Its source is from the slough shed by the cicada, Cryptotympana pustulata Fabricius, family Cicadidae. The producing areas are mainly in the provinces of Shan-dong, Hebei, Hubei, and Jiangsu, etc.. The medicinal material is collected in summer, the clean crude form is dried in the sun for medication. Medicinal Properties Sweet in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the lung and liver meridians. Actions Expel wind and heat, let out the skin eruption and alleviate itching, improve eyesight and remove nebula, and stop wind and relieve convulsion. Application 1. It is indicated for the wind-heat syndrome due to exogenous attack and seasonal febrile disease at the early stage marked by fever and hoarseness. For the cases with headache and fever as dominate symptom, it is usually used together with Juhua (Flos Chrysanthemi ), Bohe ( Herba Menthae ) , and Lianqiao ( Fructus Forsythiae ), etc. ,such as Yin Qiao San (Powder) ; for those with sore throat and obvious hoarseness, used together with Jiegeng (Radix Platycodi ), Pangdahai (Semen Sterculiae Scaphigerae), and Niubangzi (Fructus Arctii), etc.. 2. It is indicated for unsmooth eruption of measles and rubella with itching. For unsmooth eruption of measles, it is usually used together with Bohe (Herba Menthae ) , Niubangzi ( Fructus Arctii ) and Zicao ( Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi); for rubella, eczema and skin itching, used together with Jingjie (Herba Schizonepetae), Fangfeng ( Radix Saposhnikoviae ), and Kushen (Radix Sophorae Flavescentis ) , etc.. 3. For conjunctivitis and pterygium, it is often combined with Juhua (Flos Chrysanthemi), Sangye ( Folium Mori) , and Juemingzi ( Semen Cassiae ) , etc.. 4. For infantile convulsion and tetanus, it can be singly grounded into powder that is taken with millet wine or used together with Gouteng (Ramulus Uncariae cure Uncis), Quanxie ( Scorpio ), and Baijiangcan ( Bombyx Batryticatus ) , etc.. Usage and Dosage 3 -6 g is used in decoction for oral use; or it is pounded into powder to be taken with water. Large dosage is used for stopping wind and relieving convulsion. Notes It is used in a pregnant woman with caution.
