补肾。
甘咸平。入肝肾命门。益精气而固肾。治虚损阴痿。梦遗白浊。血崩腰痛。伤中疝瘕。
（肝
肾不足。）通五淋。缩小便。（能通故能缩、肾与膀胱相表里、肾得所养、气化则能出、肾气
既固、则水道安常、故又能缩也、寇宗 治便数、有桑螵蛸散、桑螵蛸、茯神、远志、菖蒲
、人参、当归、龙骨、鳖甲等分为末、卧时、人参汤下二钱、能补心安神、亦治健忘。）炙
饲小儿。止夜尿。螳螂卵也。须用桑树上者。（一生九十九子、用一枚、即伤百命、仁人君
子闻之、且当惨然、况忍食乎。房长寸许、有子如蛆、芒种后齐出、故月令、仲夏螳螂生
也、如用他树者、以桑皮佐之、桑皮善行水、能引达肾经。）炙黄。或醋煮。汤泡煨用。或
蒸透再焙。畏旋复花。螳螂能出箭簇。（螳螂一个、巴豆半个、研敷伤处、微痒且忍、极痒
乃撼拔之、以黄连贯众汤洗、锻石敷之、杨氏方用螳螂出簇后、敷生肌散。）又治惊风。（古
方治风、多用螵蛸、螳螂治风、同一理也。）
轻、宣、去风化痰。
咸辛平。僵而不腐。得清化之气。故能治风化痰。散结行经。（蚕病风则僵、故因以治
风、
能散相火逆结之痰。）其气味俱薄。轻浮而升。入肺肝胃三经。治中风失音。头风齿痛。喉
痹咽肿。（炒为末、姜汤调下一钱、当吐出顽痰。）丹毒瘙痒。（皆风热为病。）瘰 结核。痰
疟血病。崩中带下。（风热乘肝。）小儿惊疳。肤如鳞甲。（由气血虚、亦名胎垢、煎汤浴之
。）下乳汁。灭瘢痕。诸证由于血虚。而无风寒客邪者。勿用。以头蚕色白条直者良。糯米
泔浸一日。待桑涎浮出。焙干、去丝及黑口。捣用。恶萆 、桔梗、茯苓、桑螵蛸。（一切
风痰、白直僵蚕七个、细研、姜汤调灌之、酒后咳嗽、蜜调末、服一钱。）
蚕蛹、炒食。治风及劳瘦。为末饮服。治小儿疳瘦。长肌肉。退热除蛔虫。煎汁饮。止
消渴
。研敷 疮恶疮。（吴瑞曰∶缲丝后蛹子、今人食之、呼小蜂儿、孙思邈曰∶ 犬咬者、终
身忌食、发则难免。）蚕茧、甘温。能泻膀胱相火。引清气上朝于口。止消渴。（蚕与马、并
属午、为离主心、作茧退藏之际、故缲丝汤饮之、能抑心火而治消渴。）痈疽无头者。烧灰
酒服。（服一枚、出一头、二枚出二头。）
Tonifies the Kidney.
Sweet, salty, and neutral in nature. Enters the Liver, Kidney, and Mingmen (Gate of Vitality) meridians. Benefits essence and qi while securing the Kidney. Treats deficiency-induced impotence, nocturnal emission with white turbidity, metrorrhagia, lower back pain, middle-jiao damage causing hernia and mass accumulation.
