Mang Xiao - 芒硝 - Natrii Sulfas - Mirabilitum - Glauberitum

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Mirabilitum Natrii Sulfas
Common English:	Glauber’s Salt Mirabilite Sodium Sulfate

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Acrid Bitter Salty	Very Cold (Cold)	Stomach Large Intestine (Lung)	Infusion: 4-18g 6-18g (Secondary source)

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Guides out Stagnation, Moistens Dryness, Purges accumulations, Softens hardness	Heat in the Stomach and Intestines with constipation and hard knots
Clears Heat and drains Fire	Heat in the Stomach or Lungs especially accumulated Phlegm or clumping in the Intestines
Clears Heat and reduces swelling	Red, swollen, painful eyes Painful, ulcerated, swollen mouth or throat (topical) Red, swollen skin lesions (topical) Mastitis (topical) (promotes lactation)

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated in those with Spleen Deficiency Cold.
Caution with the elderly.
Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Contraindicated postpartum.
Contraindicated during menstruation.
If it is used topically for breast abscess in a nursing mother, it may lead to a decrease in lactation.
Do not use if there is no pathogenic clumping in the Lower Jiao.
Do not use if there is no closed clumping that is difficult to pass due to pathogenic Heat.
Use caution when applying it externally to promote lactation, and stop once an effect is seen.

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang	Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Sm. Trichosanthis Gua Lou Ren (Indigo Naturalis) (Qing Dai)	Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke (Poria) (Fu Ling)
Constipation due to Heat in the Stomach and Intestines.	Phlegm-Heat leading to cough.	Pain in both shoulders or swelling of the extremities due to Phlegm-Heat blocking the collaterals.
Borax Peng Sha	Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis Hou Po Fr. Aurantii Immaturus Zhi Shi	Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao
Topically for redness and swelling of the throat and ulcerations of the mouth.	Severe constipation due to accumulation of Excess Heat.	Moderate constipation due to accumulation of Excess Heat.
Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi	Haematitum Dai Zhe Shi Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin	Borax *Peng Sha* Borneolum Bing Pian Cinnabaris Zhu Sha
Heat in the Lungs and Stomach.	Phlegm and Heat Misting the Heart.	Oral ulcers and sore throat. (topically)

This herb and Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang enhance one another and are normally used together.
According to many sources, this herb merely softens the stool and needs Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang to produce any purgative effect.
Natrii Sulfas Exsiccatus Xuan Ming Fen is a purer form; it is a weaker laxative but works better topically for mouth ulcers.
It is particularly useful for softening hardened feces in the colon and for holding water in the colon to treat acute or chronic Dryness.
Sodium sulfate is now commonly used in China, but magnesium sulfate is likely the original substance and better suits our culture, where high sodium intake is a concern. Magnesium sulfate is known as Epsom salts.
For Internal use, Mang Xiao is added to the strained decoction or dissolved in warm water. It should never be decocted itself.
Mang Xiao and Da Huang both drain accumulations to treat clumped Heat in the Large Intestine that causes constipation. Da Huang is bitter and cold; it drains Qi Level Heat in Yang Ming disorders, cools the Blood, resolves toxicity and breaks up static accumulations, and it is used for epistaxis, hemoptysis, red, swollen, painful eyes and gynecological abdominal masses. Mang Xiao clears the Large Intestine and softens hardness to relieve constipation.
Increase fluid intake while taking this herb.
Applied topically, it softens nodules and reduces swelling in breast lumps that have no pus.
It can be applied topically to stop lactation.