Mirabilite
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Purgative Herbs for Catharsis
Mirabilite
Latin:
Mirabilitum
Origin:
Mirabilite is a widespread sulfate mineral, hydrated sodium sulfate (Na2SO4 10H2O), that forms efflorescences and crusts, particularly in arid regions. It occurs in deposits from salt lakes, springs, and playas, especially in the winter (its solubility decreases markedly at lower temperatures). It is abundant in the states California, Wyoming, and other western and southwestern parts of the United States; as well as in Austria, Spain, Bohemia, and in the provinces Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, etc., in China.
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The Chinese use mirabilite as a purgative drug. To prepare the drug, first dissolve the natural product in hot water, filter it, place it in cold water to separate out the crystals, which are generally called "crude mirabilite". Then wash a turnip clean, slice it, place it in a pot and add water to boil it together with the crude mirabilite.
After it's done, take the upper layer of the liquid and put it in cold water to separate out the crystals, which are precisely the desired mirabilite. The white powder resulting from the weathering of the mirabilite with the crystal water lost and its compounding with licorice is called Xuanmingfen (or Yuanmingfen).
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Properties:
Salty and bitter in flavor, cold in nature, it is related to the stomach and large intestine channels.
Functions:
Relieves constipation by purgation, softens hard masses and clears away heat.
Applications:
1. To treat accumulation of heat of the excess type and dry stools:
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It is often used in mutual reinforcement with rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) in order to reinforce the actions of relieving constipation by heat purgation, e.g., Da Chengqi Tang and Tiaowei Chengqi Tang.
2. To treat sore throat, aphthae, conjunctivitis and skin and external diseases:
(A) Sore throat and aphthae of the mouth and tongue:
Made with borax, borneol and cinnabar into powder for external use, e.g., Bing Peng San, or it is placed in a watermelon to be made into a frostlike watermelon powder for external use.
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(B) Conjunctivitis:
Mirabilite can be placed on beancurd to dissolve or prepared with Xuanmingfen into an eyedrop solution.
(C) Initial attacks of acute mastitis:
This drug can be dissolved or wrapped in gauze for external application.
(D) Initial attacks of enterodynia:
This drug can be mashed together with rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) and garlic for external application.
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(E) Hemorrhoids:
This drug can be decocted in water for external washing.
Dosage and Administration:
10-15 g.
Decoct the drug and the other ingredients, infuse it in boiled water or dissolve it in boiled water for drinking. Use an adequate amount for external use.
Cautions on Use:
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It should be avoided by women during pregnancy or lactation.
Reference Materials:
'Shen Nong's Herbal Classic' :
"It can clear away pathogenic cold and heat and expel accumulation, stagnation and retention from the internal organs. It can dissolve 72 kinds of stones."
'The Pearl Bag' :
"It has three functions: The first is to clear away heat of the excess type; the second is to clear stagnated dirt from the large intestine; and the third is to resolve hard masses."
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'Definitions of Drugs' :
"Being so salty in taste as to soften hard masses, this drug can resolve the stagnation of dryness. Being so cold in nature as to be lowering and purging, it can clear away fire-dryness."
"Seasonal epidemic mania due to heat, toxic heat accumulated in the internal organs, heat accumulated in the epigastrium or hard stools in the lower abdomen."
Toxic or Side Effects:
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Modern Researches:
This drug mainly contains crystal sodium sulphate, often mixed with trace amounts of sodium chloride, calcium sulphate, etc.
With its main ingredients of sodium sulphate, mirabilite is a saline purgative. It is not prone to absorption by the walls of the intestine but it remains in the intestine as a hyperosmotic solution, thus stopping the intestine's absorption of the moisture, enlarging its volume, causing mechanical stimulation and promoting peristalsis to discharge thin stools., http://www.100md.com