This product is the dried body of the southern blister beetle (Mylabris phalerata Pallas) or the yellow-black small blister beetle (Mylabris cichorii Linnaeus) of the Meloidae family. It is mainly produced in provinces and regions such as Henan, Guangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan, and Guizhou. The beetles are captured in summer and autumn, and during capture, masks and gloves must be worn to avoid skin irritation from the toxins. They are then suffocated or scalded to death and dried in the sun.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid cold, toxic. Act on large intestine, small intestine, liver and kidney meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Dispelling blood stasis, eliminating masses, attacking toxins, eroding sores, and inducing blistering for cold moxibustion.

bubble_chart Indications

Used for abdominal mass cancer, chronic cervical neurodermatitis, scrofula, warts, Yongju that does not ulcerate, malignant sores and necrotic tissue. Modern applications include esophageal cancer, stomach cancer and other malignant tumors, cervical neurodermatitis, wind-dampness arthralgia, neuralgia, and other conditions.

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

For internal use, it is taken in pill or powder form. The dosage is 0.03 to 0.06g, and it must be dispensed in limited quantities based on a prescription from the attending physician. For external use, it is ground into powder and applied to the affected area, or used to induce blistering, or soaked in wine or vinegar for topical application.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Contraindicated for pregnant women and those with liver or kidney injury.

bubble_chart Processing and Storage

1. Remove impurities from the raw medicine, and remove the head, feet, and wings to obtain the desired product.
2. Stir-fry Blister Beetle: Place rice in a pot, sprinkle a little water until the rice sticks to the hot pot, then add the Blister Beetle and stir-fry gently. When the rice turns yellow, remove it, pick out the rice grains, and discard the head, feet, and wings (use 0.2 kg of rice per kilogram of Blister Beetle). Stir-frying with rice and removing the head, feet, and wings reduces its toxicity. When stir-frying and removing the head, feet, and wings, wear a mask and gloves, and stand upwind to prevent blisters and swelling from contact with hands. Inhaling the fumes during stir-frying can cause poisoning.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

The southern blister beetle primarily contains 1-1.2% cantharidin. Additionally, it contains 12% fatty oil, resin, formic acid, pigments, and other components. The yellow-black small blister beetle contains 0.97-1.3% cantharidin.