The Five Grains Insect, also known as maggots, grain worms, or narcissus insects, is mentioned in the book "Dian Nan Ben Cao". It refers to the larvae or pupal shells of the fly species Chrysomyia megacephala (Fabricius) and its related insects. It is collected from July to September, packed in cloth bags, and repeatedly washed in flowing water to remove all contents from the insects. Afterward, they are dried.
[Processing Method] Take the raw material, remove impurities, and sift away ash debris.
[Appearance of Medicinal Pieces] They are flat cylindrical in shape, with a small head. They are yellowish-white, some slightly translucent. The whole body has 14 segments. There are no legs. The texture is soft and brittle, with many air bubbles on the cross-section. It has a slightly unpleasant odor.
[Processing Effects] The Five Grains Insect has a neutral, sweet, and cold taste. It enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It has the functions of invigorating the spleen, dissipating accumulation, clearing heat, and removing dampness. After processing, the ash debris and impurities are removed, making the medicine pure. It is used for fever caused by accumulation, food stagnation, diarrhea, carbuncles, and sore eyes. For example, it is used in the Tigan Pill for treating various types of accumulation in children (from "Xiao Er Wei Sheng Zong Wei Lun Fang"), in the treatment of heat-induced diarrhea and vomiting (from "Ben Cao Gang Mu"), and in the Xiaotian Pill for treating sore eyes (from "Huiyi Tang Jing Yan Fang"). The Five Grains Insect can also be charred and powdered for external application to treat infantile carbuncles (from "You Ke Zhi Nan").
[Processing Research] The Five Grains Insect was initially soaked in rice gruel, as mentioned in "Xiao Er Wei Sheng Zong Wei Lun Fang". Later, the process of washing them in flowing water was introduced (from "Ben Cao Gang Mu"), and then they were charred and powdered (from "You Ke Zhi Nan"). Nowadays, impurities are usually removed before grinding into powder. After processing, the medicinal material becomes clean, making it easier for compounding and formulation, while the content of its components remains basically unchanged.
