Lu Feng Fang - 露蜂房 - Nidus Vespae - Wasp Nest
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Nidus Vespae |
| Common English: | Hornet’s Neat Polistes Wasp Nest |
Category
Herbs for Topical ApplicationProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet (Acrid) | Neutral Toxic | Lung Stomach (Liver) | Decoction for gargles: 2.5-8g Powder: 1-3g 3-6g (d), 1-2g (p) (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Relieves toxicity, expels Wind and alleviates pain and itching | Topically as an ointment or wash skin rashes, itching, scabies, tinea, sores and carbuncles As a gargle for severe toothaches that feel as if a worm is burrowing into the tooth |
Expels Wind, dries Dampness and stops pain and itching | Wind-Damp Bi Wind-Rash Internal Wind |
Treats tumors | Cancers |
Kills parasites | Insecticide |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Powdered Rz. Arisaematis | Hb. Taraxaci | Hb. Asari Or Alumen |
With rice wine , as a paste for early stage sores with localized Heat, redness, firmness, swelling and pain. | Topically for hard breast sores. | As a gargle for tooth pain radiating to the side of the face or swollen gums. (possibly feeling like worms moving or tingling in the teeth) |
| Rx. Scrophulariae | Periostracum Cicadae | Olibanum |
As an ointment for stubborn, purulent scrofula. | As a tincture for scabies or Wind-Rash with itching. | As a decoction for early-stage, non-ulcerated scrofula. |
| Rx. Aconiti | Rz. Homalomenae | Scolopendra |
As a tincture for severe pain. | Internally for joint pain and swelling. | Severe pain from gout or panarthralgia. |
| Scorpio | Pseudobulbus Cremastrae/Pleiones | Ootheca Mantidis |
| Various tumors. | Breast cancer. | Urinary incontinence. |
Fr. Crotonis (21 pieces) | Scolopendra | Bombyx Batryticatus |
For soft or ulcerated sore, deep fry in sesame oil, mix with powdered Lu Feng Fang and apply topically. | Ulcerations with pus. | Grind dry-fried Lu Feng Fang and Jiang Can into a powder and serve 1.5g with a decoction of Ru Xiang for children with a swollen painful throat. |
| Cx. Meliae | Scorpio | Bul. Allii Sativa |
Breast tumors, mastitis, fibrocystic breast disease, abscess or necrosing nodules in the breast. (take 10g every two days) | Nasopharyngeal cancer. Laryngocarcinoma. Lymphatic metastasis. | Topically for rheumatoid arthritis. |
Scorpio | ||
Arthritis. Osteomyelitis. |
Notes
- Because most sources lack an anti-cancer section, this herb is placed in other categories. Bensky lists it among herbs for external application, while OHAI places it in the Insecticide, Bactericide, and Fungicide category.
- It contains hornet or wasp toxins with detoxifying and Wind-dispelling properties.
- Topically, it is used for skin conditions that are nonsuppurative.
- For a painful, swollen tongue in children, it is powdered, mixed with grain-based alcohol and applied topically.
- It inhibits the growth of Liver and gastric cancer cells.
- It treats pyogenic carbuncles, furuncles and sores, as well as suppurative osteomyelitis.
- For pyogenic swellings and bee stings, burn it to ashes together with snake slough and baby hair, and take 2g daily with wine.
- When burned to ashes and decocted (6g each time for 6 minutes), this herb is said to cure galactostasis and breast cancer.
- According to one source, it cures pyogenic acne rosacea when roasted, ground and taken in 1g doses three times daily.
- Nasal hemorrhage, spitting Blood and bleeding tongue can be treated with a mixture of 30g of the hard top part of Lu Feng Fang, 12g of Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu and 9g Hb. Aloes Lu Hui. Grind these and roll them with honey into small pills. Each time, decoct 1 pill in a bowl of water and take it orally.
- For mastitis, decoct 6g of dry-fried Lu Feng Fang by itself.
- Calcined Wasp Nest Duan Feng Fang is less toxic, stronger and easier to use.
- It is also known as Feng Fang (蜂房) and should not be confused with Fang Feng, which disperses Wind-Cold.