WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is the proessed resin of Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertin. f.,family Dipterocarpceae, or the crystals form evaporated trunk of this kind of trees, which is called Longnao Bingpian or Meipian. It can also be made from the sublimation of leaves of Blumea balsamifera (L.)DC.,family Compositae, which is named "Aipian". Nowadays, it is mostly synthesized from trupentine oil and camphor and it is called"synthetic resin" or "Jizhi Bingpian" in Chinese. The finished product should be stored in cool place ad in a closed container. It is ground into powder for medicinal use.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Pungent , bitter and slightly cold; relate to heart, spleen and lung meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Regain consciousness; clear away heat and alleviate pain.

[ CLinical Applications ]: 1. Heat sthenia-syndrome of coma       It is efficient for heat type of sthenia-syndrome of coma          When used for such types as syndromes of inner blockage of phlegm-heat, sudden fainting due to summer-heat, infantile convulsions, it is often combined with Niuhuag, Shexiang and Huanglian, such as in the Angong Niuhuang Pill.

2. Inflammation of throat, aphthae, reddish swollen and painful eyes, carbucle and ulcer, and scald       For sore throat and aphthae, it is usually ground into powder together with Pengsha, Zhusha and Xuanmingfewn, and Xuanmingfen and blown onto the affected parts of the body for external application; for example the Bingpeng Powder. In cases of reddish, swollen and painful eyes, it may be dropped into the eyes, as an individual medicinal or made into eye-drops combined together with luganshi, Xuejie and Ruxiang. In addition, for scalds caused by fire or hot water, it is mainly used for external application.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 0.15-0.3g is used in pill or powder form. The appropriate amount is needed for external application. It is ground into powder and applied to the affected part of the body.

[ Precautions ]: It is used with caution when treating pregnant women.

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Simlilarities: Shexiang and Bingpain are aromatic and have the efficacies of regaining consciousness. They are often used together for sthenia-syndrome of coma.

Differneces: Shexiang is warm and has a much stronger action of regaining consciousness and is the primary medicinal both for heat type and cold-type of sthenia syndrome of coma. The action of Bingpain is weaker and it is  slightly cold in nature, which makes it suitable for the heat-type. Shexiang also has the actions of activating the blood and the meridians, alleviating pain and promoting procreation of fetus, for which it could be used for amenorrhea due to blood-stasis, abdomen mass, trauma, Bi-syndrome pain, swollen ulcer,  sore throat, and dystocia, dead fetus and retention of placenta. Bingpian is bitter and cold, and has the function of clearing away heat and toxin and alleviationg pain, for which it could be used to treat reddish swollen and painful eyes, aphthae, inflammation of throat, swollen ulcer and pain, and chronic carbuncle and ulcer. Both of them can be used in pill and powder form.

冰片为龙脑香科植物龙脑香Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertn. f.树脂加工品，或龙脑香树的树干、树枝切碎，经蒸馏冷却而得的结晶，称“龙脑冰片”，亦称“梅片”。由菊科植物艾纳香（大艾）Blumea balsamifera DC.叶的升华物经加工劈削而成，称“艾片”。现多用松节油、樟脑等，经化学方法合成，称“机制冰片”。龙脑香主产于东南亚地区，我国台湾有引种；艾纳香主产于广东、广西、云南、贵州等地。冰片成品须贮于阴凉处，密闭。研粉用。