(Liver and Kidney insufficiency.) Unblocks the five types of strangury (lin syndrome). Reduces urinary frequency. (Because it can unblock, it can also astringe; the Kidney and Bladder are exterior-interior related. When the Kidney is nourished, qi transformation functions normally, allowing urine to be excreted smoothly. Once Kidney qi is secured, the water pathways remain stable, thus it can also reduce urination. Kou Zongshi treated frequent urination using Sangpiaoxiao San: equal parts of Mantidis Oötheca (Sangpiaoxiao), Poria Cocos (Fushen), Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi), Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Shichangpu), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Dragonis Os (Longgu), and Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum (Biejia) ground into powder. Taken at bedtime with two qian dissolved in Ginseng decoction. This formula tonifies the Heart and calms the spirit, and also treats forgetfulness.) Roasted for feeding infants to stop bedwetting. It is the egg case of the mantis. Must be sourced from mulberry trees. (A single mantis produces ninety-nine offspring per lifetime; taking one case harms a hundred lives. Benevolent gentlemen would feel sorrow upon hearing this, let alone endure eating them. The ootheca is about one chi long, containing larvae like maggots. They hatch together after Mangzhong (Grain in Ear solar term), hence the *Monthly Ordinances* states: "In mid-summer, mantises are born." If using oothecae from other trees, assist with Mulberry Root Bark (Sangpibai), which promotes water metabolism and guides the medicine to the Kidney meridian.) Roast until yellow, or boil in vinegar, or soak in water and bake, or steam thoroughly then dry-roast. Incompatible with Inulae Flos (Xuanfuhua). Mantis can extract arrowheads. (Take one mantis and half a Crotonis Fructus (Badou), grind and apply to the wound. Initially mild itching requires endurance; when severe, the arrowhead can be shaken out. Wash the wound with a decoction containing Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) and others, then apply calcined iron ore powder (Duanshi). Yang's prescription uses the residue after the mantis extracts the arrowhead, applying Shengji San.) Also treats convulsions due to wind. (Ancient prescriptions for wind often use Mantidis Oötheca; Mantis treating wind follows the same principle.)
Light, dispersing, expels wind and transforms phlegm.
Salty, pungent, and neutral in nature. Stiff but does not rot. Acquires the qi of clear transformation, thus capable of treating wind-phlegm. Dissolves nodules and unblocks collaterals. (When silkworms contract wind disease, they become stiff; hence used to treat wind, it can dissipate phlegm congealed by rebellious Minister Fire.) Its flavor and aroma are both light, floating and ascending. Enters the Lung, Liver, and Stomach meridians. Treats stroke with aphonia, cephalalgia due to wind, toothache, throat obstruction with swelling. (Roasted to powder, taken with ginger decoction, one qian; should expectorate stubborn phlegm.) Erysipelas with pruritus. (All caused by wind-heat.) Scrofula and tubercles, phlegm-malaria, blood disorders, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea. (Wind-heat invading the Liver.) Infantile convulsions and malnutrition, skin resembling scales. (Due to qi and blood deficiency, also called fetal dandruff; decoct for bathing.) Promotes lactation, eliminates scars. Do not use for conditions due to blood deficiency without external wind-cold pathogens. Select those with white heads and straight bodies as superior. Soak in rice washing water for one day until mulberry saliva floats up, dry-roast, remove silk and black mouthparts, grind for use. Adverse interaction with Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma (Bixie), Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng), Poria Cocos (Fuling), and Mantidis Oötheca (Sangpiaoxiao). (For all wind-phlegm cases, take seven white, straight, stiff silkworms, finely grind, and administer with ginger decoction; for post-drinking cough, mix powder with honey, take one qian.)
Silkworm pupae, roasted and eaten. Treats wind diseases and wasting-thirst due to labor. Ground into powder and taken with drink, treats infantile malnutrition and emaciation, promotes muscle growth, reduces fever, expels roundworms. Decoct juice and drink to stop thirst. Grind and apply topically to malignant sores. (Wu Rui said: Pupae after reeling silk are eaten by people today, called "little bee children". Sun Simiao said: Those bitten by dogs must avoid eating them for life; if consumed, disease onset is unavoidable.) Silkworm cocoon, sweet and warm. Can drain Minister Fire of the Bladder, guide clear qi upward to the mouth. Stops thirst. (Silkworms and horses belong to Wu (noon), associated with Li trigram ruling the Heart. At the time of spinning cocoons and retreating/hiding, drinking the water from reeling silk can suppress Heart fire and treat thirst.) For carbuncles and ulcers without head, burn to ash and take with wine. (Taking one cocoon causes one head to emerge; taking two causes two heads to emerge.)