Zoological substancesWind-extinguishingBombyx Batryticatus

Jiang Can (Silkworm)

Q: What is Jiang Can? Are Chan Tui, Quan Xie and Di Long the same?

Official Jiang Can (僵蚕) is the dried body of a 4th- to 5th-instar larva of Bombyx mori killed by infection or inoculation with Beauveria bassiana . The pharmacopoeial name is Bombyx Batryticatus . Chan Tui is sweet-cold: disperses wind-heat, benefits the throat, vents rash, brightens the eyes, abates nebula and extinguishes wind to stop spasm. Quan Xie is acrid-neutral and toxic: extinguishes wind, settles spasm, attacks toxin, dissipates nodes and frees the network vessels to stop pain. Di Long is salty-cold: clears heat, settles fright, frees the network vessels, calms wheezing and promotes urination. Write Jiang Can. Use caution in yin-vacuity fire.

Q: What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Jiang Can?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Jiang Can is salty, acrid and neutral , enters the Liver, Lung and Stomach channels, and acts to extinguish wind, stop spasm, dispel wind, stop pain, transform phlegm and dissipate nodes . It is used for Liver wind with phlegm, fright epilepsy and convulsions, acute infantile fright, tetanus, deviated mouth in wind-stroke, wind-heat headache, red eyes and sore throat, wind rash with itching, and mumps. Salty-acrid and wind-extinguishing, it suits wind-phlegm convulsions and sore throat with scrofula—not yin-vacuity fire without wind-phlegm.

Q: What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a wind-extinguishing tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 5–10 g . It is not a four-season “stiff-silkworm wind tea.” Without wind-phlegm it only injures yin. Convulsions and deviated mouth need a practitioner to name a short course; it does not replace neurologic and tetanus assessment.

Q: How do you choose and store Jiang Can?

Choose cylindrical, often curved bodies, gray-white and powdery, a brown-black lustrous cut face and a faint fishy odor . Moldy, moth-eaten, powderless or hollow lots are discarded. Store dry against moths. Buy pharmacopoeial Jiang Can; do not replace extinguishing wind, stopping spasm, dispelling wind, stopping pain, transforming phlegm and dissipating nodes with cicada slough or silkworm pupae by equal weight.

A practical guide to Jiang Can: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Bombyx Batryticatus
Chinese Name & Pinyin	僵蠶 · Jiang Can
Medicinal Part	Zoological substances
The herb	Jiang Can is the dried larva of Bombyx mori killed by Beauveria bassiana. Chan Tui, Quan Xie, and Di Long are different official drugs. Use qualified pieces.
Nature and channels	Salty, acrid, neutral. Enters the Liver, Lung, and Stomach. Saltiness softens hardness. Acridity dispels wind. Neutral nature extinguishes wind, stops spasm, transforms phlegm, and dissipates nodules.
Pharmacopoeia line	Extinguishes wind and stops spasm. Dispels wind and relieves pain. Transforms phlegm and dissipates nodules. Used for fright-epilepsy and convulsions, a deviated mouth after stroke, wind-heat headache, red eyes and sore throat, wind-rash itch, and scrofula and phlegm nodules.
Pattern cues	Convulsions. Deviated mouth and eyes. Wind-heat headache. Sore throat. Wind-rash. Phlegm nodules.
In this article	Jiang Can versus Chan Tui, Quan Xie, and Di Long. Why emergencies need a clinic. Why only qualified pieces are used. Who should skip it.

What Is Jiang Can?

Jiang Can (僵蚕; Jiāng Cán; Latin: Bombyx Batryticatus; English: stiff silkworm) is the dried body of a 4th- or 5th-instar larva of Bombyx mori Linnaeus that has died after infection with Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuillant. In Chinese medicine it extinguishes wind and stops spasm. It is salty, acrid, and neutral, enters the Liver, Lung, and Stomach channels, and its core actions are to extinguish wind and stop spasm, dispel wind and relieve pain, and transform phlegm and dissipate nodules. Stir-fried Jiang Can is used more often. It is not Chan Tui. Cicada slough is light. It disperses wind-heat, brightens the eyes, and vents rashes. It is not Quan Xie. Scorpion more fiercely extinguishes wind and stops spasm, and is toxic. It is not Di Long. Use qualified processed pieces only. Do not collect diseased larvae yourself. Fright-epilepsy with convulsions, and a deviated mouth after stroke, need a clinic first.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Fright-epilepsy with convulsions, and a deviated mouth after stroke — emergencies; seek care
Wind-heat headache, red eyes, sore throat, wind-rash itch
Scrofula and phlegm nodules — this belongs with a practitioner

