✵The article gives records of the herb Earthworm, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its source four animal species, ①.Pheretima aspergillum(E.Perrier)., ②.Pheretima vulgaris Chen., ③.Pheretima guillelmi(Michaelsen)., ④.Pheretima pectinifera Michaelsen., with a detailed introduction to the features of these four animal species, the lifa habits, and ecological environment of these four animal species, the features of the herb Earthworm, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Lumbricus(Earthworm).
Pin Yin Name: Dì Lónɡ.
English Name: Earthworm.
Latin Name: Lumbricus.
Property and flavor: cold in nature, tastes salty.
Brief introduction: The herb Lumbricus is the dried body of Pheretima aspergillum(Perrier) or Allolobophora caliginosa(Savigny)trapezoides(Ant.Duges), used to clear heat, extinguish wind, unblock collateral meridians, relieve asthma and induce diuresis, for the treatment of convulsions due to high fever, rheumatalgia, hemiplegia, bronchial asthma and accumulated heat in the bladder with dysuria. The herb is commonly known as Lumbricus, Earthworm, Pheretima, Dì Lónɡ.
Source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Lumbricus(Earthworm) as the dried body of the species (1). Pheretima aspergillum(E.Perrier)., (2). Pheretima vulgaris Chen., (3). Pheretima guillelmi(Michaelsen)., (4). Pheretima pectinifera Michaelsen. They are small animals of the Pheretima genus, the Megscolecide family (Megascolecidae Rosa family) of the Opisthopora order. These 4 commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Pheretima aspergillum(E.Perrier).
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Cān Huán Máo Yǐn. It is 115~375 mm long and 6~12 mm wide. The dorsal hole begins at the 11/12 internode. 3 bands, glabrous and setae. Girdle bristles are thick and hard at the front, black at the end, widely spaced, and abaxially. 30~34 (Ⅷ) between the spermatheca hole, 28~30 between the male hole, hole in male glands near a dense, 6~7 per side. The male hole is on the ventral setae of node, the outer edge is surrounded by shallow pleats, the inner setae is uplift, the front, and back sides have horizontal rows (one or two rows) of small mastoid processes, 10~20 on each side. The pore of the seminal vesicle is 2 pairs, located on an oval protrusion between 7/8 and 8/9, accounting for about 5/11 of the circumstantial node. The ventral side of the foramen has horizontal rows (one or two rows) of mastoid processes, about 10 of which are not present at a distance from the foramen. Diaphragm 8/9, 9/10 missing. The cecum is simple or ventral with dentate sacs. The seminal vesicles are bag-shaped, with short tubules and short blind tubules. Inside 2/3 slight-bend number turns, for the seminal vesicle. Each accessory gonad is massive, with a granular surface, and each has a group of thick cords connecting the mastoid process. The back is purplish gray, slightly lighter at the back, with white setae.
Earthworms like warm, very sensitive to temperature, will adjust the depth in the soil according to the temperature or ground temperature; Generally prefers to live in moist, loose and fertile soil, but the humidity will make soil pores blocked, earthworms breathe difficult, easy to suffocate. Earthworms climb out of the ground after a common rain. The earthworm is nocturnal sex animal, very sensitive to light, like dark, afraid of strong light, often escape the illumination of intense sunshine, ultraviolet ray, but not afraid of red light, incline to weak light. Generally at dusk it climb out of the ground to feed, mating, return in early morning. Prefer quiet, afraid of noise or vibration. The earthworm has a strong ability to regenerate when part of the body damage or cut off can be regenerated. The life span is 1~3 years.
Ecological Environment: The earthworm lives in moist and loose soil, slow movement. It feeds on humus-rich organic matter. It grows in moist, loose soil. This species is distributed in the Zhujiang river area and other areas of China. It could be used for the treatment of high fever faint, convulsion, joint pain, numbness, urine edema, hypertension, and other diseases.
