What is bezoar?

So, what exactly is bezoar? How is it formed? The calculus bezoar used as medicine in later generations is calculus in the gallbladder, gallbladder or hepatic duct of cattle, buffalo, yellow cattle and bison, and some people think that calculus comes from the gallbladder and bile duct of rhinoceros.

It has been more than 2000 years since bezoar was introduced from Bian Que to treat diseases. It is recorded in Shennong Herbal Classic, the earliest extant monograph of traditional Chinese medicine in the ancient history of China, and it is listed as the top grade, claiming that it can be used to treat convulsion, epilepsy, cold and heat, excessive heat and convulsion, and eliminate evil spirits.

Niuhuang has many different names, including Ugly Treasure, Rhinoceros Yellow and Wang Geyi (Mongolian name). Calculus bovis is valuable because its source is scarce and its function is magical. Because the incidence of intrahepatic bile duct stones in cattle is very small, accounting for only a few thousandths, they are generally born naturally in old cattle over 10, and the number is very small, which naturally appears precious and rare.

Natural bezoar is rare. Although imported products supplement the domestic market, they are expensive, and the current market is close to 400,000/kg. Because of its limited source and quantity, it is far from meeting the domestic market demand. At present, there are natural bezoar, artificial bezoar and artificial bezoar in the domestic market. What's the difference between them?

"the efficacy of bezoar"

From ancient times to the present, bezoar has been recorded and collected in medical codes and books, and regarded as "top grade". In the Qin and Han Dynasties, Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica recorded: "Niuhuang is the essence of a hundred herbs, which is sacred and beyond the reach of all medicines." There is a book in the newly revised Materia Medica in the Tang Dynasty: "Niuhuang tastes bitter and flat. Treat convulsion, epilepsy, cold and heat, excess heat, convulsion, dispel evil spirits, and treat all diseases of children. It is unforgettable to take a long service and increase your age. "

From Qianjin Fang Yi in the Tang Dynasty to Compendium of Materia Medica and Prescription of Medicinal Properties in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, most classic ancient medical monographs in China emphasize the magical effects of bezoar: it has six functions, such as resuscitation, clearing heart-fire, resolving phlegm, calming wind and cooling liver, and can treat almost all kinds of common diseases.

First, cooling the liver and calming the wind.

Niuhuang tastes bitter and cold, enters the heart and liver meridians, and has the functions of clearing away heart heat, cooling liver, calming wind and relieving spasm. It is mainly used for spasms and convulsions caused by febrile diseases, excess heat of liver and heart, or excess heat of liver and heart, and is often used to treat acute convulsions, high fever coma and convulsions in children. Sudden fall, unconsciousness, spitting, limb twitching and other symptoms will occur in epileptic seizures with phlegm-clearing orifices.

Second, enlighten the mind, clear the heart and resolve phlegm.

Niuhuang is cool and fragrant. When it enters the heart meridian, it can not only clear the heart heat, but also clear phlegm and enlighten the mind. It can be used for delirium, delirium, fever, dysphoria, apoplexy, phlegm turbidity, febrile disease entering pericardium, apoplexy, convulsion and epilepsy.

Calculus Bovis plays a great role in epidemic febrile diseases, such as the famous Angong Niuhuang Pill, which, together with Zixuedan and Zhibaodan, is called the "Three Treasures of Opening Cold (Epidemic Febrile Diseases)" and is regarded as the first of the "Three Treasures of Epidemic Febrile Diseases", so it is indispensable for Chinese medicine to know this treasure. This medicine comes from Wu Tang, the author of Treatise on Febrile Diseases, who studied the name of Angong Niuhuang Pill. "Palace" refers to the palace where the king lives. If it is used as a metaphor for human organs, then the function of the heart can be called "Jun" and the pericardium can be called "Gong"-the word "An Gong" comes from this. And bezoar is the main medicine of this medicine.

Angong Niuhuang Pill is suitable for patients with high fever, unconsciousness and "unconsciousness", patients with pericardium heat closure according to TCM syndrome differentiation, and patients with high fever coma caused by epidemic encephalitis B, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, acute cerebrovascular disease, hepatic coma, stroke, respiratory diseases, children's febrile convulsion, infection or poisoning.

There are countless cases of using Angong Niuhuang Pill in first aid in the past dynasties, which are also found in Lian Wenxue's works. For example, in A Dream of Red Mansions, Wang Xifeng's only daughter, Qiaojieer, suddenly got a fright, her limbs twitched, her eyes rolled, her face twitched and her fever persisted. She took Angong Niuhuang Pill with Niuhuang as the main ingredient, and turned the corner.