Drug name: Snake Bed Seed
Nicknames: Wild fennel, snake pearl
Source: Shennong Bencao Jing
Classification: Antiviral, insecticidal, and antipruritic drugs
Origin: Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and other places
Taste: Warm in nature, spicy and bitter in taste
Guijing: Gui Kidney Meridian
Effect: Warm kidney and strengthen yang, dry dampness and kill insects, dispel wind and relieve itching
Indications: Itchy vaginal discharge, eczema itching, dampness and lower back pain, kidney deficiency and impotence, infertility caused by cold uterus
Character identification
This product is a double hanging fruit, elliptical in shape, 2-4mm long, with a diameter of approximately 2mm. The surface is grayish yellow or grayish brown, with 2 outward curved bases at the top and occasional slender stems at the base. On the back of the fruit, there are 5 thin and protruding longitudinal edges, with a flat joint surface and 2 slightly brown protruding longitudinal edges. The fruit peel is crispy and easy to peel off when rubbed. The seeds are small, gray brown, and oily. The aroma is fragrant, the taste is spicy and cool, and there is a tingling sensation on the tongue.
Usage&Taboos
Internal administration: decoction, 3-9g; Or into pills or powders.
External use: In moderation, stir fry and smoke to wash; Or it can be made into sitting pills or suppositories; Or finely grind and adjust the application.
Taboos: Do not take if the lower part of the body is damp and hot, or if it is prone to fire and movement, or if the essence is not fixed.
chemical composition
The fruit contains 1.3% volatile oil, and 27 components have been separated from the oil. It also contains coumarins and other components, such as snake bed extract and Sichuan pepper toxin.
pharmacological action 
1. Effects on the circulatory system: It has anti arrhythmic and antihypertensive effects.
2. Effects on the respiratory system: It has anti asthma, expectorant, and bronchodilatory effects.
3. Antimicrobial activity against pathogens: It has inhibitory effects on drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as dermatophytes and trichomonas.
Chinese herbal formula
1. To treat female genital itching: One or two snake bed seeds, two coins of alum, stir fry soup and wash frequently. ("Bianhu Ji Jian Fang")
2. Treating yang without rising: divide the seeds of dodder, snake bed, and Schisandra into three equal parts, with the top three flavors and the bottom one. The honey balls are like wuzi. Drink and take thirty pills, three days a day. (Qian Jin Fang)
3. To treat women's yin coldness and warm yin, the sitting medicine is snake bed seed, which is made by mixing it with a small amount of white powder. It is as big as a jujube and wrapped in cotton, naturally warming. (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber Snake Bed Powder)
Ancient book records
The Shennong Classic of Materia Medica states that men suffer from yin impotence, dampness, and itching, while women experience swelling and pain in the middle of the yin. It also helps to eliminate qi obstruction, promote joint health, and can lead to epilepsy and ulcers.
"The Treatise on Medicinal Properties": It treats male and female deficiency, dampness and numbness, toxic wind, persistent pain, and eliminates male lower back pain. Bathing in men's yin, dispelling the cold wind, greatly benefiting the yang. The main wind causes itching in the body, so it's best to boil soup and take a bath. Treat toothache and pediatric seizures.
"New Compilation of Materia Medica": Snake bed seed has a unique function and can be treated both internally and externally, while external treatment is particularly good. If you want to repair the pill powder, it is beneficial to use it in ginseng, qi, gui, di, and yu. However, it is also suitable for people with yin cold and no fire. If there is yin deficiency and fire, it is not advisable to take it.