蛞蝓,蜗牛,《本经》分作二条,今按其气味主疗无别,惟形质稍异,故并为一。
但蜗牛负壳,蛞蝓无壳耳。禀阴湿之气而生,故味咸气寒,无毒。《经》曰∶肉腠闭
拒,虽大风 毒,弗能害也。如阴血亏竭,腠理不密,贼风乘虚而中于经络,故 僻,
挛缩筋急。咸寒能益阴润燥软坚,则筋脉舒缓,经络通达,而诸症除矣。惊痫者,风热
也;脱肛者,大肠热也;疔肿者,火毒热结也。咸寒总除诸热,所以主之。蜈蚣性畏二
物,不敢过其所行之路,触其身即死,故人取以治蜈蚣毒。治大肠内热脱肛,用蜗牛一
两烧灰,猪脂和敷,立缩。痔疮肿痛,用蜗牛一枚,入麝香少许,以碗盛,次日取水涂
之。又方用蜗牛浸油涂之或烧灰敷亦可。发背初起,活蜗牛二百个,以新汲水一盖,瓶
内封一宿,取涎水,入真蛤粉旋调,扫敷疮上,日十余度。痔热肿痛,用大蛞蝓一个,
研泥,入片脑一字,胭脂坯子半钱,同敷之。
蜗牛,即带壳大蜒蚰,入剂择圆大者取功。制宜火炒过,杀毒主贼风,口眼 斜。
治惊痫,筋脉挛拘,收脱肛,止消渴;敷热毒,愈疔肿。
蜘蛛,大人狐疝偏痛,睾丸或时上下者能瘥。小儿大腹丁奚,行步三年 者堪
愈,久疟寒热可断,霍乱干呕堪驱。蛇虺咬捣汁涂,蜈蚣咬用活吸。疔肿作膏敷退。瘿
瘤渍酒饮消,丝网疗健忘。七夕取食能使人巧。
蛞蝓(即鼻涕虫)和蜗牛,在《神农本草经》中被分为两条记载。现在根据它们的气味和主治功效来看并没有区别,只有形态质地稍有不同,所以合并为一条。
只是蜗牛背着壳,而蛞蝓没有壳罢了。它们禀受阴湿之气而生,所以味道咸、性寒,无毒。《黄帝内经》说:“如果肌肉腠理闭合坚固,即使是猛烈的大风毒邪,也不能伤害它。”如果阴血亏虚枯竭,腠理不致密,贼风(外感风邪)乘虚侵入经络,就会导致口眼歪斜(中风口僻)、筋脉挛缩拘急。咸寒之性能滋养阴液、润燥、软化坚结,从而使筋脉舒缓,经络通达,各种病症也就消除了。惊痫(小儿惊风抽搐),属于风热;脱肛,是大肠有热;疔肿(一种急性化脓性感染),是火毒热结所致。咸寒之性总可清除各种热邪,所以用它们来主治这些病症。蜈蚣的习性畏惧这两种动物,不敢经过它们走过的路,一旦触碰到它们的身体就会死亡,所以人们采集它们来治疗蜈蚣咬伤中毒。治疗大肠内热引起的脱肛,用一两蜗牛烧成灰,与猪脂混合后敷贴,立刻就能回缩。痔疮肿痛,取一枚蜗牛,加入少许麝香,放在碗中,第二天收集其分泌的黏液涂抹患处。另一个方子是用蜗牛浸泡的油涂抹,或者烧成灰敷贴也可以。发背(背部严重的痈疽)初起时,取活蜗牛二百个,加一盖新汲水,在瓶内密封一夜,取出其中的黏液,加入真正的蛤粉随时调匀,扫涂在疮面上,每天十多次。痔热肿痛,取一个大蛞蝓,研成泥状,加入一字量的片脑(冰片)、半钱胭脂坯子,一同敷贴。
蜗牛,就是带壳的大蜒蚰(蛞蝓类),入药时选择圆大的个体以发挥药效。适宜用火炒过,以杀灭毒性,主要治疗贼风引起的口眼歪斜。治疗惊痫、筋脉挛缩拘急,收敛脱肛,止消渴;敷治热毒,治愈疔肿。
蜘蛛,能治愈成人狐疝(腹股沟疝气)偏侧疼痛,睾丸有时上下移动的病症。小儿大腹丁奚(一种小儿营养不良、腹部胀大如鼓的病证),行走困难者也能痊愈,久疟疾寒热往来可以截断,霍乱干呕可以驱除。被毒蛇咬伤,捣碎汁液涂抹;被蜈蚣咬伤,用活蜘蛛吸附。制作膏药敷贴可使疔肿消退。瘿瘤(甲状腺肿大或颈部肿瘤)浸泡酒饮用可消除,蜘蛛网治疗健忘。七夕节食用蜘蛛据说能使人变得灵巧。
Slugs (Kuyu) and snails (Woniú) were recorded as two separate entries in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). However, upon examining their flavors, properties, and therapeutic indications, there is no difference; only their physical forms differ slightly. Therefore, they are combined into one entry.
