Kan Sui prepared root (3 grams), Poke root juice (1 spoonful). This is for more severe Edema.
iii. Water Swelling in the abdomen, take 10 roasted Mole Crickets per day. (Zhou Hou)
2. Obstructed Urine:
i. take 1 ½ grams of roasted Mole Cricket powder with water. (Sheng Hui)
ii. soak the rear half of 2 large Mole Crickets in water and drink. “In a short while, the passage of urine will be free”. (Ge Hong Fang)
iii. Powder 1 Mole Cricket with 7 Grape seeds. Powder and take with wine.
iv. Take Mole Cricket with Plantain leaf juice (or Plantain seed).
v. Urinary retention, Crickets (3), Mole Crickets (3), toasted and powdered, taken with wine. (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
3. Urinary Stones, Mole Crickets roasted (5 pieces), Talcum (30 grams), Licorice (3 grams). Form a Decoction. Amber powder (5 grams) can be added for the pain. (This has been found clinically successful)
4. Cirrhosis of the Liver, Mole Cricket (9 grams) are taken with Earthworms (4 ½ grams). Powder, divide into 4 doses to be taken twice daily. It can be taken continuously.
4. To expel the Placenta, boil one Mole Cricket in water and drink.
5. Scrofula, remove the inners of 7 Mole Crickets, insert Cloves into them, burn them, then grind to powder and mix with the inners previously removed. Apply as a plaster.
Cautions:
1. Not used during pregnancy
2. Use with caution in people with marked deficiency.
Main Preparations used:
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