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| Latin: |
Ancistrodon acutus |
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| Origin: |
The dried whole corpse of Agkistrodon acutus (Gunther) of Agkistrodonae, or Bungarus multicinctus Blyth of Elapidae, of the family Viperidae.
Pit viper is the name applied to any of a subfamily of more than 140 species of venomous snakes. Pit vipers make up the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. They are distinguished by the presence of deep pits on each side of the head between the eye and the nostril. Like true vipers, pit vipers have a pair of elongated fangs that are folded back against the palate. Research indicates that the pits are very sensitive detectors of radiant heat, thereby enabling the snake to find warm-blooded prey in the dark.
Among the pit vipers are the rattlesnake, the cottonmouth, the copperhead, the fer-de-lance, the bushmaster, and the palm viper. Most pit vipers inhabit the western hemisphere; a few are native to Asia. The bushmaster is the only American pit viper that lays eggs; most other species bring forth their young alive.
In China, this species is mainly produced in the provinces Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Zhejiang, Guangxi, etc. |
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| Properties: |
| Bitter and salty in flavor, warm and slightly toxic in nature, it is related to the liver channel. |
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| Functions: |
| Dispels pathogenic wind and removes obstructions in the channels. |
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| Applications: |
1. To treat prolonged rheumatism, numbness of the limbs and muscle spasms:
It is often used together with herbs that supplement qi, promote blood circulation, nourish the blood and remove obstructions in the channels and collaterals, such as milk vetch root (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari), cassia twig, herbaceous peony root (Radix Paeoniae Alba), fried licorice, Chinese angelica, etc.
2. To treat scabies (contagious itch), impetigo (an acute contagious skin disease characterized by vesicles, pustules, and yellowish crusts), obstinate tinea (fungal diseases of the skin), obstinate numbness of the muscles due to pathogenic wind or pruritus (itch):
This drug can be used together with peppermint, snake slough, jingjie (Herba Schizonepetae), fangfeng (Radix Ledebouriellae), scorpion, etc., or together with Chinese angelica, multiflower knotweed tuber (Radix Polygoni Multiflori), herbaceous peony root (Radix Paeoniae Alba), etc.
3. To treat tetanus (an acute infectious disease characterized by tonic spasm of voluntary muscles especially of the jaw):
This drug can be used in combination with black snake (Zaocys), centipedes, etc. |
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| Dosage and Administration: |
3-10 g.
Mostly ground into powder or soaked in wine for oral administration. |
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| Cautions on Use: |
1. Being rather warm and dry, this drug should not be used alone by anyone with endopathic wind due to blood deficiency.
2. The long-noded pit viper produced in Qizhou, Hubei is known as the "Qizhou long-noded pit viper", which has the same taste(s), nature(s), administration and dosage as any long-noded pit viper from any other origin, but with more powerful effects. |
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| Reference Materials: |
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| Toxic or Side Effects: |
| Slightly toxic. |
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| Modern Researches: |
| According to proven popular recipes, mixing snake bile with water for oral administration will produce a certain effect on infantile convulsions. |
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