Quan Xie全蝎
Scorpio · Scorpion
Overview
The whole dried scorpion, one of the two principal wind-extinguishing insect medicinals alongside Wu Gong. Acrid, neutral and toxic, it enters the Liver to stop convulsion and spasm, and it travels the channels and collaterals with a persistence few plant herbs match — hence its place in stubborn migraine, facial paralysis and long-standing painful obstruction. It is a toxic substance in its own right and belongs to prescription practice only, never to self-treatment.
Nature & Flavor
Acrid · Neutral · ToxicChannels
LiverTypical Dosage
3–6 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Extinguishes wind, stops spasmConvulsion, tetany, rigidity and childhood convulsive disorders, and epilepsy — all under practitioner supervision.
- Unblocks the channels, relieves painDeviation of the mouth and eye, stubborn migraine, long-standing wind-damp joint pain with numbness.
- Attacks toxin, dissipates nodulesScrofulous nodules and chronic non-healing sores, most often applied externally.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Quan Xie
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Convulsion, spasm and tremor from internal Liver wind (supervised)
- Facial paralysis and deviation of the mouth and eye
- Stubborn migraine and long-standing joint pain with numbness
- Nodules, scrofula and chronic sores (usually topical)
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Toxic herb. Overdose can cause headache, dizziness, a fall or rise in blood pressure, muscle stiffness and, in serious cases, difficulty breathing; the gap between an effective dose and a harmful one is narrow, so it must be prescribed and weighed out by a licensed practitioner, never self-administered, and kept out of reach of children. As an animal product it can also provoke allergic reactions in people sensitive to venoms or similar proteins — stop at the first sign of rash, swelling or breathlessness and seek care. Not appropriate for wind generated by blood deficiency, or for tremor with no genuine wind pattern.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Contraindicated in pregnancy.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
3. 《中药大辞典》.
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.