WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It refers to Cinnabar of sulfide type, mainly containing mercuric sulfide. The medicinal produced in Chenzhou of ancient times (now Yuanling, Human province) is the genuine one. After being mined, the mineral is purified with a magnet to remove the impurity containing iron, and then stones and sands are washed away. It is refined into powder with water, then dried and put into bottles for medication.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Sweet, slightly cold and toxic ; relate to heart meridian.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Relieve palpitation and calm spirit; clear heat and remove toxin.

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Irritability, palpitation, insomnia     For exuberance of heart fire causing irritability, restless fever in chest, palpitation and insomnia, it is combined with Huanglian and Gancao; for those accompanied by deficiency of heart blood, Danggui and Shengdihuang are added, that is Zhusha Anshen Pills; for palpitation due to fright or heart deficiency, it is put into a pig's heart and stewed for oral administration; for deficiency of yin and blood resulting in palpitation and insomnia, Danggui, Baiziren and Suanzaoren are used together.

2. Convulsion, epilepsy      For high fever causing coma and convulsion, it is used with Niuhuang and Shexiang in Angong Niuhuang Pills; for infantile convulsion, with Niuhuang and Quanxie, such as Niuhuang Powder; for epilepsy, sudden coma and convulsion, with Cishi and Shenqu in Cizhu pills.

3. Carbuncle, sore throat and aphthae    It treats carbuncle in combination with Xionghuang and Daji ,such as Zijin Troche; it treats sore throat and aphthae, with Bingpian and Pengsha in Bingpeng Powder for external application.

In addition, it is also used as coat of pills and boluses, strengthening the effect of calming spirit and preventing decaying.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 0.1-0.5g is usaully used in pill or powder form , not in decoction. It is used externally with appropriate dosage.

[ Precautions ]: Since it is toxic, it cannot be used in large amount for a prolonged time. It contraindicates with abnormal function of liver and kidneys. It avoids being calcined, because mercury can be separated out, which is extremely toxic.

朱砂为硫化物类矿物辰砂族辰砂，主含硫化汞（HgS）。主产湖南、贵州、四川、广西、云南等地，以产于古之辰州（今湖南沅陵）者为道地药材。采挖后，选取纯净者，用磁铁吸净含铁的杂质，再用水淘去杂石和泥沙，照水飞法研成极细粉末，晾干或40℃以下干燥。