The distinction lies merely in the fact that snails carry shells, whereas slugs do not. They are born from yin-damp qi, thus possessing a salty flavor and cold nature, with no toxicity. The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: "If the flesh and pores are closed and resistant, even severe wind-toxins cannot harm it." If yin-blood is deficient and exhausted, and the pores are not tight, pathogenic wind (Zefeng) may invade the meridians due to deficiency, leading to facial paralysis (Koupian), muscle spasms, and tendon contraction. The salty-cold nature can nourish yin, moisten dryness, and soften hardness, thereby relaxing tendons and vessels, unblocking meridians, and eliminating various symptoms. Epileptic convulsions (Jingxian) are caused by wind-heat; rectal prolapse (Tuogang) is caused by heat in the large intestine; carbuncles and sores (Dingzhong) are caused by fire-toxin and heat accumulation. The salty-cold property generally clears all types of heat, hence its use in treating these conditions. Centipedes fear these two creatures and dare not cross their paths; contact with them causes death. Thus, humans collect them to treat centipede bites/poisoning. To treat rectal prolapse due to internal heat in the large intestine, burn one tael of snails to ash, mix with pig fat, and apply externally for immediate retraction. For painful and swollen hemorrhoids, take one snail, add a small amount of Moschus (Shexiang), place in a bowl, and apply the collected mucus the next day. Another method involves applying oil infused with snails or applying the burnt ash. For early-stage back carbuncle (Fabei), take 200 live snails, add one lidful of fresh water, seal in a bottle overnight, extract the mucus, mix with genuine Concha Meretricis (Gafen), and apply to the sore over ten times daily. For hemorrhoidal heat and swelling, grind one large slug into a paste, add one qian of Borneolum Syntheticum (Pian Nao) and half a qian of Carthami Flos (Yanzhi) base, and apply together.
Snails, which are essentially shelled slugs, should be selected as large and round ones for medicinal efficacy. They are preferably stir-fried over fire to neutralize toxicity and primarily treat facial paralysis caused by pathogenic wind. They treat epileptic convulsions, tendon spasms, rectal prolapse, polydipsia (Xiaoke); externally applied for heat-toxin and curing carbuncles.
Spiders (Zhizhu) can cure adult inguinal hernias (Huxian) with unilateral pain and testicular migration. They can heal pediatric abdominal distension with emaciation (Dingxi) and gait impairment. They can interrupt chronic malaria with alternating chills and fever, and dispel vomiting associated with cholera-like syndrome (Huoluan). Juice applied externally treats snake bites; live spiders applied topically treat centipede bites. Paste made from spiders reduces carbuncles. Infused wine for goiter/nodules (Yingliu) helps dissipate them; spider silk treats forgetfulness. Consuming spiders on the Qixi Festival is said to enhance dexterity.