（本经上品）
出世人不肯作此用，世人亦无暇及此。
【气味】咸甘平，无毒。
【主治】主伤中，疝瘕，阴痿，益精生子。女子血闭，腰痛，通五淋，利小便水道。
【核】曰∶桑螵蛸螳螂子也，深秋乳子作房，粘着桑枝上者，入药用。房长寸许，大如
拇指，重重有隔房，每房有子如蛆卵，芒种节后，一齐都出。月令有云∶螳螂生也，螳螂骧
首奋臂，修颈大腹，两手四足，善缘而捷，以须代鼻，喜食人发，尤善捕蝉。尔雅云∶不过
螳螂，其子螵蛸，捕蝉而食，执木叶以自蔽，蝉将去而未飞，为之一前一却。庄子云∶螳螂
执翳而搏之，得见而忘其形，盖谓是也。 云∶凡使勿用杂树枝上生者，名曰素螺。须觅桑
枝东畔生者。采得，去核子，用沸浆水浸七次，锅中熬干用。别作修事无效也。
先人云∶房藏久远，一房百子，有肾之悭，得甲之体，候阴之物，输精之用者也。
【 】曰∶桑螵蛸，即螳螂秋深产卵，连缀桑枝东畔者良。螵从票，蛸从肖，言劲疾轻
举，肖类母性也。月令芒种螳螂生，盖是月升阴始起，杀虫应而生焉。不生是谓阴息，唯捕
蝉时，有进退势，余只知进而已，当入厥阴，具厥阴体用者也。故主厥阴隐深之境，唯知厥
退，为疝瘕阴痿，精涸血闭，五淋癃约，此不从升阴而起，反从降阴而息者。对待治之，倘
阴杀自强，所当敛避，设不知却，欲仗怒臂以当车辙，恐亦不胜其任也。
【本经上品】
出世之人（指修道或超脱世俗者）不肯这样使用它，世人也没有闲暇顾及此物。
【气味】味咸、甘，性平，无毒。
【主治】主要治疗内伤（中焦受损），疝气及腹内结块（疝瘕），阳痿，补益精气并促进生育。治疗女子经血闭阻，腰痛，通利五种淋证（五淋），通畅小便水道。
【核】曰：桑螵蛸是螳螂的卵鞘，深秋时节螳螂产卵筑房，粘附在桑树枝上的，可供药用。卵鞘长约一寸左右，粗细如拇指，内部层层有隔间，每个隔间里有像蛆卵一样的子虫，芒种节气过后，子虫一齐孵化出来。《礼记·月令》中说：“螳螂生”，螳螂昂首挥臂，颈长腹大，前肢两对共四足，善于攀爬且敏捷，以触须代替鼻子，喜欢食用人的头发，尤其擅长捕捉蝉。《尔雅》说：“不过螳螂，其子螵蛸”，螳螂捕食蝉时，手持树叶作为遮蔽，当蝉准备飞走但未飞起时，螳螂会一前一后地进退试探。《庄子》说：“螳螂持叶搏蝉，见蝉而忘其身”，说的就是这种情况。[注：原文此处缺主语，据上下文推测为某本草学家]说：凡用药时不要使用生长在杂树枝上的，名叫“素螺”。必须寻找生长在桑树东边的。采得后，去掉里面的子虫，用沸水浸泡七次，然后在锅中熬干使用。其他炮制方法无效。
先人说：卵鞘收藏久远，一房百子，具有肾脏吝啬（固摄）的特性，具备甲壳之体，是等候阴气之物，具有输精的作用。
【修事】曰：桑螵蛸，即螳螂深秋产卵，连缀在桑树东边的为佳。“螵”从“票”，“蛸”从“肖”，意指劲疾轻举，肖似母性。《月令》记载芒种时节螳螂出生，大概是因为这个月份阳气升发、阴气始起，杀虫应时而生。如果不生长，称为阴息。只有在捕蝉时，才有进退之势，其余时间只知道前进。本品应当入厥阴肝经，具备厥阴的体用。所以主要治疗厥阴经隐深部位的病证，只知退守，用于疝气、瘕积、阳痿、精竭、血闭、五淋、尿闭等症，这些病症不是从升发阴气而起，反而是从降敛阴气而停滞的。用对待的方法治疗它，如果阴邪强盛自固，应当收敛回避；假如不知道退避，想要凭借怒臂去阻挡车轮，恐怕也不能胜任。
[Shangpin Category of the Classic of Materia Medica]
Those who have transcended the worldly realm are unwilling to use it in this manner, and ordinary people also lack the leisure to attend to it.
[Flavor and Nature] Salty, sweet, and neutral; non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats internal injury (damage to the middle jiao), hernia and abdominal masses (shanjia), impotence, tonifies essence and promotes fertility. Treats amenorrhea in women, lower back pain, unblocks the five types of strangury (wulin), and facilitates the water passages for urination.
[Analysis] It is stated: Sangpiaoxiao is the ootheca of the mantis. In late autumn, when mantises lay eggs and build chambers, those adhering to mulberry branches are used as medicine. The chamber is about one cun long and as thick as a thumb, with multiple internal partitions. Each partition contains offspring resembling maggot eggs. After the Mangzhong solar term, they hatch simultaneously. The *Liji · Yueling* states: "The mantis is born." The mantis raises its head and brandishes its arms, possessing a long neck and large abdomen, two pairs of forelegs totaling four legs, skilled in climbing and agile, using antennae instead of a nose, fond of eating human hair, and particularly adept at catching cicadas. The *Erya* states: "Beyond the mantis, its offspring is piaoxiao." When catching cicadas, it holds leaves for concealment; as the cicada prepares to fly but has not yet taken off, the mantis advances and retreats. The *Zhuangzi* states: "The mantis holds a leaf to pounce on the cicada, seeing the cicada but forgetting its own form," which refers to this phenomenon. [Subject omitted in original text, inferred as a materia medica author] states: Do not use those growing on miscellaneous tree branches, known as "Suluo." One must seek those growing on the eastern side of mulberry branches. After harvesting, remove the inner offspring, soak in boiling water seven times, and then dry by simmering in a pot. Other processing methods are ineffective.
My ancestors said: The ootheca stored for a long time contains hundreds of offspring per chamber, possessing the characteristic of renal retention (consolidation), having the form of a shell, waiting for yin qi, and serving the function of transporting essence.
[Processing] It is stated: Sangpiaoxiao refers to mantis eggs laid in late autumn, preferably those attached to the eastern side of mulberry branches. "Piao" derives from "piao" (swift/light), and "Xiao" derives from "xiao" (resemble/imitate), implying swift and light movement, resembling maternal nature. The *Yueling* records that mantises are born during the Mangzhong period, likely because in this month yang qi rises and yin qi begins to emerge, so the insecticide arises in response. If it does not grow, it is called yin cessation. Only when catching cicadas does it exhibit an advance-and-retreat dynamic; otherwise, it only knows how to advance. This herb should enter the Jueyin Liver meridian, embodying the structure and function of Jueyin. Therefore, it primarily treats conditions in the deep and hidden realms of the Jueyin meridian, focusing on retreat, for treating hernia, masses, impotence, essence depletion, blood obstruction, five types of strangury, and urinary retention. These conditions do not arise from the ascending of yin qi but rather stagnate due to the descending and consolidating of yin qi. Treating them with counteracting methods, if yin pathogenic factors are strong and self-consolidating, one should adopt a strategy of convergence and avoidance. If one fails to understand the need to retreat and attempts to block the wheels of a chariot with angry arms, it is feared that one will not be able to fulfill the task.