This product is the dried whole body of the leech species Whitmania pigra Whitman, Hirudo nipponica Whitman, or Whitmania acranulata Whitman. They are captured during the summer and autumn seasons, killed by boiling water, and then dried in the sun or dried at low temperatures.
NMM ID | nmm-00li |
Systematic Name | Hirudo nipponia vel Whitmania acranulata vel pigra Body |
Systematic Chinese Name | 日本医蛭或尖细金线蛭或宽体金线蛭全体（rì běn yī zhì huò jiān xì jīn xiàn zhì huò kuān tǐ jīn xiàn zhì quán tǐ） |
Generic Name | Shui-zhi |
Generic Chinese Name | 水蛭（shuǐ zhì） |
NMM Type | animal |
Species Origins | Hirudo nipponia | 日本医蛭orWhitmania acranulata | 尖细金线蛭orWhitmania pigra | 宽体金线蛭 |
Medicinal Parts | body | 全体 |
Special Descriptions | |
Processing Methods | |
Systematic Name Explanation | This product is the dried whole body of the leech species Whitmania pigra Whitman, Hirudo nipponica Whitman, or Whitmania acranulata Whitman. They are captured during the summer and autumn seasons, killed by boiling water, and then dried in the sun or dried at low temperatures. |
Generic Name Explanation | NMMGN follows the Chinese name of the relevant Chinese medicinal materials in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia: 2020 edition: Volume I. |
Parent NMM | |
Child NMMs | |
Creators | |
Reviewers |
水蛭
English text reference: Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition)
Overview
Leech is the dried whole body of Whitmania pigra Whitman, Hirudo nipponica Whitman, or Whitmania acranulata Whitman (Fam. Hirudinidae). It is collected in summer and autumn, killed by boiling water, and dried in the sun or at low temperature.
Description
Whitmania pigra Whitman
It is flat and spindle-shaped, with numerous segments, 4-10 cm long and 0.5-2 cm wide. The dorsal surface is dark brown or blackish-brown, slightly raised, and when soaked in water, black spots arranged in 5 longitudinal stripes can be seen. The ventral surface is flat and brownish-yellow. The sides are brownish-yellow, the anterior end is slightly pointed, and the posterior end is blunt and round. There is a sucker at each end, with the anterior sucker being inconspicuous and the posterior sucker being larger. The texture is brittle, easily broken, and the fracture surface is gelatinous. It has a slight fishy odor.
Hirudo nipponica Whitman
It is flat and elongated, with a twisted and curved body, 2-5 cm long and 0.2-0.3 cm wide.
Whitmania acranulata Whitman
It is narrow and flat, 5-12 cm long and 0.1-0.5 cm wide.
Identification
To 1 g of the powder add 5 ml of ethanol, treat with ultrasound for 15 minutes, filter, and take the filtrate as the test solution. Take 1 g of the reference drug Hirudo nipponica and prepare the reference drug solution in the same manner. Carry out the method for thin layer chromatography<0502>, using silica gel G as the coating substance and a mixture of cyclohexane and ethyl acetate (4:1) as the mobile phase. Apply separately to the plate 5 μl of each of the above two solutions. After developing and removal of the plate, dry in air. Spray with a 10% solution of sulfuric acid in ethanol, heat at 105°C to the spots clear. The purple-red spot in the chromatogram obtained with the test solution corresponds in position to the spot in the chromatogram obtained with the reference drug solution; under ultraviolet light at 365 nm, the same orange-red fluorescent spot is observed.
Examination
Water
Not more than 18.0 per cent <0832,method 2>.
Total ash
Not more than 8.0 per cent <2302>.
Acid-insoluble ash
Not more than 2.0 per cent <2302>.
pH value
Take about 1 g of the powder (passed through a No. 3 sieve) of the sample, add 10 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, stir well, macerate for 30 minutes with occasional shaking, centrifuge, take the supernatant, and determine the pH value according to the method for pH determination <0631>. It should be 5.0-7.5.
Heavy metals and harmful elements
Determine according to the method for determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and copper <2321> by atomic absorption spectrophotometry or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The lead content should not exceed 10 mg/kg, the cadmium content should not exceed 1 mg/kg, the arsenic content should not exceed 5 mg/kg, and the mercury content should not exceed 1 mg/kg.
