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Li Shizhen's (1597) ''Bencao gangmu'', the classic materia medica of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), included 35 human drugs, including organs, bodily fluids, and excreta. Crude drugs derived from the human body were commonplace in the early history of medicine. Some of these TCM human drug usages are familiar from alternative medicine, such as medicinal breast milk and urine therapy. Others are uncommon, such as the "mellified man", which was a foreign nostrum allegedly prepared from the mummy of a holy man who only ate honey during his last days and whose corpse had been immersed in honey for 100 years. ==Contents== Li Shizhen's (1518-1593) magnum opus, the ''Bencao gangmu'' or "Compendium of Materia Medica" is still one of the traditional Chinese physician's standard reference books. Chapter 52 ''Renbu'' 人部 "human section" is classified under the fourth category of animals (兽之四), and is the last chapter in the ''Bencao gangmu''. Li's preface explains this internal ordering (tr. Unschuld 1986: 151), "At the beginning, I have placed the waters and fires, followed by the soils. ... They are followed by the worms, scaly animals and crustaceans, fowl and quadruped; and man concludes the list. From the low I have ascended to the noble." The human-drug chapter contains 37 entries (''zhǒng'' 種 "kind; type"). Unlike the first 35 that discuss human pharmaceuticals and drug prescriptions, the last two are only recorded "for doctors as a reference" (tr. Luo 2003: 4190). Number 36 "Human beings from different locations" discusses personal influences from astrology, environment, geography, and climate (perhaps historical climatology in modern terms). Number 37 "Human beings in extraordinary conditions and of odd forms" ranges across cosmology, male and female sterility, pregnancy, hermaphroditism, metamorphosis, evolution, and monsters. Some of these ''Bencao gangmu'' human drug names use obscure classical Chinese terms. ''Chǐyìn'' 齒垽 "tartar; dental calculus; plaque" (52.20) uses the rare name ''yìn'' 垽 "sediment: dregs" instead of ''gòu'' 垢 "filth" in the common ''yágòu'' 牙垢. ''Renshi'' 人勢 "penis" (52.32) uses ''shì'' 勢 "power; circumstance" in the archaic sense of "male genitals" seen in ''qùshì'' 去勢 "castrate; emasculate". While most names of these 35 Chinese "human drugs" (translated as hair, dandruff, and earwax) are understandable, several culture-specific terms need explanation. Li Shizhen distinguishes drugs from four types of human hair: 52.1 ''fàbèi'' "(esp. boy's) hair cut from the head", 52.2 ''luànfà'' 亂髮 "hair left on a comb after using it", 52.25 ''zīxū'' 髭鬚 "facial hair", and 52.26 ''yīnmáo'' 陰毛 "pubic hair". Li details additional names and their corresponding pulse diagnosis acupuncture channels. Hair from different positions is given different names: Hair on the head, called Fa () (hair), pertains to Kidney Channel of Foot Lesser Yin and Stomach Channel of Foot Greater Yang. Hair in front of the ears, called Bin () (temples), pertains to Sanjiao Channel of Hand Lesser Yang and Gall Bladder Channel of Foot Lesser Yang. Hair above the eyes, called Mei () (eyebrow), pertains to Large Intestine Channel of Hand Greater Yang and Stomach Channel of Foot Greater Yang. Hair on the upper lip, called Zi () (moustache), pertains to Large Intestine Channel of Hand Greater Yang. Hair under the chin, called Xu () (beard), pertains to Gall Bladder Channel of Foot Lesser Yang and Stomach Channel of Foot Greater Yang. Hair on the cheeks, called Ran () (whiskers), pertains to Gall Bladder Channel of Foot Lesser Yang. (52.2, tr. Luo 2003: 4138) The obscure drug 52.14 ''pǐshí'' 癖石, translated as "gall-stones" (Read), "gallstones" (Cooper & Sivin), and described as "hard masses formed from extraordinary addiction or devotion" (Luo), combines words meaning "craving; addiction; extreme devotion; idiosyncrasy; indigestion" and "stone; rock". Li Shizhen (tr. Luo 2003: 4165) explains, "If a person is especially devoted to a certain habit or thing, or when a person is suffering from the formation of hard masses, a strange thing will take shape." Li gives examples of similar things "formed due to congelation of a kind of essence substance": ''niúhuáng'' 牛黄 "ox bezoar; calculus bovis", ''gǒubǎo'' 狗寶 "stone in a dog's kidney/gall bladder", ''zhǎdá'' 鮓答 "white stone that forms between the liver and gall of livestock, used for rain prayers", and ''shèlìzi'' 舍利子 "śarīra; a Buddhist relic supposedly found in cremated ashes". Medicinal 52.18 ''rénjīng'' 人精 "human semen" includes both male and female ''jīngyè'' 精液, meaning male "seminal fluid; semen" and female "vaginal lubrication". Read (1941: no. 425) notes the (c. 1550 BCE) Ebers Papyrus refers to both male and female semen. Li Shizhen says, The essence substance of Ying (nutrient essence in blood) can be transformed into semen and gathered at the Mingmen (Gate of Life), which is the house of Jing (Vital Essence) and blood. When a boy is 16 years old, the volume of his semen is one ''sheng'' and six ''ge'' (1.5 liters ). If it is well protected, it will accumulate to three ''sheng'' (5 liters ). If it is not protected and is exhausted too quickly, less than a ''sheng'' of it can be retained. Without blood, semen cannot form. Semen is a treasured thing within the body and is well nourished by qi (Vital Energy). Therefore, when blood is at its full capacity, the amount of semen will be increased. When qi (Vital Energy) accumulates, semen becomes overfilled. Evil alchemists () fool stupid maidens and mate with them. Then they drink the vaginal secretions of the girls. Or they blend their own semen with the menstrual blood of a maiden and eat it. This mixture is called Qiangong () (lead and mercury). They consider this a treasured drug and indulge in sex excessively, eating such a foul thing. This practice will shorten their lifespans greatly. What a stupid thing! (tr. Luo 2003: 4173) Both 52.12 ''qiūshí'' 秋石 "processed white sediment of human urine with salt" and 52.30 ''bāoyīshuǐ'' 胞衣水 "processed fluid of human placenta" specify particular methods of iatrochemical or medical-chemical preparation. ''Qiūshí'' 秋石 (lit. "autumn mineral"), translated as "urea" (Read) and "processed white sediment of human urine with salt" (Luo), was prepared from 52.11 ''nibaiyin'' "white urinary sediment" from the urine of either Yin girls or Yang boys. The ''qiushi'' drug was called ''qiūbīng '' 秋冰 (lit. "autumn ice") after recrystallization, similar to boiling seawater to get salt. Li Shenzhen (tr. Luo 2003: 4161) warns that, "Some alchemists fake the product by calcining salt in a furnace. Any substance alleged to be Qiubing should be examined carefully to make sure it is genuine." Li Shizhen (tr. Lu & Needham1964: 109) outlines historical changes in the use of steroid-rich urine drugs. In ancient times, doctors used urinary precipitates to "keep the blood in motion, greatly help sexual debility, bring down heat, kill parasites, and disperse poisons; but the princes and wealthy patricians disliked using it because they considered it unhygienic. So the iatro-chemists ((HREF="http://www.kotoba.ne.jp/word/11/fangshi" TITLE="fangshi">fangshi'' )) began to purify the sediment, making first () and later on ()", which licentious people used as aphrodisiacs. The ''Bencao gangmu'' lists six methods of processing ''qiushi'' through techniques including dilution, precipitation, filtration, evaporation, calcination, and sublimation. ''Bāoyīshuǐ'' 胞衣水, translated as "old liquefied placenta" (Read) and "fluid of human placenta" (Luo), was traditionally processed in two ways (tr. Luo 2003: 4186). In north China, people bury a human placenta in the ground for 7 to 8 years, and it dissolves into a fluid that is as clean as ice. In south China, people blend human placenta with ''gāncǎo'' 甘草 "''Glycyrrhiza uralensis''; Chinese licorice root", ''shēngmá'' 升麻 "''Cimicifuga simplex''; bugbane", and other drugs, which they store in a bottle, and bury in the ground for 3 to 5 years. Then they dig it up and use it medicinally. The 52.24 ''rénpò'' 人魄 "Human ghost (of a hanged person)" medicine refers to Chinese hun and po soul dualism between the ''hun'' 魂 "spiritual, ethereal, yang soul" that leaves the body after death and the ''po'' 魄 "corporeal, substantive, yin soul" that remains with the corpse. Li Shizhen (tr. Luo 2003: 4177) explains, "Renpo is found in the soil under a person who has hanged himself or herself. It resembles soft charcoal. If the Renpo is not dug out in time, it will penetrate deep into the earth where it cannot be traced." The ''Bencao gangmu'' compares a hanged person's soul with similar phenomena, "When a star descends to the earth it turns into a stone. When a tiger dies, his eyesight descends and turns into a white stone. Human blood will turn into phosphorus or jade when it drops to the ground." Li only gives one prescription, "Renpo pacifies the Heart and tranquilizes the soul and boldness. It treats convulsions, fright, and manic-depressive psychosis. Grind Renpo with water and take it by mouth." 