WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is dried ovum sheath of Tenodera sinensis Saussure, Statilia maculate (Thunberg), or Hierodula patellifera (Serville), family Mantidae. It is get accustomed to call “Tuan-Piaoxiao”, “Chang-Piaoxiao”, and “Hei-Piaoxiao” separately. It can be collected from late autumn to spring. The ovum is killed in boiling water, or it is steamed and dried in the sunshine for medicine.

Medicinal Properties: Sweet, salty and neutral; relate to liver and kidney meridians.

Medicinal Efficacies: Benefit kidney and astringe essence; reduce the frequency of urination to stop turbidity.

Clinical Applications:

1. Impotence, emission, spermatorrhoea     In treating impotence due to kidney deficiency, it is often used with Lurong and Roucongrong. In treating emission and spermatorrhoea due to kidney deficiency, it is often used together with longgu and Wuweizi.

      2. Enuresis and frequent urination, white turbidity    In treating infantile enuresis, it can be used alone, taken with rice water; in treating confuse mind, frequent urination, enuresis, and white turbidity, it is often used together with Yuanzhi and Longgu, such as in the formula Sangpiaoxiao Powder.

Usage and Dosage: 6-10g is used for oral use.

Precautions: It has the function of assisting yang and astringing, therefore, it is contraindicated for patients manifesting frequent urination due to to deficiency of yin leading to hyperactivity of fire and damp-heat in bladder.

桑螵蛸为螳螂科昆虫大刀螂Tenodera sinensis Saussure　小刀螂Statilia maculata （Thunberg）或巨斧螳螂Hierodula patellifera（Serville）的卵鞘。分别习称“团螵蛸”、“长螵蛸”及 “黑螵蛸”。全国大部分地区均产。深秋至次春采收。置沸水浸杀其卵，或蒸透晒干用。