The Golden Spotted Snake, also known as the Small White Flower Snake, Money-Qi Snake, or Money Snake, is a dried snake body of the Silver Banded Snake Bungarus multicinctus multicinctus Blyth, a member of the cobra family. It is caught in the summer and autumn, and after removing the internal organs, the blood is wiped clean. It is then arranged in a circular shape with the head as the center, and dried by being propped open with bamboo sticks.
【Processing Method】"The white flower snake is highly poisonous, especially the head and tail, which should not be used. Only the dried snake body with the middle section removed should be used. Soak it in alcohol to remove the skin and bones, and then roast it to prevent decay." "To prepare the medicine from the snake, heat a large brick until it turns red, pour vinegar over it to produce steam, and place the snake on top. Cover it with a bowl and let it sit like this for three times. Remove the bones and season it with five flavors, and cook until well-done." "Soak it in alcohol, roast it, and remove the skin and bones." "First soak it in alcohol, remove the bones, and then roast it with alcohol." "Leave the bones intact, roast it until dry without burning." "According to the Sheng Ji Zong Lu, when using the flower snake, soak it in alcohol for three nights in spring and autumn, one night in summer, and five nights in winter. Then take it out and dry it over charcoal fire. Repeat this process three times, pack it in a sand bottle, bury it in the ground for one night to remove the fire qi, remove the skin and bones, and use the meat." "Roast it with alcohol." Currently, the original medicinal material is cleaned of ash, the head and tail are removed, and it is soaked in an appropriate amount of yellow wine until fully moistened, then taken out and dried. For every 100 kg of Golden Spotted Snake, 50 kg of yellow wine is used.
【Processing Function】The Golden Spotted Snake has a sweet and astringent taste, and is warm and toxic. It enters the liver and spleen meridians. It has the functions of dispelling wind, promoting blood circulation, calming the mind and stopping convulsions. This herb should not be used raw. After being processed with alcohol, its ability to dispel wind and promote blood circulation is enhanced, and it can also correct any unpleasant odor. It is used for rheumatic paralysis, joint pain, leprosy, scabies, infantile convulsions and enuresis, tetanus, strawberry carbuncle, and malignant sores. For example, the White Flower Snake Wine is used to treat stroke-induced alcohol injury, hemiplegia, joint pain, and scabies (from the Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang); the Yu Feng Dan is used to treat numbness in hands and feet, hair loss and eyebrow loss, and all kinds of scabies and skin diseases (from the Yi Xue Zheng Zhuan); the Qu Feng Gao is used to treat wind paralysis and scabies (from the Yi Lei Yuan Rong); the Ding Ming San is used to treat tetanus, stiff neck, and rigidity of the body (from the Sheng Ji Zong Lu); the Di Gu Pi San is used to treat headaches caused by stroke and migraines (from the Sheng Ji Zong Lu); the White Flower Snake Pill is used to treat strawberry carbuncle (from the Ben Cao Gang Mu); the White Flower Snake Ointment is used to treat disharmony between Ying and Wei, deficiency of Yang and excess of Yin, and slow movement in hands and feet (from the Ji Feng Pu Ji Fang).
【Processing Research】Before the Song Dynasty, the Golden Spotted Snake was simply processed with "alcohol roasting" and "soaking in alcohol to remove the skin and bones, and then roasting" (from the Ben Cao Tu Jing). In the Song Dynasty, the method of "soaking in alcohol" and "roasting" first, and then "removing the skin and bones" was introduced (from the Sheng Ji Zong Lu). This method was used until the Ming Dynasty, which added "leaving the bones intact, roasting it with fire" (from the Qi Xiao Liang Fang), and "soaking in alcohol and roasting" (from the Ben Cao Gang Mu). Currently, the main method used is the alcohol processing method. Sprinkling during processing can reduce toxicity.