52.28 ''Tiānlínggài'' 天靈蓋 "bregma; skullcap; calvaria" is translated as "human skull" (Read), "human skull top" (Luo), and "bregma" (Cooper & Sivin). In Daoist meditation and ''qigong'' breathing practices, the bregma is considered the locus of the upper ''dantian'' "elixir field". Li Shizhen (tr. Luo 2003: 4179) says, "The skull of a human looks like a round cover. It is shaped like the sky. It is the palace of Niwan" – ''níwán'' 泥丸 "clay pellet" is a Chinese transcription of "nirvana". Furthermore, "It is a place where ancestral wisdom is stored. Taoist alchemists stimulate the Li (Fire) by Kan (Water) so as to restore its condition of pure Qian (Yang). In this way, a sacred fetus will form. Then it may go out and come back in as it wishes. So the top of the skull is called Tianlinggai (meaning "cover of the Heavenly wisdom")." This ''shèngtāi'' 聖胎 "sacred embryo/fetus; Embryo of Sainthood" denotes achieving ''xian'' immortality through ''neidan'' "internal alchemy". Cooper & Sivin (1973: 249) say drilling the skull in order to provide a passage is still part of the initiation ritual for members of the esoteric Shingon sect in Taiwan today. The 52.35 ''mùnǎiyī'' 木乃伊 "mummy; mellified man" drug was not a Chinese drug and came from ''Tianfangguo'' (lit. 天方國 "Kaaba countries"), which was an archaic name for "Arabia; Middle East". Li Shizhen recounts this foreign legend and expresses skepticism, The book ''Chuogeng Lu'' by Tao Jiucheng: It is recorded that in the Tianfang country there was an old man 70 or 80 years old was willing to sacrifice his body for the general public. So he stopped taking any food except for drinking honey daily. He washed himself repeatedly. After a month, his stools and urine all turned into honey. After his death, people in the country kept him in a stone coffin filled with honey. The date was inscribed on the stone coffin and it was buried in the ground. After 100 years, the body became a kind of honey-preserved thing that was used as a drug. When someone was suffering from an injury to his body, including bone fractures, a little of the "honey man" could be taken as a drug. It worked right away. Even in that country, this was something very precious. It was called "honey man. The above is quoted from Tao Jiucheng's book. It is not known whether this is true or not. So it is recorded at the end of this section for further study. (tr. Luo 2003:4189) Read (1931: no. 442) says Burmese priests have the custom of preserving their chief abbots in coffins full of honey. Among this total content of 35 entries with 287 prescriptions, 13 human drugs with 217 prescriptions first appeared in the ''Bencao gangmu'' while 22 types with 67 prescriptions came from earlier Chinese materia medica: 1 from the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220) ''Shennong bencaojing''; 5 from the Liang dynasty (502-557) ''Mingyi bielu''; 9 from the Tang dynasty (618-907) ''Xinxiu bencao'' and ''Bencao shiyi''; 8 from Song dynasty (960-1279) texts ''Da Ming rihua bencao'', ''Kaibao bencao'', ''Jiayou bencao'', and ''Zhenglei bencao''; and 1 other from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) ''Bencao mengquan''. A few ''Bencao gangmu'' prescriptions are cited from non-medical literature, such as Zhang Hua's long-lost (c. 290) ''Bowuzhi'' 博物志 "Record of Wide Knowledge" collection of wonders (but this magical marital formula is not found in the current reconstituted version). Prescription 52.16.5 (tr. Cooper & Sivin 1973: 236), "To keep one's wife from being jealous. Wrap a toad in the cloth the wife uses to absorb her menses 婦人月水布 and bury it five () (15 cm) deep, one () (31 cm) in front of the privy." Since more than one-third of the human drugs were first added in Li Shizhen's time, Read (1931) suggested that "research into the origin of these relatively recent remedies which may reveal a new interchange of thought and practice between China and other civilizations. It may have been that the Arabs were in this matter a common source of both Chinese and European medicine." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Traditional Chinese medicines derived from the human body」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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