Aflatoxins
Determine according to the method for determination of mycotoxins <2351>.
The content of aflatoxin B1 in the sample should not exceed 5 μg per 1000g , and the total content of aflatoxin G2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin B2, and aflatoxin B1 should not exceed 10 μg.
Assay
Take about 1 g of the powder (passed through a No. 3 sieve) of the sample, accurately weigh, accurately add 5 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, stir well, macerate for 30 minutes with occasional shaking, centrifuge, accurately take 100 μl of the supernatant, place it in a test tube (8 mm×38 mm), add 200 μl of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride buffer solution containing 0.5% (bovine) fibrinogen (calculated as solid) <Note 1> (prepared for immediate use), shake well, place it in a water bath at (37℃±0.5℃) for 5 minutes, and add 1 ml of thrombin solution containing 40 units per ml <Note 2> (add 5 μl every 1 minute, gently shake while adding) until coagulation (leech) or add 1ml of thrombin solution containing 10 units per ml <Note 2> (add 2 μl every 4 minutes, gently shake while adding) until coagulation (leech or medicinal leech). Record the volume of consumed thrombin solution and calculate according to the following formula:
U is the content of thrombin activity units per 1 g, U/g;
C1 is the concentration of thrombin solution, μ/ml;
C2 is the concentration of the sample solution, g/ml;
V1 is the volume of consumed thrombin solution, μl;
V2 is the volume of the sample solution added, μl.
The amount of thrombin that neutralizes one unit is one unit of antithrombin activity.
The content of antithrombin activity in the sample should not be less than 16.0 U per 1 g for leeches and not less than 3.0U for medicinal leeches.
Prepared slices
Leech
Processing
Clean the leeches, cut into sections, and dry.
Appearance
The sample is irregular in shape, flat or flat cylindrical. The dorsal surface is blackish-brown and slightly raised, and the ventral surface is brownish-brown with fine transverse annular lines. The cut surface is grayish-white to brownish-yellow and gelatinous. The texture is brittle and the odor is slightly fishy.
Blanched leech
Processing
Take clean leech sections, blanch them with talcum powder according to the method for blanching <0213> until slightly swollen.
Appearance
The sample is irregular in shape, flat or flat cylindrical, slightly swollen, with blackish-brown on the dorsal surface and brownish-yellow to brownish-brown on the ventral surface, with a small amount of white talcum powder attached. The cut surface is spongy, grayish-white to dark yellow. The odor is slightly fishy.
Examination
Water
Not more than 14.0 per cent, same as the crude drug.
Total ash
Not more than 10.0 per cent, same as the crude drug.
Acid-insoluble ash
Not more than 3.0 per cent, same as the crude drug.
pH value
Same as the crude drug.
Heavy metals and harmful elements
Same as the crude drug.
Aflatoxins
Same as the crude drug.
Identification
Same as the crude drug.
Property
Neutral.
Toxicity
Slightly toxic.
Flavor
Salty，bitter.
Meridian tropism
Meridian tropism: Liver meridian.
Actions
To promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, resolve masses and dissipate nodules.
Indications
Used for blood stasis causing amenorrhea, masses and lumps, stroke with hemiplegia, and traumatic injuries.
Dosage
1-3 g.
Administration
None.
Precautions
Not to be used during pregnancy.
Storage
Store in a dry place, protected from moth.
Note 1: Preparation of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride buffer solution: Take 25ml of 0.2 mol/L tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane solution and about 40 ml of 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution, add water to 100ml, and adjust the pH value to 7.4.
Note 2: Preparation of thrombin solution: Take an appropriate amount of thrombin reagent and prepare a solution containing 40 units or 10 units of thrombin per 1 ml with physiological saline (prepared for immediate use).
水蛭
Text reference: Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 Edition)
Overview
Leech is the dried body of Whitmania pigra Whitman, Hirudo nipponica Whitman or Whitmania acranulata Whitman (Fam. Hirudinidae). The drug is collected in summer or autumn, scalded to death with boiling water, dried in the sun or at a low temperature.
