Bing Lang槟榔
Arecae Semen · Areca Seed · Betel Nut
Overview
The seed of the areca palm, used to expel intestinal parasites and to drive stagnant qi and water downward through the gut: tapeworm and other intestinal worms, food stagnation with abdominal distension, and the straining of dysenteric disorders. Its medicinal use as a decocted seed is distinct from the habit of chewing betel quid — a recognised cause of oral cancer — and the entry below says so plainly because patients often know the nut only in that form.
Nature & Flavor
Bitter, acrid · WarmChannels
Stomach · Large IntestineTypical Dosage
3–10 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Kills parasitesTapeworm, roundworm, pinworm and fluke infestation — traditionally paired with other anthelmintic herbs and a purgative to carry the parasite out.
- Reduces accumulation, moves qiFood stagnation with abdominal fullness, distension and constipation; the straining and incomplete evacuation of dysenteric disorders.
- Promotes urination, reduces swellingEdema and leg heaviness with damp accumulation in the lower body.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Bing Lang
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Intestinal parasites, particularly tapeworm
- Food stagnation with abdominal distension and constipation
- Tenesmus in dysenteric disorders
- Edema and damp heaviness of the legs
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Do not chew areca nut. Habitual betel-quid chewing is classified by the IARC as carcinogenic to humans and causes oral submucous fibrosis; that risk attaches to the chewing habit rather than to a short decocted course, but no patient should be steered toward the nut in any chewable form. The herb is descending and qi-draining: contraindicated in sinking qi and prolapse, and in Spleen deficiency with chronic loose stools. The much larger single doses used in anti-parasitic protocols can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, dizziness and a slowed heart rate, and belong strictly in a supervised clinical setting. Suspected parasitic infection should be confirmed by testing and followed up medically.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Avoid in pregnancy — strongly descending and qi-draining; practitioner supervision required
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Ming Yi Bie Lu《名医别录》(classical source, public domain).
2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.