WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

The source is from the dried ripe fruits of Croton tiglium L., family Euphorbiaceae. It is collected in the autumn when the fruits are ripe. The seeds or made into frostlike powder are for medicinal use.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Pungent, heat, extremely toxic; relate to the stomach and large intestine meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Purge drastically, expel fluid; eliminate phlegm, comfort throat; corrode wound as external use.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: In pill or powder form, 0.1-0.3g is taken at one time. Processing it into a frostlike powder reduces its toxiceity. The appropriate amount is used externally.

[ Precautions ]: Contraindicated in pregnant women and the weakness . It is incompatible with Qianniuzi.

[ Side Effects ]: It can induce hemolysis and necrosis of cells; it can stimulate and corrode mucosa of gastrium and intestine drastically to induce nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, even hemorrhagic gastritis manifested as bloody stool with mucosa; it can induce acute dermatitis, sore throat, vomiting, angina ofintestine, diarrhea with rice water-like stool, headache, dizziness, respiratory or circulatory failure to death. External use of the frostlike powder can induce contact dermatitis manifested as pustule rashes and blister, etc.

 

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Constipation due to cold accumulation       It can purge cold accumulation drastically, which is suitable for cold evil, food retention, constipation, abdominal fullness and distending pain. It can be made into frostlike powder in capsules or together with Dahuang and Ganjiang, such as in Sanwu Beiji Pill.

 

2. Abdominal dropsy and tympanites       It can be made into pill together with Xingren. For abdominal dropsy in the later stage of cirrhosis of bilharziasis, it is combined with Jiangfan and Shenqu in modern times to make up Hanbajiang fan Wan.

 

3. Inflammatin of throat due to phlegm obstruction      It is peeled and put into throat by thread in ancient times. In modern times, for laryngemphraxis due to diphtheritis and laryngitis, the frostlike powder of Badou can be blown into throat to  induce voiting and promote to expel phlegm, which can relieve the throat. For profuse phlegm obstruction, chest stuffiness and thoracic accumulation of cold, it can be combined with Beimum Jiegeng, such as in Sanwu Bai Powder. For infantile cold accumultion, milk or food retention and profuse phlegm, it is combined with Liushenqu, Tiannanxing and Zhusha, such as in Baochi Powder.

 

4.Suppuration in abscess, scabies and tinea      It is oil can be extracted and mixed with powder of Xionghuang, Qingfen for external use. It can also be decocted into plaster for external application together with Ruxiang, Moyao and Mubiezi, etc.

 

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Similarities: Badou and Dahuang both have intense action of purgation,which is suitable for constipation of stagnation type.

 

Differences: Badou is mainly indicated for the treatment of urgent constipation of cold accumulation, due to its properties of pungent and heat. For other types of stagnation, it is usually made into frostlike powder and used in a small amount. Dahuang is mainly indicated to treat constipation of heat stagnation, due to its properties of being bitter and cold. For constipation of cold accumulation, it must be combined with medicinals which has a warm or hot nature, such as Fuzi.

巴豆为大戟科植物巴豆Croton tiglium L.的干燥成熟果实。主产于四川、广西、云南、贵州等省。秋季果实成熟时采收。用仁或制霜。