Characters of herbs: It is a long strip-shaped sheet, with slightly curled edges, 15~20 cm long and 1~2 cm wide. The whole body has segments, the back is brown to purple-gray, the abdomen is light yellow-brown; the segment 14~16 is the genital belt, which is commonly called "white neck" and is brighter. The front end of the body is slightly pointed, the tail end is blunt and round, the bristle circle is rough and hard, and the color is slightly lighter. The male genital foramen is located on the small hole protrusions of the 18th ventral bristle circle. The outer edge has several laps of superficial skin folds, the inner bristle circle bulges, and the front two sides have horizontal rows (one or two rows) of papillae, ranging from 10 to 20 on each side. There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle holes, which are located on an oval protrusion between the segments 6-9, accounting for about 5/11 of the segment. The herb is light, slightly leathery, not easily broken. The herb has a fishy smell, and it tastes slightly salty.
(2).Pheretima vulgaris Chen.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Tōng Sú Huán Máo Yǐn. The species is similar in size, color, and internal structure to that of Pheretima guillelmi. The seminal vesicles are deep and broad only, and both the anterior and posterior margins are swollen. The male mating cavity is also deep and wide, the inner wall is more wrinkled, with 3 flat papillae, located in the bottom of the cavity, one of the processes is where the male hole is, can all turnout.
Ecological Environment: It lives in moist and organic places. This species is distributed in the lower reaches area of the Yangtze River, north area coastal regions, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: It is 8~15 cm in length and 0.5~1.5 cm in width. The whole body has segments, the back is brown to yellow-brown, the abdomen is light yellow-brown; There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle holes, located at the 6-7, 7-8, 8-9 segments. Segments 14-16 is the genital belt, which is bright. Segment 18 has a pair of male reproductive pores. The hole of the male mating cavity of the Pheretima vulgaris is in the shape of a longitudinal crack; There are one or more papillae on the inner side of the male reproductive foramen of Pheretima pectinifera. The features of the herb dried from Pheretima vulgaris, Pheretima guillelmi, Pheretima pectinifera are similar.
(3).Pheretima guillelmi(Michaelsen).
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Wēi Lián Huán Máo Yǐn. It is 96~150 mm long and 5~8 mm wide. The number of body segments is 88-156. The band is located on the xiv-xvi section, in the shape of a ring, without bristles. The setae on the body are finer, the front ventral surface is sparse and not thick. 13~21 in the male hole, the male hole is in a shallow mating cavity on both sides of XVIII, the inner wall is pleated, there are 2~3 bristles in the fold, the male hole is on the protrusion at the bottom of the cavity, and a pair of nipple processes are often in front of the protrusion. There are 3 pairs of holes in the spermatic vesicle, and the holes are on a small protrusion in a transverse fissure between vi-vii ~ viviii -IX. There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle foramen, in vi-vii ~VIII-IX internode foramen in a transverse fissure. There was no seminal vesicle, diaphragm v-ix ~ ix-x was absent, the cecum was simple. The end of the caecal tube of the seminal vesicle is 2/3 on the plane, curved left and right, it is the seminal vesicle. The back of the body is cyan or grey-green, dark cyan in the dorsal midline.
Ecological Environment: It likes dark and moisture, air circulation, oxygen sufficient environment, it is afraid of strong light, dry, and high-temperature hypoxia. Air humidity above 60%, the survival temperature range is 5~30 °C (Celsius, or 41~86 degrees Fahrenheit), the suitable growth temperature is 20~25 °C (Celsius, or 68~77 degrees Fahrenheit), dormancy below 5 °C (Celsius, or 41 degrees Fahrenheit). Food is very miscellaneous, carrion organic matter can be used. It is also hermaphroditic, cross-fertilized, and the different shapes of worm cocoons are characteristic of classification. General 3~6 months of sexual maturity, 3 months of reproduction once, it can lay eggs 3~4 times a year, each time produces 2~3 worm cocoons. Terrestrial earthworms grow very fast, especially the earthworms before sexual maturity, almost every 10 days weight increase 1 time, its life span is short and long, short more than 200 days, long up to 10 years. It is distributed in the middle and lower reaches area of the Yangtze River, and other areas of north China.
Characters of herbs: The features of the herb dried from Pheretima vulgaris, Pheretima guillelmi, Pheretima pectinifera are similar.
(4).Pheretima pectinifera Michaelsen.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Zhì Máng Huán Máo Yǐn. Body is 100~150 mm long, 5~9 mm wide, back and side with deep purple or purplish red, setae not from. Band three-jointed, unbridled. The front bristles, though thick, are not particularly thick in section ii-ix. Aa is slightly wider from zz than ab or y2.28-34 (viii) between the pores of the spermatic vesicles, 20~36 between the male pores, but denser on the skin of the glands near the male pores, 6~7 lines on each side.