The usual decoction dose is 5–10 g. Salty, acrid, and neutral, it is not a daily “wind silkworm.” Dispersing when there is no wind and no phlegm consumes qi.

When wind-phlegm blocks the collaterals, or wind-heat attacks upward, convulsions, sore throat, and wind-rash are common. Jiang Can is salty and acrid. It extinguishes, disperses, and transforms phlegm, which is why it appears in Qian Zheng San–type formulas. It moves more than it nourishes. Spasm from insufficient yin-blood, with no wind, gets more depleted if more is added.

Jiang Can is not a catch-all wind or nodule larva. In wind stirred by blood deficiency, or when there is no phlegm and no wind, using it alone can consume qi. Whether it is fried, and whether it belongs in Qian Zheng San, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Jiang Can: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Bombyx Batryticatus

Botanical Origin

The dried body of the larvae of Bombyx mori L that has been killed due to infection (or inoculation) of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill.(Bombycidae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has hard texture, white color, thick strips.

Macroscopic Features

Slightly cylindrical, often curly and wrinkled. Long 2~5cm, diameter 0.5~0.7cm. Externally grayish-yellow, covered with white powdery frost-like aerial mycelium and conidia. Head is relatively round-shaped, with 8 pairs of legs, obvious body joint rings, tail has two slight branches. Hard and brittle texture, easily broken, fractured surface is smooth, outer layer is white, middle has bright brown or black 4 silk gland rings. Slightly fishy odor, slightly salty taste.

3 Sourcing and Quality

Traditionally, the best quality comes from the historic silk-producing regions of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Visual Check: Authentic high-quality Jiang Can is cylindrical, slightly curved, and covered in a white or yellowish-white fungal coating (mycelium). It should feel hard and crisp, breaking with a flat, glossy surface.
Scent and Taste: It has a slightly fishy smell and a mildly salty taste. The stir-baked version will have a more yellowish-brown color and a roasted aroma.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Salty, Acrid; NeutralLiverLungStomach

1. 2 Historical Records

This medicine has been highly valued for thousands of years:

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica): Noted its use for childhood convulsions, night crying, and even improving the complexion by clearing skin blemishes.
Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica): Expanded its uses to include clearing wind-phlegm nodules, headaches, toothaches, skin rashes, and breast milk blockages.
Modern Summary: Today, TCM widely recognizes it for extinguishing wind to stop spasms, relieving pain, and transforming phlegm to scatter nodules.

2. 3 Evolution of TCM Understanding

Throughout history, different doctors highlighted different strengths of Jiang Can:

Emergency Use: Some focused on its ability to stop spasms in childhood emergencies.
Pain Relief: Others praised its wind-clearing effects for treating stubborn headaches and toothaches.
Chronic Blockages: The famous Qing Dynasty doctor Ye Tianshi heavily utilized its combined ability to resolve phlegm and clear wind, effectively "sweeping out" chronic blockages deep within the body's meridian channels.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Dispels wind, calms fright, resolves phlegm, disperses binds. Apply to convulsions and hyperspasmia, throat swelling pain, submaxillary lymphadenitis, facial nerve paralysis, skin itching.

1. 1 First Primary Action: Extinguishing Wind and Stopping Spasms

A core traditional function of Jiang Can (Stiff Silkworm) is to extinguish internal "Wind" to relieve spasms and tremors.

