Prepared Earthworm

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Clears heat and extinguishes internal wind ... Zhi Di Long is used for spasms, convulsions, heat-driven agitation, and channel obstruction when internal wind is stirred by replete heat.
• Unblocks channels and collaterals ... it remains a classic animal medicine for hemiplegia, numbness, painful obstruction, facial paralysis, and post-stroke patterns in which movement is blocked.
• Clears Lung heat and calms wheezing ... traditional use extends to asthma, difficult breathing, and stubborn wheeze when heat and obstruction bind the Lung.
• Promotes urination and reduces swelling ... it can be added when edema or difficult urination accompanies heat and obstruction.

Secondary Actions

• Compared with crude earthworm material, the prepared form is better understood as cleaned, dried, and further processed for more practical medicinal handling rather than as a different therapeutic species.
• Modern lumbrokinase products are not interchangeable with traditional Zhi Di Long, even though both derive interest from fibrinolytic earthworm chemistry.

Classic Formulas

• Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang (补阳还五汤) ... classic post-stroke formula in which Di Long helps reopen the channels and collaterals.
• Di Long with Gou Teng, Jiang Can, and Quan Xie ... internal-wind strategy for spasms, tremors, and convulsions.
• Di Long with Ma Huang and Xing Ren ... traditional wheezing combination for Lung heat with difficult breathing.

Classical References

• Traditional herbology preserves Di Long's reputation for treating heat, spasms, and channel obstruction and links its drilling, penetrating animal nature to its collateral-opening action.
• Preparation is mainly about making the animal material cleaner, drier, and easier to use internally rather than redefining the core medicinal category.
• PREPARATION NOTE: Zhi Di Long is the processed medicinal form of Pheretima and should not be confused with live or food-grade earthworm material.