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Arisaema (Tian Nan Xing)

Bitter, acrid, toxic. Mainly treats wind-stroke, eliminates phlegm, relieves numbness and paralysis, directs rebellious Qi downward, breaks up firm accumulations, dissipates carbuncles and swellings, benefits the chest and diaphragm, disperses blood, and causes abortion. Grows in marshy areas, available everywhere. Leaves resemble those of Colocasia esculenta (Tarotaro), roots resemble taro, harvested in February and August. (Supplementary)

Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully cite Chen Cangqi: Arisaema mainly treats metal wounds, fractures, and blood stasis; take the root, crush it, and apply to the injured area. Grows in mountain valleys of Andong. Leaves resemble Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus) leaves, with a single stem, using the root is best. Rihua Zi says: Flavor is sharply acrid, neutral in nature, incompatible with Aconitum carmichaelii (Fu Zi), Zingiberis Rhizoma干燥品 (Gan Jiang), and Zingiberis Rhizoma新鲜品 (Sheng Jiang). Treats traumatic injuries and blood stasis, main remedy for snake and insect bites, scabies, tinea, and malignant sores. For medicinal use, it must be processed; also known as Gui Yu (Ghost Taro).

Tu Jing states: Arisaema, not recorded in Ben Jing regarding its place of origin, says it grows in marshes, now available everywhere. Sprouts in February, resembling lotus stems, stems about one chi high. Leaves resemble taro leaves, two leaves embracing each other. Flowers in May like a snake's head, yellow. Bears fruit in July in spikes resembling pomegranate seeds, red. Roots resemble taro but are round, roots harvested in February and August, similar to taro roots, often mistakenly collected by people. Stems with spots and purple flowers are Hu Zhang (Tiger Palm). Another view is that Arisaema as described in Ben Cao is indeed Hu Zhang. The smaller ones are named You Ba, later adopted by practitioners, thus establishing a new name. Current large Arisaema have tubercles on all four sides, which are completely removed during harvesting. Also, Chen Cangqi says: Pinellia ternata (Ban Xia) is one or two chi high, You Ba is one or two cun high; this is exactly an error in reversal. Current You Ba seedlings are one or two chi high, stems resemble taro stems but without spots, roots resemble chicken eggs. Pinellia ternata is one or two cun high, sometimes reaching one chi, roots are small, finger-sized, and perfectly round. In Jiangnan and Wuzhong, there is also Bai Yu, also called Gui Yu, roots all resembling Arisaema, growing abundantly in low-lying marshes. All are mixed and collected as Arisaema, indistinguishable. What is received in the market is often this kind. However, Arisaema is smaller, soft and greasy with fine texture, cracks easily when processed, which can be used to distinguish it. Ancient formulas mostly used Hu Zhang, not mentioning Arisaema. Arisaema appeared recently in the Tang dynasty, widely used in formulas for wind-stroke and phlegm-toxin. Xu Chuan Xin Fang treats wind-pain using Arisaema and Rhododendron molle (Zhi Zhu Hua), both fresh, pounded together, sifted into cakes, steamed over a steamer four or five times, stored in a Pueraria lobata (Ge Gen) bag. When needed, take out, dry-roast, pound into powder, make pills with steamed dough, size of Sophora japonica seeds, swallow three pills with warm wine. For waist and leg bone pain, take on an empty stomach; for arm pain, take after meals, very effective.

Empirical Formula: Treats acute wind-stroke with eyes closed and jaw clenched, unable to administer medicine. Use this powder, dip middle finger in powder, rub teeth thirty to twenty times, rub around the large molars, the mouth will naturally open, then medicine can be administered, named Kai Kai San: Arisaema pounded into powder, Borneolum Syntheticum (Bai Long Nao), equal parts of both ground together, prepared at noon on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Patient takes only one qian to half a qian. Another formula: Treats pediatric gan gangrene (flesh-eating disease) penetrating bone and minor erosion, Bi Xiao Fang: One Arisaema, dig a pit in the center, place a piece of Realgar (Xiong Huang) inside, wrap with yeast starter (Qu) and roast, wait until Realgar melts into liquid, cover with a bowl to remove fire toxicity and discard the Qu, grind into powder, add a little Moschus (She Xiang), apply to sore, verified effective. Another formula: Treats women's general wind attacking head and eye pain. One Arisaema, dig a pit in the ground, heat until red, place in the pit, pour one bowl of vinegar, cover with a bowl, do not let air pass, wait until cool, take out and grind into powder. Take one qian per dose, mix with wine, severe cases take half a qian bi. Another formula: Treats convulsive wind and drooling. One Arisaema weighing one liang, soak in wine for seven伏 periods, take out, roast on new tiles with charcoal fire around until dry and cracked, place in damp ground to remove fire toxicity, store in porcelain jar to cool, pound into powder, mix with one fen of Cinnabar (Zhu Sha) ground together. Take half a qian per dose, mix with Schizonepetae Herba (Jing Jie) decoction, take one or two doses daily on an empty stomach and at noon. Sheng Jin Fang: Treats hematemesis. One liang of Arisaema, cut into bean-sized pieces, soak in ash water overnight, take out, wash clean, dry-roast and pound into powder, take one qian with Nativum Pyritum (Zi Ran Tong) ground with wine, cured. Shi Quan Bo Jiu Fang treats cough. One large Arisaema, process until cracked, pound into powder. Take one da qian per dose, one bowl of water, three slices of Zingiberis Rhizoma (Sheng Jiang), decoct to half a bowl, take warm, one dose on empty stomach, at noon, and before bed. Ji Xiao Fang treats persistent vomiting and diarrhea, or excessive vomiting, cold limbs, fainting due to deficiency wind. After taking this, limbs gradually warm, consciousness returns, Hui Yang San: Arisaema pounded into powder. Take three qian per dose, add three Jujubae Fructus (Jing Zao), decoct together to eight-tenths, take warm, if not conscious, take again. Chu Yushi treats tetanus from broken skin entering wound causing stiffness. Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fang Feng) and Arisaema in equal parts, pound into powder, mix with vinegar to make patches for application. Tan Shi Fang treats pediatric trismus (lockjaw). One Arisaema, roast hot, wrap in paper, prevent air leakage at corners. Cut a hole the size of a chicken head at the narrow end, insert into nostril to allow airflow, jaw opens immediately.