Nature: salty, slightly toxic, cold

Enters: Liver, Heart, Stomach

Actions: Strongly dispels blood stasis; promotes regeneration of tendons and bones.

Indications:
• Blood stasis: amenorrhea, abdominal pain after childbirth, masses, numb and swollen tongue.
• Sprains, fractures, contusions, lacerations.
• Acute lumbar strain: toast, grind and take as a powder (1-1.5g).
• Coronary artery disease
• For numb and swollen tongue, grind 6g herb with 3g table salt and apply directly.
• Usually ground and put into a tea bag (will float otherwise).
• Soak in wine and then dry-fry to enhance the herb’s effect.
• Contraindicated in pregnancy.
• Liu: Weaker than Shui zhi. Bensky/Gamble: More intense but shorter-acting than Shui zhi. Tu bie chong is used more for treating channel-level problems. The two herbs are often used together.
• Kamto: Ideal for stroke ““ guides to brain. (This is the large, winged cockroach actually)
HF: For cancer: (doctrine of signatures) cockroaches go where the nastiest stuff is and eat it.

Dose: 3-6g