The gallbladder of the hedgehog is used in the book "Ben Cao Yan Yi". It is the bile of the hedgehog species Erinaceus europaeus Linnaeus, Hemiechinus dauricus Sundevall, or H. auritus Gmelin. It can be captured throughout the year, and after capture, the gallbladder is extracted by dissecting the abdomen. The opening of the gallbladder is tied with a thread, and it is hung in a cool and ventilated place to dry.
[Processing method] Take the raw medicinal material, remove impurities, wash, and dry.
[Appearance of prepared medicine] It is oval to triangular, narrow at the upper part, and swollen and bag-shaped at the lower part, varying in size, 30-35mm long and 5-10mm wide. The bag skin is thin, slightly wrinkled. The surface is grayish-brown or black. The bile inside the bag is blackish-green. It has a mild odor and a bitter taste.
[Processing function] Hedgehog gallbladder has a bitter and cold taste. It has the functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, and improving eyesight. After processing, impurities are removed, making the medicine purer and easier to prepare and formulate. It is used for red and sore eyelids, tearing against the wind, and hemorrhoids. For example, it is used to treat wind-affected eyes after smallpox vaccination (Dong Bingji Yan Fang); it is combined with white wine to treat postpartum weakness (Chinese Animal Medicine).