Description
呈扁平纺锤形，有多数环节，长4～10cm，宽0.5～2cm。背部黑褐色或黑棕色，稍隆起，用水浸后，可见黑色斑点排成5条纵纹；腹面平坦，棕黄色。两侧棕黄色，前端略尖，后端钝圆，两端各具1吸盘，前吸盘不显著，后吸盘较大。质脆，易折断，断面胶质状。气微腥。
扁长圆柱形，体多弯曲扭转，长2～5cm，宽0.2～0.3cm。
狭长而扁，长5～12cm，宽0.1～0.5cm。
Identification
To 1 g of the powder add 5 ml of ethanol, ultrasonicate for 15 minutes, filter and use the filtrate as the test solution. Prepare a solution of 1 g of Hirudo reference drug in the same manner as the reference drug solution. Carry out the method for thin layer chromatography<0502>, using silica gel G as the coating substance and a mixture of cyclohexane and acetyl acetate (4:1) as the mobile phase. Apply separately 5 μl of the above two solutions to the plate. After developing and removal of the plate, dry in air. Spray with a 10% solution of sulfuric acid in ethanol and heat at 105℃ to spots clear. The purplish-red spots in the chromatogram obtained with the test solution correspond in position and colour to the spots in the chromatogram obtained with the reference drug solution. Examine under ultraviolet light at 365 nm. The orange-red fluorescent spots in the chromatogram obtained with the test solution correspond in position and colour to the spots in the chromatogram obtained with the reference drug solution.
Examination
Water
Not more than 18.0 per cent <0832, method 2>.
Total ash
Not more than 8.0 per cent <2302>.
Acid-insoluble ash
Not more than 2.0 per cent <2302>.
Acidity
To about 1 g of powder (through No.3 sieve) add 10 ml of a 0.9% solution of sodium chloride, mix well and macerate for 30 minutes by shaking frequently, centrifuge, use the supernatant as the test solution. Carry out the method for determination of pH value<0631>, it should be 5.0 to 7.5.
Heavy metals and harmful elements
Carry out the method for determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and copper<2321, atomic absorption spectrophotometry or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry>, not more than 10 mg/kg of lead, 1 mg/kg of cadmium, 5 mg/kg of arsenic, 1 mg/kg of mercury.
Aflatoxins
本品每1000g含黄曲霉毒素B1不得过5μg，黄曲霉毒素G2、黄曲霉毒素G1、黄曲霉毒素B2和黄曲霉毒素B1的总量不得过10μg。
Assay
U=（C1V1/C2V2）
Prepared slices
Leech
Processing
Wash clean, cut into sections, and dry.
Leech (scalded)
Scald sections of the clean Leech with talc powder as described under the method for scalding<0213> until it becomes slightly expanded.
In irregular flattened pieces or cylinder, slightly expanded, externally brownish-yellow to blackish-brown, with a few white talc. Fracture loose, greyish-white to burned yellow. Odour, slightly stinking.
Examination
Water
Not more than 14.0 per cent, following the method for the crude drug.
Total ash
Not more than 10.0 per cent, following the method for the crude drug.
Acid-insoluble ash
Not more than 3.0 per cent, following the method for the crude drug.
Acidity, Heavy metals and harmful elements, Aflatoxins
As required for the crude drug.
Property and Flavor
Neutral; salty and bitter; slightly toxic. Liver meridian.
Actions and Indications
To break blood, and unblock the meridian, expel stasis, and eliminate mass. Blood stasis amenorrhea, aggregation accumulation masses, glomus, hemiplegia caused by wind-stroke, and traumatic injuries.
Administration and dosage
1-3 g.
Precautions and Warnings
Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Storage
Preserve in a dry place, and protect from moth.
[1] 三羟甲基氨基甲烷盐酸缓冲液的配制 0.2mol/L三羟甲基氨基甲烷溶液25ml与0.1mol/L盐酸溶液约40ml，加水至100ml，调节pH值至7.4。
This product is the dried whole body of the leech species Whitmania pigra Whitman, Hirudo nipponica Whitman, or Whitmania acranulata Whitman. They are captured during the summer and autumn seasons, killed by boiling water, and then dried in the sun or dried at low temperatures.