The male genital foramen is in the center of a cruciform process, often by a shallow bursa skin fold cover, inside has two or more nipples, its arrangement changes greatly. The pore of the spermatic vesicle are 3 pairs, between 6/7 and 8/9, and is located nearly half of the circumference of the node. The hole is in one tit hind side, before and after two sides epidermal gland is swollen, hole is often immersed in, the ventral side of the hole is in setae before or hind ring, have a papillary process, arrange more regular.
Ecological Environment: It lives in moist and organic places. The earthworm is distributed in the lower reaches area of the Yangtze River, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The features of the herb dried from Pheretima vulgaris, Pheretima guillelmi, Pheretima pectinifera are similar.
Pharmacological actions: ①.function of thrombolysis and anticoagulant effect; ②.hypotensive activity (lowering blood pressure); ③.preventing and relieving cerebral arterial thrombosis (apoplexia); ④.antiasthmatic; ⑤.antipyretic effect, and so on.
Medicinal efficacy: Clearing heat and stopping convulsion, calm the liver and extinguishing wind (relieve dizziness, high fever, infantile convulsions, epilepsy, etc.), activating collaterals, relieving asthma and prompt diuresis. It is indicated for high fever and coma (hyperpyrexia or ardent fever, unconsciousness), febrile disease with fever and madness, frightened epilepsy and convulsions, liver Yang cephalea (headache due to hyperactivity of liver-Yang), joint arthralgia, limb numbness, stroke and hemiplegia, hemiplegia (paralysis of half of one's body), rheumatic arthralgia pain, lung heat and dyspnea with cough, edema and oliguria, urinary stoppage, etc.
Administration of Lumbricus (Dì Lónɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Lumbricus (Dì Lónɡ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:5~10 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction,5~10 grams;or prepare to finely ground herb powder, take 1~2 grams each time;or prepare to pill, powder;or fresh herb blend with sugar or salt water and take. Externally:proper amount, mash the fresh herb and apply stick, or extract juice and smear apply;prepare to finely ground herb powder and sprinkle, or mixed and smear apply.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: the herb Lumbricus should forbidden using during pregnancy.
✵The article gives records of the herb Earthworm, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its source four animal species, ①.Pheretima aspergillum(E.Perrier)., ②.Pheretima vulgaris Chen., ③.Pheretima guillelmi(Michaelsen)., ④.Pheretima pectinifera Michaelsen., with a detailed introduction to the features of these four animal species, the lifa habits, and ecological environment of these four animal species, the features of the herb Earthworm, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Dì Lónɡ.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Cān Huán Máo Yǐn. It is 115~375 mm long and 6~12 mm wide. The dorsal hole begins at the 11/12 internode. 3 bands, glabrous and setae. Girdle bristles are thick and hard at the front, black at the end, widely spaced, and abaxially. 30~34 (Ⅷ) between the spermatheca hole, 28~30 between the male hole, hole in male glands near a dense, 6~7 per side. The male hole is on the ventral setae of node, the outer edge is surrounded by shallow pleats, the inner setae is uplift, the front, and back sides have horizontal rows (one or two rows) of small mastoid processes, 10~20 on each side. The pore of the seminal vesicle is 2 pairs, located on an oval protrusion between 7/8 and 8/9, accounting for about 5/11 of the circumstantial node. The ventral side of the foramen has horizontal rows (one or two rows) of mastoid processes, about 10 of which are not present at a distance from the foramen. Diaphragm 8/9, 9/10 missing. The cecum is simple or ventral with dentate sacs. The seminal vesicles are bag-shaped, with short tubules and short blind tubules. Inside 2/3 slight-bend number turns, for the seminal vesicle. Each accessory gonad is massive, with a granular surface, and each has a group of thick cords connecting the mastoid process. The back is purplish gray, slightly lighter at the back, with white setae.
