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Praying Mantis Egg Case, Sang Piao Xiao 桑螵蛸

Sang Piao Xiao (TCM)
Mantis religiosa Egg Case
Photo by Dhrm77 (Wikimedia)

Above: Praying Mantis Egg Case for sale at
the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam, 2016)

Left: Mantis religiosa (Photo by Chaos) (Wikimedia)
Entomological name:
Various species of Praying Mantis:
  1. Mantis religiosa (Bao Chi Tang Lang)
  2. Paratenodera sinensis (syn. Tenodera sinensis) (Da Dao Lang)
  3. Statilia maculata (Xiao Dao Lang)
  4. Hierodula patellifera (Ju Fu Tang Lang)

Parts used:
Prepared Mantis Egg Case
Traditionally, they were preferred to be collected from Mulberry trees.

Temperature & Taste:
Neutral. Sweet, Salty

Classification:
R. Astringents

Uses:
1. Tonifies Yang, Restrains Essence:
-Spermatorrhea, Nocturnal Emission, Premature Ejaculation
-Frequent or Dribbling Urination, including that during Pregnancy
-Enuresis, Bed-wetting in children (very effective)
-Leukorrhea


DOSE:
Decoction: 5–10 grams
Powder: 1 –3 grams

SUBSTITUTES:
Vegetable substitutes for frequent Urination and enuresis:
1. Rubus Fu Pen Zi
2. Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi)
3. Alipinia oxyphylla Yi Zhi Ren
4. Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi

PREPARATION:
1. Steamed Mantis Egg Case
  The dried Mantis Egg Cases are washed well in water, then steamed for an hour, then dried in the sun (best) or an oven. This makes them a little warmer, and prevents the effct of causing Diarrhea which they sometiems cause.
2. Salt-prepared Mantis Egg Case
  The steamed Egg Cases are soaked briefly in Salt Water, then drained and stir-fried until yellowed. This helps direct the medicine to the Kidney, makes it more tonifying to the Kidney and Essence, and stops excess urination. It also has the effect of improving the taste.

Main Combinations:
1. Frequent Urination, Bed-wetting, Mantis Egg Case with Calamus Shi Chuang Pu, Ginseng, Poria sclerotium Fu Shen, Polygala Yuan Zhi, Fossil Bone (Long Gu), Tortoise shell Gui Ban (as in Sang Piao Xiao San)
2. Enuresis:
i. Mantis Egg Case with Alpinia oxyphylla Yi Zhi Ren
ii. Mantis Egg Case with calcined Oyster shell (Mu Li), Leek seed Jiu Cai Zi
iii. from Kidney Yang deficiency, Mantis Egg Case with Rosehip Jin Ying Zi
iv. from Kidney Yang deficiency, Mantis Egg Case with Raspberry fruit (Fu Pen Zi), Cynomorum Suo Yang, Lindera Wu Yao
v. Mantis Egg Case, Poria Fu Ling, Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi, Alpinia oxyphylla Yi Zhi Ren (10 grams each), put into a pig bladder, dry and powder. Take 2 grams twice daily.
3. Frequent Urination during Pregnancy, take Mantis Egg Case powder alone with warm water.
4. Incontinence:
i. Mantis Egg Case with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (a compound).
ii. Mantis Egg Case with Euryale Qian Shi, Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Alpinia oxyphylla Yi Zhi Ren
5. Impotence from Yang and Essence deficiency, Mantis Egg Case with Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Cistanche Rou Cong Rong
6. Spermatorrhea or Leukorrhea, Mantis Egg Case with Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi)
7. Premature Ejaculation, Mantis Egg Case with Cynomorum Suo Yang
8. Profuse Leukorrhea from Kidney Yang deficiency, Mantis Egg Case with Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi, Deglued Antler powder (Lu Jiao Shuang), Cinnamon (Rou Gui)

Major Formulas:
Sang Piao Xiao San
Tu Si Zi Wan

Cautions:
1. Avoid in Deficient Heat conditions (Yin deficiency with Heat)
2. Not for Damp-Heat Urinary disorders such as Acute Urinary Tract Infection.
3. The unprepared Egg Case may cause loose bowels or diarrhea in some people. Steaming them lessens this effect.

Main Preparations used: