Pinyin: He Shi  Chinese: 鹤虱
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Carpesii Abrotinoidis
English: Carpesium Fruit / Starwort Fruit

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, neutral, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Kills parasites and alleviates pain
   Abdominal pain caused by roundworms, pinworms, hookworms or tapeworms

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Prohibited for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Bing Lang  Chinese: 槟榔
Pharmaceutical: Semen Arecae
Taxonomy: Areca catechu
English: Betel Nut

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Kills Parasites and expels Demons
   Kills a wide variety of Intestinal parasites including fasciolopsis, pinworms, roundworms and Blood flukes Best for tapeworms
   Drains downward to expel the bodies of dead parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Regulates Qi, reduces accumulations, drains downward and unblocks the bowels
   Food Stagnation and Qi Stagnation with abdominal distention, constipation or tenesmus
3. Promotes urination
   Damp leg Qi and oedema due to Excess
4. Treats malarial disorders
   Malarial disorders
5. Relieves nausea
   Nausea

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for loose stool due to spleen insufficiency or qi sinking. Use with caution for pregnant women.

This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA and so is generally substituted with Zhi Shi and Yi Li Ren, or Fei Zi and Yu Li Ren for expelling parasites.

Pinyin: Ku Lian Pi  Chinese: 苦楝皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Meliae azedarach
English: Chinaberry Bark

Tastes: Bitter, cold, toxic
Meridians Entered: Liver, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Kills parasites
   Roundworms, hookworms, pinworms and vaginal trichomonas infections This is strong and effective and can be used by itself
2. Treats tinea topically
   As a wash or a powder made into a thick paste with vinegar for tinea
3. Treats trichomonas
   Externally as a wash or douche for trichomonas vaginitis

Standard Dosage: 4.5-9g in decoction or externally as a wash.
Cautions: Do not take in an excessive dose or long because of its toxicity. Decoct it long on a slow fire because the curative ingredients are difficult in dissolving.

Pinyin: Qian Dan  Chinese: 鉛丹
Pharmaceutical: Miniumite
Taxonomy: PbO
English: Lead Oxide

Tastes: Pungent, slightly cold, toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Expels toxins, generates flesh, promotes healing and stops itching
   Toxic ulcers and sores (topically in pellets and pastes)
   Eczema and body odor
2. Attacks toxins, kills parasites, absorbs Dampness and stops itching
   Topically for damp, itching skin rashes
3. Descends Phlegm, suppresses spasms and stops malarial disorders
   Internal Wind (seizures) and malarial disorders (internally)
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the inferior class of stones which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate withe Spirit Light (Shen Ming 神明). This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生). This one is unusual for being the only stone of an inferior class that is recommended for protracted use.

Standard Dosage: 0.3-0.6g as powder or pills for internal use. No dose is considered safe today due to its lead content.
Cautions: It is toxic so it should not be used overdose or for a long time to prevent cumulative toxication.

Pinyin: Bai Fan  Chinese: 白礬
Pharmaceutical: Alumen
Taxonomy: KAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O
English: Alum

Tastes: Sour, astringent, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Liver and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Relieves toxicity (Purges Fire), dries Dampness, kills parasites and alleviates itching
   External wash for Damp-Heat rashes (scabies, tinea)
   Swollen, painful throat or eyes
   Jaundice
2. Restrains and inhibits sores, generates flesh and transforms putrefication
   Topically for problems where toxins and pathogens have collected and clogged the channels, collaterals and muscles leading to blockage and Stagnation
   Topically for toxic sores (Chuang Yung)
3. Stops bleeding and alleviates diarrhoea
   Chronic diarrhoea, hemafecia, uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge
   Topically for epistaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, bleeding gums and bleeding due to external trauma
4. Clears Heat and expels Phlegm
   Wind-Phlegm (Heat) disorders with irritability, delirium, and convulsions
   Cough with sputum that is difficult to expectorate
5. Aids fasting
   The ore (Fan Shi) is mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of minerals which can, after sublimation, make the body light, prevent senility and lengthen life. This may suggest this was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生). However, it is not recommended for prolonged taking like most other superior minerals which is unusual since it is one of the least toxic minerals, often used in ancient times to purify drinking water.

Standard Dosage: 0.6-1g internally as powder or pills but more commonly used externally in washes.
Cautions: Do not use in large doses, or in kidney disease where the ability to excrete may be impaired resulting in aluminium toxicity. Symptoms include bone pain, muscle weakness, cognitive impairment, seizures, anaemia, and in severe cases, dementia.