Gadfly (Mengchong)

Gadfly (Mengchong)

Pharmaceutical Name: Tabanus
Botanical Name: Tabanus bivittatus Mats.
Common Name:Gadfly
Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing
art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The female gadfly is caught in May or June. It is boiled or steamed, and then dried in the sun.
Properties and Taste: Bitter, slightly cold and slightly toxic
Meridian: Liver
Functions: To invigorate blood and remove stagnation
Indications and Combinations: 1.     Amenorrhea or abdominal and epigastric masses caused by blood stagnation.
*Use with Leech (Shuizhi), Cockroach (Chechong), Peach seed (Taoren) and Rhubarb (Dahuang) in the formula Dahuang Chechong Wan.

2. Pain due to external injury.
*Use with Frankincense (Ruxiang), Myrrh (Moyao) and Peach seed (Taoren).
Dosage: 1-1.5 g; 0.3 g for baked powder
Cautions: This substance is contraindicated during pregnancy.