Snow fish, also known as Xueyu, Bingshi Ni, and Shanmu Yu, is documented in the "Sichuan Medicinal Plants". It is the whole body of the amphibian species Batrachuperus pinchonii (David) in the family Hynobidae. It is captured in summer and autumn, and after capture, it is intoxicated with alcohol, cleaned, dried in the sun, or dried with low heat, or used fresh.
[Processing Method] 1. Snow fish: Take the raw material, remove the ash and impurities, wash it, cut it into sections, and dry it.
2. Wine-soaked snow fish: Take clean snow fish, add wine and mix well, let it marinate thoroughly, stir-fry with low heat in a pot, take it out, and let it cool. For every 100kg of snow fish, use 10kg of white wine.
3. Charred snow fish: Take the clean medicinal material, place it in a suitable container, burn it slightly with low heat, and grind it into a powder simultaneously.
[Morphological Characteristics of the Herb] Dried snow fish has a shriveled body with wrinkled skin and flesh, appearing dry. The head, mouth, and eyes are blurred. The limbs are thin. The tail is flattened on the sides, and the back is brown or dry brown, while the abdomen is yellow-brown. It has a fishy and foul odor. Wine-soaked snow fish has the same shape as snow fish but with a deeper color and a wine fragrance. Charred snow fish has the same shape as snow fish but with slight charred spots and a charred aroma. The powder is dark brown.
[Processing Effects] Snow fish has a spicy and pungent taste, and is neutral in nature. It has the function of promoting qi circulation and relieving pain. Wine-soaked snow fish enhances its efficacy in promoting qi circulation and relieving pain, corrects unpleasant odor, and is easier to take. Charred snow fish corrects unpleasant odor and taste, has a crispy texture, and is easy to pulverize. It is used for liver and stomach pain, blood deficiency and weak spleen, and sallow complexion. For example, it is combined with Hong Dou, Danggui, Baizhi, Yanhusuo, and Chuanlianzi to treat liver and stomach pain (as documented in the "Sichuan Medicinal Plants"); it is combined with Huangqi, Dangshen, Fuling, Chenpi, Hongzao, and Danggui to treat spleen deficiency with sallow complexion (as documented in the "Sichuan Medicinal Plants").
