Articulating on Ai Pian
Image of Ai Pian
【Benefits and Functions of Ai Pian】
Ai Pian has a spicy and bitter taste, and a slightly cold nature. It belongs to the heart, spleen, and lung meridians. It has the effects of refreshing the mind, clearing heat, and relieving pain. It is used for conditions such as fever-induced delirium, convulsions, stroke-induced phlegm convulsions, sudden qi stagnation, coma, red eyes, mouth ulcers, sore throat, and ear discharge.
Ai Pian is suitable for conditions such as frozen shoulder, lumbar muscle strain, waist and leg pain, osteophyte formation, herniated disc, stomach pain, coughing, facial paralysis, and dysmenorrhea.
It is not recommended for people who have experienced extreme drunkenness, anger, shock, or extreme joy, as well as those who are overworked or overeaten. People with allergies to the skin should also refrain from using it.
For those who are yin deficient and have excessive heat in the blood, as well as those who have experienced blood loss, Ai Pian should be used with caution.
"The Compilation of Medicinal Materials": "Removes evil qi, prevents epidemics, kills insects, treats tinea, and helps with heatstroke and cholera."
"Guangxi Materia Medica": "Opens the orifices, disperses fire, and clears the eyes. It treats cholera-induced abdominal pain, wind-phlegm obstruction of the orifices, eye diseases, and mouth ulcers. It can also be used as an external application for injuries."
Image of Ai Pian
【Processing Method of Ai Pian】
Ai Pian, also known as Zuo Xuan Long Nao, Ai Nao Xiang, Ai Fen, and Jie Pian, is a crystalline substance extracted from the fresh leaves of the Chrysanthemum family plant, Artemisia argyi. It is mainly distributed in South China, Fujian, Taiwan, Guizhou, and Yunnan.
Ai Pian is a white, semi-transparent, crystalline substance that is slightly hard but brittle and not easily broken when kneaded by hand. It has a pleasant aroma and a spicy and cool taste. It is volatile and produces black smoke when ignited, with a yellow flame and no residual residue left behind.
Ai Pian has a diameter of 5-15 millimeters and a thickness of about 2-3 millimeters. It is white in color. It has a cool and spicy taste and produces thick black smoke when burned. The ideal Ai Pian is large, thin, white, crispy, and fragrant.
The processing of Ai Pian takes place from September to October. The fresh leaves of Artemisia argyi are put into a steamer and heated to sublimate. The sublimated crystalline substance obtained is a grayish-white powder called "Ai Fen".
The oil is extracted by pressing and refining, and then shaped into crystalline blocks. It is then cut into granules or slices, which are known as Ai Pian. The medicinal part used is the crystalline substance processed from the fresh leaves of the plant.
Image of Ai Pian
【Formulas and Applications of Ai Pian】
1. San Wei Ai Pian San - "Selected Compilation of Mongolian Medicine"
Formula: 5g of Ai Pian, 5g of Tian Zhu Huang, 5g of Sandalwood or Cha Gan Peng Ga, and 20g of white sugar. Prepare into a powder.
Usage: Take 1.5-3g each time, 1-2 times a day, and consume with warm water.
Effects: Treats fever, intense heat, and agitation.
2. Qi Wei Ai Pian San - "Continued Compilation of Medical Classics"
Formula: Equal amounts of Ai Pian, Tian Zhu Huang, Niu Huang, Sandalwood, Safflower, Hu Huang Lian, and Di Ge Da, with four times the amount of white sugar. Prepare into a powder.
Usage: Take 1.5-3g each time, 1-2 times a day, and consume with warm water.
Effects: Treats agitation, intense heat, and stabbing pain in the chest and sides.
