Jinsha Niu is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It has a spicy, salty, and warm nature, and belongs to the kidney and bladder meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat, calming spasms, dispersing stagnation, promoting diuresis, and treating urinary problems. Let's take a look at its ingredients and medicinal properties together with the editor!
Jinsha Niu
Basic Information of Jinsha Niu
Chinese Name: Jinsha Niu
Origin: Mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, and other places.
Harvesting and Processing: Can be harvested throughout the year, usually collected from ant and termite nests in summer and autumn, and then lightly stir-fried until the insects expand.
Properties: Spicy, salty, warm
Meridians: Kidney, bladder
Functions: Clears heat, calms spasms, disperses stagnation, promotes diuresis, and treats boils and abscesses.
Indications: Used for high fever in children, kidney and urinary stones, difficult urination, scrofula, and boils.
Dosage: Commonly used dose is 3-9 grams, decoction or powdered for oral administration.
Medicinal Source: The dried body of the larvae of the antlion Myrmeleon formicarius Linnaeus.
Jinsha Niu Characteristics
Jinsha Niu
The body of the insect is coarse and granular, measuring 0.7-1 centimeter in length. It is yellow-brown or light brown, and has a lot of short hairs all over.
The front end of the head has pincer-like jaws.
The abdomen expands or slightly expands after stir-frying, with several ring-like markings and black spots.
There are 3 pairs of legs. The head and legs have mostly fallen off due to stir-frying. The body is light, and the texture is soft and brittle. It has a slight fishy smell and a slightly salty taste.
Introduction to the Ingredients of Jinsha Niu
The whole antlion contains proteins, chitin, amino acids, lipids, steroids, pigments, etc. Each male antlion secretes 0.5 micrograms of nerolidol.
Each female antlion secretes 0.05 micrograms of nerolidol oxide.
Medical Uses of Jinsha Niu
Properties: Salty, spicy, warm; slightly toxic.
Meridians: Liver, kidney, bladder.
Functions and Indications: Promotes diuresis, relieves swelling and detoxifies, treats malaria. Used for sand-like urinary problems, malaria;
Recently used for urolithiasis and cholelithiasis. Applied externally to treat sores and scrofula.
Usage and Dosage: 3-6 grams, decoction; or made into powder. Apply an appropriate amount externally, sprinkle or apply mashed paste to the affected area.