Common Symptoms: It is frequently used for childhood convulsions and spasms, as well as adult limb tremors, muscle twitches, and dizziness caused by internal Liver wind.
Common Pairings: To enhance the spasm-stopping effect, it is often paired with herbs like Tian Ma (Gastrodia Rhizome) and Gou Teng (Uncaria Vine). For pediatric emergencies, it might be combined with calming agents under strict professional guidance.
Caution: If your spasms or numbness are caused by a deficiency of Qi and Blood (rather than internal Wind), you should not use this herb on your own. Pregnant women should also avoid self-prescribing it.

2. 2 Second Primary Action: Expelling Wind and Relieving Pain

Another major function is clearing surface-level wind-heat or wind-cold pathogens to relieve pain caused by blocked meridians.

Common Symptoms: It is used for headaches and sore throats caused by wind-heat colds, as well as migraines or toothaches linked to wind pathogens invading the meridians. These conditions are often accompanied by a fever or an aversion to drafts.
Common Pairings: For wind-heat headaches, it is commonly paired with Sang Ye (Mulberry Leaf) and Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum Flower). For toothaches, it might be matched with Fang Feng (Saposhnikovia Root) depending on whether the condition is hot or cold.
Caution: Do not use it if your pain stems from deep internal coldness in the organs. People with a cold and weak digestive system (prone to frequent diarrhea) should use it with extreme caution.

3. 3 Common Single Herb Pairing: The Herb Pair

A classic combination is Jiang Can (Stiff Silkworm) paired with Quan Xie (Scorpion).

Synergy: Both herbs stop spasms. However, Jiang Can specializes in resolving wind-phlegm, while Quan Xie is stronger at unblocking meridians and dissipating nodules. Together, they create a powerful synergy to relieve severe limb spasms and stubborn headaches caused by blocked meridians.
Note: This is a potent combination that requires professional TCM diagnosis and should never be mixed at home.

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. 1 Key Chemical Components

Modern science shows that Jiang Can (Stiff Silkworm) contains proteins, fatty acids, amino acids, beauvericin, and ammonium oxalate. In laboratory settings, its protein extracts have shown potential anti-inflammatory properties and a calming effect on spasms in animal models.

2. 2 Modern Pharmacological Directions

Current research primarily focuses on its potential to:

Reduce inflammation.
Provide pain relief.
Regulate the immune system.

3. 3 Limitations of Modern Research

While these lab findings are interesting, they do not directly equal human clinical results.

Animal and test-tube environments are vastly different from the complex human body.
Lab extracts are highly concentrated and behave differently than traditionally brewed herbal teas.
Therefore, modern lab data serves as a helpful reference, but the holistic TCM framework remains the primary guide for its safe and effective clinical use.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. 2 Similarities with Comparable Herbs

When comparing Jiang Can (Stiff Silkworm) with Quan Xie (Scorpion), both excel at extinguishing wind and stopping spasms. Both are traditionally used for wind pathogens blocking the meridians (like tremors or headaches), and both require careful dosage control, especially for pregnant women.

2. 3 Core Differences

Nature and Toxicity: Jiang Can is neutral, gentle, and non-toxic. Quan Xie is also neutral but is toxic and has a much more aggressive, potent nature.
Primary Focus: Jiang Can gently resolves wind-phlegm and scatters nodules, making it great for sore throats, skin rashes, and swollen glands. Quan Xie aggressively unblocks meridians and attacks toxins, making it better for stubborn, severe pain and toxic sores.
Qi Regulation: Jiang Can both disperses outward and descends downward. Quan Xie strictly descends to forcefully clear out meridian blockages.
Target Symptoms: Jiang Can is for mild-to-moderate wind-phlegm issues (light headaches, itchy skin). Quan Xie is reserved for severe meridian stasis (stubborn migraines, severe convulsions).
Contraindications: While Jiang Can is safe for most people, the toxic nature of Quan Xie makes it strictly forbidden for pregnant women and those with liver/kidney issues.

3. 4 One-Sentence Summary

Jiang Can (Stiff Silkworm) is a gentle, balanced herb for clearing wind-phlegm and mild pain, while Quan Xie (Scorpion) is a potent, toxic herb reserved for severe pain and deep meridian blockages.

