Pinyin: Zhusha
Aliases
Dan Su, Chi Dan, Gong Sha, Chen Sha.
Source
Sulfide mineral of the Cinnabar group, Cinnabar.
Distribution
Produced in Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces and regions.
Harvesting and Processing
After harvesting, select pure pieces. Use a magnet to remove iron-containing impurities, then wash away miscellaneous stones and sediment with water.
Medicinal Properties
This product is a granular or massive aggregate, appearing as granules or blocky fragments. It is bright red or dark red with a luster. Heavy in weight, brittle in texture; the flaky pieces are easily broken, while the powdery form exhibits a shimmering luster. Odor: faint; Taste: bland.
Chemical Constituents
The main components are mercury sulfide (HgS), also mixed with realgar, apatite, and asphalt substances.
Pharmacology
Has sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant and fertility-inhibiting effects; external use can kill skin bacteria and parasites.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet, slightly cold; toxic. Enters the Heart channel.
Functions and Indications
Clears the Heart, calms fright, tranquilizes the Spirit, brightens the eyes, and resolves toxicity. Used for palpitations with easily startled sensations, insomnia with excessive dreaming, epilepsy and mania, infantile convulsions, blurred vision, oral ulcers, throat obstruction, and sores and swellings.
Dosage and Administration
Internal use: grind into powder, 0.3-0.5 g; mostly taken in pill or powder form, not suitable for decoction. External use: appropriate amount.
Precautions and Contraindications
This product is toxic; should not be taken in large doses, nor should it be taken in small doses for a prolonged period. Contraindicated in pregnant women and those with liver or kidney dysfunction. When used medicinally, avoid calcination with fire.
Prescriptions
1. For hemorrhoids and fistula with ulcerative sores: Zhusha (cinnabar, prepared and ground), Shexiang (musk), Dangmenzi (separately ground), and Shepi (snake skin, decocted on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). Grind the above three ingredients in equal amounts into a powder. First, wash the affected area with salt water and wipe dry. Apply a small amount of honey to the sore, then dust the powder over it. (From *Waitai* quoting *Guangji Fang*) 2. For sore throat with pain and difficulty swallowing: Dansha (cinnabar) 0.3 g (grind and levigate), Mangxiao (sodium sulfate) 45 g (grind). Mix the two ingredients evenly. Use a small amount (yi zi) and blow it into the throat frequently. (From *Shengji Zonglu*, Dansha San) 3. For mania, heart-wind, and heart qi deficiency: Zhusha (cinnabar) and Dannanxing (bile-treated Arisaema) 30 g each, Baifuzi (white aconite) 15 g. Grind into fine powder. Mix with pig's heart blood, steam with steamed bread to form pills the size of parasol seeds. Take 15 pills per dose. (From *Gujin Yitong*, Shen Gui She Dan) 4. For infant thrush (oral candidiasis): Zhusha (cinnabar) and Baiku Fan (dried alum) 15 g each, Yaxiao (sodium sulfate) 15 g. Grind into fine powder. Apply to the tongue. (From *Pianyu Xinshu*, Bao Ming San) 5. For wind-stroke with lockjaw, phlegm syncope, and unconsciousness: Chensha (cinnabar) and Baifan (alum) in equal parts. During the three hottest days (san fu), place the mixture inside a pig's gall bladder and dry in a ventilated shady area. Take one piece per dose, grind with cold water, and pour down the throat. (From *Wanbing Huichun*) 6. For heart deficiency with nocturnal emission: Take one pig heart, slice it while keeping it connected in a spiral. Fill with levigated Zhusha (cinnabar) powder, tie with thread, and boil in plain water until cooked. Eat it. (From *Tangyao Jingyan Fang*) 7. For chronic wind-red eye with swelling and pain: Zhusha (cinnabar), Qingyan (halite), and Shidan (chalcanthite) 0.3 g each. Place the ingredients in a small cup of sour rice water in a porcelain container, expose to sunlight, and wait until the medicine adheres to the sides of the container. Scrape off a grain-sized amount (like a millet seed). Apply to the inner canthus of the eye at bedtime. Recovery occurs within three to four applications. (From *Sheng Hui Fang*) 8. For facial acne: Zhusha (cinnabar) 30 g, Shexiang (musk) and Niuhuang (cow bezoar) 15 g each, Xionghuang (realgar) 0.9 g. Grind finely and mix evenly, then blend with facial cream to form a paste. Apply evenly to the face, avoid wind overnight, and the acne will fall off on its own. (From *Puji Fang*, Hong Gao)
