Centipede, a traditional Chinese medicine name. It is the dried body of the small animal of the genus Scolopendra in the family Scolopendridae. It has the effects of relaxing the wind and calming the convulsion, attacking the poison and dissolving the abscess, promoting the pulse and relieving pain. It is mainly used for various causes of convulsions; boils and abscesses, scrofula and tuberculosis; rheumatic disease, arthralgia; recurrent headache; centipede bite injury.

Action

Relax the wind and calm the convulsion, attack the poison and dissolve the abscess, promote the pulse and relieve pain.

Main treatment

1. Key treatment of various causes of convulsions; boils and abscesses, scrofula and tuberculosis; rheumatic disease, arthralgia; recurrent headache; centipede bite injury.

2. Western medicine diagnosis of malignant tumor, parotitis, urinary and reproductive system stones, herpes zoster, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, tetanus, headache, chronic hepatitis, chronic nephritis, tuberculous sinus, oral ulcer, and other diseases belong to phlegm congestion meridians or internal heat of pathogenic factors, meridian and collaterals are blocked.

Usage and dosage

Oral: decocted into a decoction, 2-5g; ground into powder, 0.5-1g; or made into pills or powders. External application: sprinkle the powder, change the oil, or mix the powder with ointment.

Adverse reactions

1. Excessive use of the centipede can cause poisoning, mainly manifested as: nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, unconsciousness, bradycardia, respiratory discomfort, decreased body temperature, decreased blood pressure, and so on. When hemolytic reaction occurs, the urine turns into soy sauce color, the feces become black, and hemolytic anemia symptoms appear. Allergic symptoms may cause allergic rashes all over the body, and severe cases may cause anaphylactic shock. There are also cases of liver function damage and subacute renal failure caused by taking centipede powder.

2. Causes of poisoning: one is the excessive use, and the other is the appearance of allergic symptoms in people with allergic constitution. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the amount of use and pay attention to the differences in physical quality, and people with allergic constitution should not use it.

3. Poisoning rescue: Early vomiting, gastric lavage; for bradycardia, intramuscular injection of atropine and other drugs can be used; for respiratory failure, central nervous system stimulants, brain-cleaning and antihypertensive drugs can be used; for allergic symptoms, antiallergic treatment should be given; for poisoning caused by taking the traditional Chinese medicine preparation of the centipede, tea can be used appropriately, frequent tea drinking, or use 120 grams of Pteris multifida, 90 grams of Lonicera japonica, 60 grams of licorice root, decocted for oral administration.