Classical Formulas Containing Jiang Can

Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin

普濟消毒飲

Formula CategoryHeat-Clearing FormulasPrimary PatternWind-HeatPrimary FunctionClear heat, resolve toxin, disperse wind-heat from the head and faceRelated ConditionsSore Throat·Fever·Headache

View Formula Profile Read Complete Guide

Wu Yao Shun Qi San

烏藥順氣散

Formula CategoryQi-Regulating FormulasPrimary PatternQi StagnationPrimary FunctionMove qi, dispel wind, stop painRelated ConditionsHeadache·Chest Tightness·Muscular Stiffness·Neck Pain

View Formula Profile Read Complete Guide

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. 1 Home Tea or Dietary Application

Stiff Silkworm and Mint Throat Tea:
- Ingredients: 3g Chao Jiang Can (Stir-baked Stiff Silkworm), 2g mint, 2g Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum Flower), 2g Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle Flower).
- Method: Rinse all ingredients, place them in a cup, and brew with boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes before drinking.
- Best For: Early stages of a wind-heat cold featuring a sore throat and mild headache.
- Limits: Drink 1 to 2 times a week. Do not use continuously. Not suitable for pregnant women or those with a weak, cold digestive system.

2. 2 Preparation Differences

Raw vs. Stir-Baked: Sheng Jiang Can (Raw) is stronger for clinical wind-phlegm conditions. Chao Jiang Can (Stir-baked) is milder, less irritating, and much better suited for daily wellness and teas.
Brewing: It does not require special pre-boiling. For clinical decoctions, boil it together with other herbs. For dietary tea, simply steeping it in boiling water is sufficient.

3. 3 Dosage and Usage Cycle

Dosage: Standard clinical prescriptions range from 3 to 10 grams. For home dietary use, keep it much lower, around 2 to 5 grams.
Usage Cycle: Do not use it continuously. If drinking the throat tea, stop after 3 days. If symptoms persist, consult a doctor. Vulnerable groups must consult a professional before any use.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. 1 Not Suitable For

Cold-Deficiency Types: Individuals who are constantly cold, have a weak stomach, or suffer from chronic loose stools should avoid this, as it may worsen internal coldness.
Pregnancy and Nursing: There is not enough safety data to guarantee it is harmless to fetuses or infants; strictly avoid use.
Allergies: Do not use if you are allergic to silkworms, insects, or fungal products.
Organ Health: People with compromised liver or kidney function should use it with extreme caution to avoid adding metabolic stress.

2. 2 Drug Interactions and Dietary Notes

Medications: It may interact with blood thinners, blood pressure medications, or blood sugar drugs. Always consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are on prescription medications.
Timing: To avoid absorption issues, separate the intake of this herb and Western medications by 1 to 2 hours.

3. 3 Adverse Reactions and Risks

Side Effects: Overuse can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. A small number of people may experience allergic rashes or itching.
When to Stop: Stop immediately and seek medical help if you experience severe allergic reactions, continuous vomiting, breathing difficulties, confusion, or a rapid worsening of symptoms. Do not attempt to manage severe reactions at home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jiang Can

What is Jiang Can? Are Chan Tui, Quan Xie and Di Long the same?

Official Jiang Can (僵蚕) is the dried body of a 4th- to 5th-instar larva of Bombyx mori killed by infection or inoculation with Beauveria bassiana. The pharmacopoeial name is Bombyx Batryticatus. Chan Tui is sweet-cold: disperses wind-heat, benefits the throat, vents rash, brightens the eyes, abates nebula and extinguishes wind to stop spasm. Quan Xie is acrid-neutral and toxic: extinguishes wind, settles spasm, attacks toxin, dissipates nodes and frees the network vessels to stop pain. Di Long is salty-cold: clears heat, settles fright, frees the network vessels, calms wheezing and promotes urination. Write Jiang Can. Use caution in yin-vacuity fire.

What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Jiang Can?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Jiang Can is salty, acrid and neutral, enters the Liver, Lung and Stomach channels, and acts to extinguish wind, stop spasm, dispel wind, stop pain, transform phlegm and dissipate nodes. It is used for Liver wind with phlegm, fright epilepsy and convulsions, acute infantile fright, tetanus, deviated mouth in wind-stroke, wind-heat headache, red eyes and sore throat, wind rash with itching, and mumps. Salty-acrid and wind-extinguishing, it suits wind-phlegm convulsions and sore throat with scrofula—not yin-vacuity fire without wind-phlegm.

