Bufo Siccus
Aliases：Chán (Toad); Lài Há Má (Warty Toad); Lài Xiā Má (Warty Toad); Shí Bàng (Stone Toad); Lài Gé Bǎo (Warty Treasure); Lài Bā Zi (Warty Toadling); Lài Há Bā (Warty Toad); Jiè Há Má (Toad); Jiè Bā Zi (Little Toad); Chán Zhū (Toad); Qù Fǔ (Qu Fu Toad).
Chán Chú (Toad) is a Chinese medicinal substance. It is the whole body of Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor or Bufo melanostictus Schneider, animals belonging to the family Bufonidae. The dried product of the white serous fluid secreted by its parotoid and skin glands is called "Chán Sū" (toad venom), which is a precious Chinese medicinal material.
Efficacy & Actions
Detoxifies and disperses nodules, resolves accumulations and promotes diuresis, kills parasites and treats infantile malnutrition.
Indications
Used for carbuncles, furuncles, dorsal abscesses, scrofula, malignant sores, abdominal masses and accumulations, abdominal distension and edema, infantile malnutrition, tetanus, and chronic cough and wheezing. It is also used for chronic bronchitis, sore throat, and dysuria.
Modern Pharmacology
Cardiotonic: Enhances myocardial contractility, increases stroke volume, slows heart rate, relieves edema and dyspnea; exhibits digitalis-like effects. Pressor effect: Rapid and stable with prolonged duration; increases renal, cerebral, and coronary blood flow. Local anesthesia: Corneal tests show effects stronger than cocaine. Antitumor: Inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, suppresses invasion/metastasis and angiogenesis, and enhances immunity. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory: Possesses anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Antitussive and expectorant: Has cough-suppressing and phlegm-removing effects.
Ingredients
Bufadienolides (bufanolides): Bufalin, gamabufotalin, cinobufagin, resibufogenin, telocinobufagin, etc. Bufadienolides (BDs) are the active components, with the liver being an important organ for their biosynthesis. Indole alkaloids (bufotenines): Dehydrobufotenine hydrobromide, etc. Sterols: Cholesterol, β-sitosterol, etc. Other constituents: Bufocyclamides, cholesterol palmitate, N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, etc. Bile also contains cholestane derivatives.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, one piece; or prepared in pills or powder, 1–3g. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, charred to preserve the property, ground into powder for application or mixing and spreading; or mashed live toad for external application.
Contraindications
Contraindicated during pregnancy: Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid consuming toad, as its active components may be transmitted to the infant through the placenta or breast milk, potentially causing adverse effects. Contraindicated in patients with exterior heat or deficiency collapse. Use with caution in patients with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. This product is toxic and should be used with caution in children. Should not be consumed together with spicy foods such as chili peppers, black pepper, hot peppers, or liquor.
Selected Formulas
For carbuncles, boils, and furuncles (Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) Grind dried toad into fine powder, mix with vinegar, and apply to the affected area. For lip sores (Sheng Hui Fang) Burn dried toad to ash, grind finely, and apply to the sores. For hemorrhoidal diseases (Compendium of Materia Medica) Take one toad, embed it in a brick enclosure sealed with clay, and calcine until charred while retaining its properties. Grind into powder. Take a section of pig intestine, tie both ends, cook until done, cut into pieces, dip in the toad powder, and eat. Repeat 3-4 times. For edema and ascites (Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) Take 1g of toad powder once daily for 2-10 days. Reduce dosage for weak patients; monitor blood pressure during treatment. For infantile swelling (Jiangxi Herbal Medicine Manual) Take one toad (eviscerated) and 0.15g of musk. Place musk in the infant's navel, cover with the toad, and bind tightly with cloth. Leave until about one incense stick burns down, then remove. The swelling will subside. For tinea (Wai Tai, citing Shen Shi Fang) Burn dried toad to ash, grind into powder, mix with lard, and apply. For vasculitis (Hebei Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take one dried toad, one white-snake (Baihuashe), 90g Jinyinhua (Honeysuckle flower), 60g Niuxi (Achyranthes root), and 30g Fuzi (Aconite root). Soak in 1kg of wine for 3 days, then heat in a water bath for 1.5 hours, cool, and filter. Take one small cup twice daily.
Daily Consumption
Decoction for oral use: Take one toad, add water, decoct, and drink the liquid. Powder for oral use: Take 1–3g of dried toad, grind into a fine powder, and take with warm boiled water. Toad-roasted egg: Use one toad and one egg. Insert the egg into the toad's abdominal cavity through its mouth (incise the throat if necessary), then roast over wheat straw fire until the egg is cooked thoroughly. Remove the shell and eat. Toad meat cooking: Toad meat can be cooked in boiling soup, or stir-fried, steamed, or braised in soy sauce. Adjuvant therapy for liver and stomach cancer: Take 15g of toad, 30g of Agrimonia (Xiān Hè Cǎo), and 30g of Ginseng (Rén Shēn). Grind together into a fine powder and make into tablets. Take 2g each time, three times daily.
Medicinal Parts
It is the whole body of Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor or Bufo melanostictus Schneider, animals of the Bufonidae family. The secretions of the postauricular glands (Chán Sū, Toad Venom), dried skin (Chán Pí, Toad Skin), and bile (Chán Dǎn, Toad Bile) may also be used as medicinal materials.
Selection & Storage
Store in a dry, airtight container in a cool, dry place, protected from mold and insects. Dried Toad (Gān Chán) should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from insects. Toad Venom (Chán Sū) should be stored in a dry place, protected from moisture.