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Knowledge baseHerbs

Lu Feng Fang露蜂房

Nidus VespaeWasp Nest

  • Toxic

Also known asHornet’s Neat · Polistes

Category
Herbs for topical application
Nature
neutral
Taste
sweet
Channels entered
Lung, Stomach
Secondary channels
Liver
Dosage
2.5–8 g

Usual doses

Decoction for gargles
2.5–8 g
Powder
1–3 g

Actions & indications

Relieves toxicity, expels Wind and alleviates pain and itching
  • Topically as an ointment or wash skin rashes, itching, scabies, tinea, sores and carbuncles
  • As a gargle for severe toothaches that feel as if a worm is burrowing into the tooth
Expels Wind, dries Dampness and stops pain and itching
  • Wind-Damp Bi
  • Wind-Rash
  • Internal Wind
Treats tumors
Cancers
Kills parasites
Insecticide

Contraindications

  • Contraindicated once a sore has already burst.
  • Use cautiously in cases of Qi and Blood Deficiency.
  • This herb is highly toxic; do not use it as an anthelmintic, since the dose required to expel parasites causes nephritis.

Incompatibilities

  • Antagonizes Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang.
  • Antagonizes Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Dan Shen.
  • Antagonizes Rx. Paeoniae Bai Shao or Chi Shao.
  • Antagonizes Concha Ostreae Mu Li.

Combinations

  • Mixed with rice wine as a paste for early-stage sores presenting localized Heat, redness, firmness, swelling, and pain.

  • Applied topically for hard breast sores.

  • Used as a gargle for tooth pain radiating to the side of the face or for swollen gums (possibly with a sensation of worms moving or tingling in the teeth).

  • Made into an ointment for stubborn, purulent scrofula.

  • Made into a tincture for scabies or itching Wind-Rash.

  • Decocted for early-stage scrofula that has not yet ulcerated.

    • Sheng Chuan Wu
    • Sheng Cao Wu

    Made into a tincture for severe pain.

  • Taken internally for joint pain and swelling.

  • Severe pain due to gout or panarthralgia.

  • Various tumors.

  • Breast cancer.

  • Urinary incontinence.

  • For a soft or ulcerated sore, deep-fry in sesame oil, mix with powdered Lu Feng Fang, and apply topically.

  • Pus-filled ulcerations.

  • Grind dry-fried Lu Feng Fang together with Jiang Can into a powder, and give 1.5g with a decoction of Ru Xiang for children with a swollen, painful throat.

  • Breast tumors, mastitis, fibrocystic breast disease, abscess, or necrosing nodules in the breast (10g every two days).

  • Nasopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal carcinoma, and lymphatic metastasis.

  • Applied topically for rheumatoid arthritis.

Notes

  • Because most sources lack an anti-cancer category, this herb appears elsewhere: Bensky classifies it among herbs for external application, while OHAI places it under Insecticide, Bactericide, and Fungicide.
  • It contains wasp or hornet toxins with Wind-dispelling and detoxifying properties.
  • Applied topically, it treats nonsuppurative skin conditions.
  • As a powder mixed with grain alcohol, it is applied topically for a swollen, painful tongue in children.
  • It inhibits the growth of gastric and Liver cancer cells.
  • It treats suppurative osteomyelitis as well as pyogenic carbuncles, furuncles, and sores.
  • For bee stings and pyogenic swellings, it is burned to ash together with baby hair and snake slough, then taken at 2g daily with wine.
  • It is said to treat breast cancer and galactostasis when reduced to ash and decocted, 6g per dose for 6 minutes.
  • According to one source, roasting and grinding it, then taking 1g three times daily, treats pyogenic acne rosacea.
  • For a bleeding tongue, spitting Blood, or nasal hemorrhage, combine 30g of the hard upper portion of Lu Feng Fang with 12g Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu and 9g Hb. Aloes Lu Hui, grind, and roll with honey into small pills; decoct one pill at a time in a bowl of water and take orally.
  • For mastitis, decoct 6g of dry-fried Lu Feng Fang by itself.
  • Calcined Wasp Nest Duan Feng Fang is stronger, less toxic, and easier to use.

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