Common Name: Bai Fan, Alum; or Ming Fan

 

Family: Mineral

 

Part used:  Mineral: use powder or decoction: fine powder for topical use; powder or decoction for orally use.

 

Active constituents:  Potassium aluminum sulfate

 

Actions:  Antibacterial, astringent, hemostatic ,TCM Actions: 1. topically: Eliminate toxicity; kill parasites and dry Damp to relieve pruritis; 2. orally-stop bleeding and alleviate diarrhea; 3. orally, clear heat and expel Phlegm

 

Indications:  Dermatological agent; astringent; hemostatic; Topically: ear infections-pain, redness and swelling of middle ear; for Skin Damp-heat-scabies, ringworm, rashes, oral sores, eczema, vaginal discharge, genital itching and itching lesion; topically in nose for nosebleeds or bleeding due to trauma; oral use for chronic recalcitrant diarrhea in geriatric patients

 

Cautions:  Use cautiously with oral use; especially when the GI tract is weak; this is a toxic substance; may irritate the mouth, throat, and GI tract and cause vomiting and diarrhea.

 

Contraindication: Rarely used orally it is contraindicated for patients with Spleen/Stomach deficiencies or those who do not have symptoms of damp-heat.

 

Herb Drug interactions:  May antagonize Ostrea, Li Mu and counteract Ephedra, Ma Huang

 

Dose (Human and Veterinary):  Horses and Cattle: 15-30 g; Llama, Alpacas, Goat, and Pigs: 3-9 g.; Dogs: 0.5-3 g;  Cats and Rabbits: 0.2-0.5 g; Birds: 0.1-1 g. (Xie) (Chen) Human: Generally only used topically; the dosage for oral use is 1-3 gram, though oral ingestion is rarely used.

 

Energetics:  Cold, sour astringent

 

Organ: Large Intestine, Liver, Lung Spleen

 

Chen and Chen: It also eliminates toxins to treat lung and breast abscesses, hemorrhoids, and other disorders due to toxic swellings.  If there is swelling without pus or suppuration; crush this mineral with cong Bai and ingest with grain-based alcohol.

 

The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica:  Is Sour and Cold; it mainly treats cold and heat, diarrhea and dysentery, white ooze, genital erosion, malign sores, and eye pain. It fortifies the bones and teeth.  If it is taken after being sublimated, it may make the body light, prevent senility, and lengthen life.  It is produced in mountains and valleys.

 

Xie:  Alum, Bai Fan becomes anhydrous Alum, Ku Fan after being burnt and dehydrated; is used as a topical external wash for scabies, ringworm and skin infections.  It has a strong astringent effect. Combine with Cnidium, She Chuang Zi for an external wash; combine with Borneol, Bing Pian for topically use in the ear; Combine with Stemona, Bai Bu as a topical external wash; Combine with Acacia, Er Cha for topically use in nose or on wounds; combine with Chebula; He Zi, for oral use in diarrhea.

 

Clinical Studies: topically used with success on infectious parotitis.