How do you choose raw versus bran-fried Jiang Can? Can Chan Tui replace it?

Raw material disperses more strongly—fright epilepsy, convulsions and itching wind rash. Bran-frying until the surface is yellow is better at transforming phlegm and dissipating nodes, and reduces the fishy odor—swollen sore throat and phlegm nodes. Cicada slough vents rash and benefits the throat; it cannot replace transforming phlegm and dissipating nodes by equal weight. Market silkworm pupae are not stiff silkworm.

What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a wind-extinguishing tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 5–10 g. It is not a four-season “stiff-silkworm wind tea.” Without wind-phlegm it only injures yin. Convulsions and deviated mouth need a practitioner to name a short course; it does not replace neurologic and tetanus assessment.

What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?

Use caution in yin-vacuity fire and when there is no wind-phlegm. Do not self-medicate in pregnancy. A few people develop rash, dry mouth or nausea, which often settle after stopping. Persistent convulsions, locked jaw and difficulty breathing are emergencies.

Can Jiang Can extinguish wind, stop spasm, dispel wind, stop pain, transform phlegm and dissipate nodes?

It can help Liver wind with phlegm and wind-phlegm deviation of the mouth. Wind-stroke with deviated mouth and eyes joins typhonium and scorpion in Qian Zheng San. Wind-heat headache and mumps may join cicada slough and burdock fruit after pattern differentiation. It extinguishes wind, stops spasm, dispels wind, stops pain, transforms phlegm and dissipates nodes—not a specific for every facial palsy or every epilepsy.

Can Jiang Can be drunk daily as a spasm, pain or node tea?

Wind-phlegm convulsions, sore throat and scrofula may enter a short formula; yin vacuity only dries further as it disperses. “Stiff silkworm must treat facial palsy” does not replace neurologic assessment. Extinguishing wind, stopping spasm, transforming phlegm and dissipating nodes should name 5–10 g, raw or bran-fried.

How do you choose among Jiang Can, Chan Tui, Quan Xie, Di Long and Tian Ma?

Stiff silkworm is salty-acrid and neutral: extinguishes wind, stops spasm, dispels wind, stops pain, transforms phlegm and dissipates nodes—wind-phlegm convulsions and sore throat with scrofula. Cicada slough is sweet-cold: disperses wind-heat, vents rash, brightens the eyes, abates nebula and extinguishes wind. Scorpion is acrid-neutral and toxic: extinguishes wind, settles spasm and frees the network vessels to stop pain—heavier convulsions, stricter dose. Earthworm is salty-cold: clears heat, settles fright, frees the network vessels and calms wheezing. Gastrodia is sweet-neutral: extinguishes wind, stops spasm, calms Liver yang and dispels wind to free the network vessels—headache and dizziness. Deviated mouth favors Jiang Can with Quan Xie (Qian Zheng San); wind-heat rash favors Chan Tui; severe convulsions favor Quan Xie with dose control; heat fright with wheezing favors Di Long; Liver-yang headache favors Tian Ma. They may be paired; yin-vacuity fire forbids large Jiang Can and Quan Xie.

Which herbs is Jiang Can combined with? What are the representative formulas?

Wind-stroke with deviated mouth and eyes joins typhonium and scorpion in Qian Zheng San. Acute infantile fright may join scorpion and uncaria after pattern differentiation. Write Jiang Can 5–10 g, raw or bran-fried.

How do you choose and store Jiang Can?

Choose cylindrical, often curved bodies, gray-white and powdery, a brown-black lustrous cut face and a faint fishy odor. Moldy, moth-eaten, powderless or hollow lots are discarded. Store dry against moths. Buy pharmacopoeial Jiang Can; do not replace extinguishing wind, stopping spasm, dispelling wind, stopping pain, transforming phlegm and dissipating nodes with cicada slough or silkworm pupae by equal weight.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.