Bubo bubo (Linnaeus)/Otus scops Linnaeus/Glaucidium cuculoides whiteleyi (Blyth)
Aliases：Guài Chī (Strange Owl); Chī Jiù (Old Owl); Jiù Liú (Ancient Residue); Lǎo Tù (Old Hare); Jiǎo Chī (Horned Owl); Hū Kuā Yīng (Shouting Eagle); Yè Shí Yīng (Night-eating Eagle); Yè Māo (Night Cat); Guǐ Jiū (Ghost Dove); Héng Wén Xiǎo Xiāo (Cross-striped Little Owl); Guǐ Chē Xiāo (Ghost Chariot Owl); Xiū Liú (Little Owl); Diāo Xiāo (Eagle Owl); Jiù Xiū Liú (Vulture Little Owl); Dà Māo Wáng (Great Cat King); Huáng Zuǐ Jiǎo Xiāo (Yellow-beaked Horned Owl); Mù Tù (Wood Rabbit); Dà Tóu Yīng (Big-headed Eagle); Yè Māo Zi (Night Owl).
Māo Tóu Yīng (Owl) is a Chinese medicinal substance. It is the meat and bones of Bubo bubo (Linnaeus), an animal of the Strigidae family. As a Chinese medicinal material, “Māo Tóu Yīng” is formally known in pharmacopoeia as Chī Xiū.
Efficacy & Actions
Detoxification: Used for scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis). Relieving Convulsions (Calming Wind): Used for epilepsy. Dispelling Wind: Used for wind-type headache and rheumatic pain. Interrupting Malarial Disorders: Used for malaria. Nourishing Yin and Tonifying Deficiency: Used for pulmonary tuberculosis and dizziness due to wind-deficiency.
Indications
Primarily used for scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis), epilepsy, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), wind-type headache, and rheumatic pain. It is also used for malaria, pulmonary tuberculosis, and dizziness due to wind-deficiency, among other conditions.
Modern Pharmacology
Modern pharmacological research on owls is limited. Traditional medicine holds that their meat and bones have medicinal value. However, modern medical perspectives suggest that, as owls are carnivorous animals that feed on rodents, consumption may carry the risk of viral or parasitic infections. The specific active components and mechanisms of action of owl as a medicinal substance remain unclear.
Ingredients
Its chemical constituents are not yet clearly defined. Traditional practice holds that its meat and bones are used medicinally.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Cooked and eaten, 50–100g; or calcined to preserve the property, ground into powder, 5–10g; or baked and ground for use in pills or powder; or steeped in wine.
Contraindications
Use with caution during pregnancy: As this medicinal substance is slightly toxic, it should be avoided by pregnant women. Use with caution in individuals with allergies: Those allergic to avian proteins may experience allergic reactions. Risk of infection: Owls are wild animals and may carry pathogens. Consumption poses health risks. Legally prohibited: Owls (such as the Eurasian eagle-owl) are classified as National Second-Class Protected Animals in China. Illegal hunting and trade are strictly prohibited.
Selected Formulas
1. For Scrofula (Tuberculous Lymphadenitis) Take one owl, roast it, and consume it. 2. For Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing) Take two featherless owlets, wrap them in yellow clay, calcine them while preserving their medicinal property, and grind into a fine powder. Take 6g each time, twice daily, with warm wine. 3. For Epilepsy Take one owl, wrap it in a thick layer of clay, and smoke it over a stove fire for 100 days. Remove, grind into powder. Take 9g each time, twice daily. 4. For Dizziness Due to Wind-Deficiency Kill and defeather a large owl, cook and eat the meat. Take the bones, calcine them to preserve the property, and take with wine. 5. For Rheumatic Bone Pain Take 90g of owl bones and meat, and soak them in white liquor (above 50% alcohol) for at least one month. Drink 15ml each time, 1–2 times daily.
Daily Consumption
Cooked and eaten: Stew the cleaned owl meat in a soup or cook it thoroughly before eating. Calcined to preserve the property and ground into powder: Wrap the owl (or its bones) in clay and calcine until charred black while preserving its medicinal property. Grind into a fine powder and take with warm wine. Steeped in wine: Soak the bones and meat of the owl in high-proof white liquor for a period of time before drinking.
Medicinal Parts
Meat and bones.
Selection & Storage
Fresh products should be processed promptly. Dried products (such as powder after calcination while preserving the property) should be stored in a dry, airtight container in a cool place, protected from moisture and insects.
