Tu Bie Chong土鳖虫
Eupolyphaga seu Steleophaga · Ground Beetle · Wingless Cockroach
Overview
The dried body of a flightless, ground-dwelling insect, salty and cold and slightly toxic. It breaks blood stasis with real force, but what sets it apart from the other stasis-breakers is its second action: it is the herb credited with knitting broken bone and torn sinew, which makes it a fixture of orthopedic and trauma prescriptions and of the plasters applied over a healing fracture. Because it is toxic it is used at a small, practitioner-set dose, often as a powder.
Nature & Flavor
Salty · Cold · Slightly toxicChannels
LiverTypical Dosage
3–10 g in decoctionActions
2 core actions
- Breaks blood stasis, unblocks the mensesAmenorrhea from congealed blood, fixed abdominal masses, and postpartum pain where lochia is retained.
- Mends sinew and boneFracture and severe soft-tissue injury with swelling, darkened skin and pain that will not settle; used internally and in external plasters over the site.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Tu Bie Chong
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Fracture and traumatic injury with swelling and fixed pain
- Amenorrhea from long-standing blood stasis
- Fixed abdominal masses attributed to congealed blood
- Postpartum abdominal pain with retained lochia
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
This herb is toxic and is dosed only by a practitioner — not for self-medication and not at an increased dose. It is contraindicated where there is bleeding or a bleeding tendency, heavy menstrual flow, low platelets or a recent operation, and it should be stopped well before planned surgery; use it with medical supervision alongside anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs such as warfarin or aspirin. It is unsuitable where the picture is blood deficiency without stasis. As an insect product it can trigger allergic reactions — rash, itching, swelling or wheeze — and should be stopped at once if any appear, with medical care for anything more than a mild rash.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Contraindicated in pregnancy — it breaks blood stasis forcefully and is avoided from conception through delivery.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(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.