Earthworms like warm, very sensitive to temperature, will adjust the depth in the soil according to the temperature or ground temperature; Generally prefers to live in moist, loose and fertile soil, but the humidity will make soil pores blocked, earthworms breathe difficult, easy to suffocate. Earthworms climb out of the ground after a common rain. The earthworm is nocturnal sex animal, very sensitive to light, like dark, afraid of strong light, often escape the illumination of intense sunshine, ultraviolet ray, but not afraid of red light, incline to weak light. Generally at dusk it climb out of the ground to feed, mating, return in early morning. Prefer quiet, afraid of noise or vibration. The earthworm has a strong ability to regenerate when part of the body damage or cut off can be regenerated. The life span is 1~3 years.
Ecological Environment: The earthworm lives in moist and loose soil, slow movement. It feeds on humus-rich organic matter. It grows in moist, loose soil. This species is distributed in the Zhujiang river area and other areas of China. It could be used for the treatment of high fever faint, convulsion, joint pain, numbness, urine edema, hypertension, and other diseases.
Characters of herbs: It is a long strip-shaped sheet, with slightly curled edges, 15~20 cm long and 1~2 cm wide. The whole body has segments, the back is brown to purple-gray, the abdomen is light yellow-brown; the segment 14~16 is the genital belt, which is commonly called "white neck" and is brighter. The front end of the body is slightly pointed, the tail end is blunt and round, the bristle circle is rough and hard, and the color is slightly lighter. The male genital foramen is located on the small hole protrusions of the 18th ventral bristle circle. The outer edge has several laps of superficial skin folds, the inner bristle circle bulges, and the front two sides have horizontal rows (one or two rows) of papillae, ranging from 10 to 20 on each side. There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle holes, which are located on an oval protrusion between the segments 6-9, accounting for about 5/11 of the segment. The herb is light, slightly leathery, not easily broken. The herb has a fishy smell, and it tastes slightly salty.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Tōng Sú Huán Máo Yǐn. The species is similar in size, color, and internal structure to that of Pheretima guillelmi. The seminal vesicles are deep and broad only, and both the anterior and posterior margins are swollen. The male mating cavity is also deep and wide, the inner wall is more wrinkled, with 3 flat papillae, located in the bottom of the cavity, one of the processes is where the male hole is, can all turnout.
Ecological Environment: It lives in moist and organic places. This species is distributed in the lower reaches area of the Yangtze River, north area coastal regions, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: It is 8~15 cm in length and 0.5~1.5 cm in width. The whole body has segments, the back is brown to yellow-brown, the abdomen is light yellow-brown; There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle holes, located at the 6-7, 7-8, 8-9 segments. Segments 14-16 is the genital belt, which is bright. Segment 18 has a pair of male reproductive pores. The hole of the male mating cavity of the Pheretima vulgaris is in the shape of a longitudinal crack; There are one or more papillae on the inner side of the male reproductive foramen of Pheretima pectinifera. The features of the herb dried from Pheretima vulgaris, Pheretima guillelmi, Pheretima pectinifera are similar.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Wēi Lián Huán Máo Yǐn. It is 96~150 mm long and 5~8 mm wide. The number of body segments is 88-156. The band is located on the xiv-xvi section, in the shape of a ring, without bristles. The setae on the body are finer, the front ventral surface is sparse and not thick. 13~21 in the male hole, the male hole is in a shallow mating cavity on both sides of XVIII, the inner wall is pleated, there are 2~3 bristles in the fold, the male hole is on the protrusion at the bottom of the cavity, and a pair of nipple processes are often in front of the protrusion. There are 3 pairs of holes in the spermatic vesicle, and the holes are on a small protrusion in a transverse fissure between vi-vii ~ viviii -IX. There are 3 pairs of seminal vesicle foramen, in vi-vii ~VIII-IX internode foramen in a transverse fissure. There was no seminal vesicle, diaphragm v-ix ~ ix-x was absent, the cecum was simple. The end of the caecal tube of the seminal vesicle is 2/3 on the plane, curved left and right, it is the seminal vesicle. The back of the body is cyan or grey-green, dark cyan in the dorsal midline.
Botanical description: It is commonly known as Zhì Máng Huán Máo Yǐn. Body is 100~150 mm long, 5~9 mm wide, back and side with deep purple or purplish red, setae not from. Band three-jointed, unbridled. The front bristles, though thick, are not particularly thick in section ii-ix. Aa is slightly wider from zz than ab or y2.28-34 (viii) between the pores of the spermatic vesicles, 20~36 between the male pores, but denser on the skin of the glands near the male pores, 6~7 lines on each side.
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