(Bai) Ming Fan - 明礬 - Alumen - Alum
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Alumen |
| Common English: | Alum Potash Alum |
Category
Substances for Topical ApplicationProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sour Astringent (Salty) | Cold (Toxic) | Large Intestine Liver Lung Spleen (Stomach) | Decoctions: 1-3g Pills and Powders: 0.6-1.5g |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Alleviates itching, Dries Dampness, Kills parasites, Relieves toxicity (Purges Fire) | External wash for Damp-Heat rashes (scabies, tinea) Swollen, painful throat or eyes Jaundice |
Restrains and inhibits sores, generates flesh and transforms putrefication | Topically for problems where toxins and pathogens have collected and clogged the channels, collaterals and muscles leading to blockage and Stagnation Topically for toxic sores (Chuang Yung) |
Stops bleeding and alleviates diarrhea | Chronic diarrhea, Hemafecia, Uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge Topically for epistaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, bleeding gums and bleeding due to external trauma |
Clears Heat and expels Phlegm | Wind-Phlegm (Heat) disorders with irritability, delirium, and convulsions Cough with sputum that is difficult to expectorate |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Fr. Cnidii | Rx. Stemonae | Powdered Realgar |
As an external wash for chronic vaginal discharge with itching and eczema. As a wash for genital itching due to vaginal candidiasis in women. Intense itching of eczema, damp scrotum and other pruritic disorders. | External wash for eczema. | As a paste with concentrated tea for Wind-Damp-Heat toxin in the muscles and skin with severe itching that results in a yellow exudate after scratching. |
| Sulfur | Cx. Phellodendri | Fr. Carpesii |
Topically as a powder for scabies. | As a sitz bath for profuse vaginal discharge and itching from Damp-Heat pouring downward. | Intestinal parasites. |
| Faeces Trogopterori | Rz. Coptidis | Indigo Naturalis |
Topically for developing fistulas. | Topically for non-healing ulcers. | Topically for sores of the mouth and ears. |
Borneolum | Catechu | Fr. Chebulae |
Redness, swelling and pain of middle and outer ear. | Internally and topically for epistaxis, hemoptysis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding from trauma. | Internally as a powder for chronic, recalcitrant diarrhea in the elderly. |
Galla Chinensis | Fr. Gleditsiae | Rx. Curcumae |
Continuous uterine bleeding. | As an enema for the Phlegm Collapse type of Wind-Stroke. | Irritability, delirium, and convulsions with accompanying gurgling in the throat. |
Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae | Bul. Allii Fistulosi | Fr. Chebulae |
Jaundice. | Swelling without pus or suppuration. | Chronic diarrhea or dysentery. |
Rx. Curcumae | ||
Wind-Phlegm disorders. |
Notes
- Because it acts strongly on tissues, it is nearly always used topically.
- An overdose may lead to ulceration, vomiting, diarrhea and shock.
- Research has shown that this substance inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
- As a hemostatic and analgesic, it is used to heal wounds and promote granulation.
- Internally it serves as an astringent, and externally it is used for skin conditions.
- Small amounts are used for infantile spasms.
- It is reputed to cure carbuncles, cellulitis, furuncles and malignant boils.
- As a purgative, it is used to cleanse the Stomach and Intestines.
- For pyogenic infections, it is formed into boluses with wax.
- For a swollen, rigid tongue, powder equal parts of this herb and Arillus Longan Long Yan Rou and place it under the tongue.
- For vulvar pain, parch and powder 3 parts Ming Fan with 1.5 parts Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao , wrap the powder in cloth and apply it topically.
- Bai Fan and Catechu Er Cha both drain Dampness and absorb seepage. Bai Fan resolves toxicity, kills parasites, dries Dampness and relieves itching, and it is used mainly for Dampness. Er Cha is more transformational and can be used for sores full of purulent fluid and for chronic non-healing sores. It also stops bleeding from external trauma.
- Dried Alumen, Alumen Dehydratum Ku Fan, is less sour and cold and is better at restraining and inhibiting sores, generating flesh, stopping diarrhea and bleeding and transforming putrefaction. It is the form most often used externally for sores and abscesses, oral sores or eye problems. It is prepared until it is light and spongy rather than translucent.