Bing Pian - 冰片 - Borneolum
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Borneolum |
| Common English: | Borneol Borneol Camphor Dryobalanops |
Category
Aromatic Substances that Open the OrificesProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Bitter (Aromatic) | Mildly Cool (Leukewarm) (Cool) | Heart Lung Spleen (Du) (Yang Qiao) | 0.01-0.9g Tincture: 0.03-0.1ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Aromatically opens the Orifices, revives the Spirit and unblocks closed disorders | Impaired consciousness, fainting and convulsions |
Clears Heat, Clears the eyes, Drains Fire, Removes superficial visual obstructions, Resolves toxicity | Heat leading to headaches, red and swollen eyes, superficial visual obstruction and sores in the mouth |
Alleviates itching, Alleviates pain, Clears Heat, Dissipates nodules | Topically for pain and swelling of the throat, skin diseases such as sores and scabies and eye diseases such as photophobia and excessive tearing |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Moschus | Moschus | Moschus |
Convulsions, loss of consciousness and coma due to extreme Heat or Phlegm Blocking the Orifices. | Hot, closed disorders. | Cold closed disorders. |
| Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum | Cinnabaris | Calamina |
Wakens the brain, expels Wind and opens what is closed applied externally as a powder, rubbed on the gums for Wind-Stroke with clenched jaw. Internally to treat closed-type strokes. | Heat, pain, swelling and suppuration of the ear, eye, nose, mouth and throat. (topical) | As an ophthalmic preparation applied topically for red and swollen eyes. Non-healing burns. |
| Flos Lonicerae | Alum | Calculus Bovis |
Hot, toxic sores. | Externally for otitis media, otitis externa and eczema of the ear with pustular discharges. | Convulsions due to Heat. |
Moschus | Realgar | Calculus Bovis |
Convulsions due to Cold. | Thrush, white mouth or mycotic stomatitis. (topical) | Ulceration with pain and swelling of the skin, ears or nose. |
Cinnabaris | Halloysitum Rubrum | |
Toothache. | Suppuration with ulceration. |
Notes
- It is used to drive out pathogenic factors from the abdomen and chest.
- It dramatically relieves gastric obstruction caused by pathogenic Heat.
- It is used to disperse any Excess type of stroke, as well as constipation, dysuria and Qi Stagnation.
- As a topical powder, it is often used to regenerate flesh.
- The skin and mucosal membranes absorb it readily.
- On its own, it can be used for redness, swelling and pain of the eyes, and it is a frequent ingredient in eye drops that relieve swelling.
- It inhibits cancer cell growth.
- The highest grade, known as Long Nao Xiang “Fragrant Dragon Brain”, is very fragrant and resembles Moschus She Xiang in its properties, though it is weaker.
- Applied externally, it clears Heat, stops pain and generates flesh.
- It appears frequently in patent formulas for angina, oral ulceration, insomnia, nervousness and childhood diseases.
- Because it is volatile, it is not usually decocted.
- It reaches every part of the body and opens all the Orifices.
- According to some sources, this herb is Warm or Hot.
- Bing Pian and Moschus She Xiang are both acrid, mobile and piercing; they open the Orifices and awaken the Spirit. They are commonly combined for loss of consciousness, delirium in febrile diseases, fainting from Summerheat, Wind-Stroke and swollen sores from Heat toxin. She Xiang is more powerful at opening the Orifices, awakening the Spirit, invigorating the Blood, unblocking the collaterals and reducing and dispersing Blood and Qi Stagnation. It treats traumatic injury, hematomas, and abdominal masses or amenorrhea from Blood Stasis. Bing Pian Dissipates Fire constraint to reduce swelling and stop pain, treating mouth ulcers, toothache and sore red eyes.
From Class
- Orifice-opening substances: She Xiang, Niu Huang, Su He Xiang, Bing Pian: Orifice-opening aromatics (She Xiang, Niu Huang, Su He Xiang, Bing Pian) arouse shen but deplete jing long-term — use only in emergencies, then rebuild jing. (Yuen)
- She Xiang / Niu Huang substitutes: Su He Xiang, Shi Chang Pu, Bing Pian: For closed (bi) syndrome in the dying: replace warming musk with styrax or acorus; replace cooling Niu Huang with tiny amounts of borneol. (Yuen)