Qi Cao (Coleopteran Insect Larvae)

Chinese Herb Actions

Chinese Herb Dosage

• What is the typical dosage of Qi Cao?

  Roughly 3–5 g in decoction, powder, or pill — consistent across multiple materia medica references. Because it is toxic and strongly stasis-breaking, Qi Cao is traditionally used in small, measured amounts, most classically as one of several insect medicinals combined into a multi-ingredient pill formula (e.g. Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan) rather than taken alone in a large decoction dose. Classical sources also record external use — crushed fresh and applied to sores, or its juice used topically — a historical practice, not current guidance.

  Source: multiple online sources materia medica reference; corroborating Chinese-language pharmacognosy sources. Reference only — not a prescription.

Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions

• Are there cautions for Qi Cao?

  Qi Cao is a toxic, strongly blood-breaking insect medicinal traditionally used only in small measured amounts under a qualified practitioner’s guidance. Classical and modern materia medica sources are consistent on two contraindications.

  • Pregnancy — contraindicated; the Bencao Gangmu lists Qi Cao among the insect/animal blood-breaking substances traditionally avoided in pregnancy.
  • Weak/deficient constitution — unsuitable for weak patients, given its strong stasis-breaking action.

  Source: Li Shizhen, Bencao Gangmu; materia medica references cross-referenced against multiple online sources. Reference note, not a prescription.

Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose

• Classified as toxic in classical materia medica. The Bencao Gangmu records Qi Cao’s nature as “salty, slightly warm, toxic” (咸、微温、有毒); some modern secondary English references render this as “slightly toxic,” which reflects overlapping classical toxicity categories rather than a real disagreement about safety. In practice it is used only in small doses (~3–5 g), typically combined into multi-ingredient pill formulas rather than taken alone, and only under professional supervision.

  Note: Sources vary between labeling Qi Cao plainly “toxic” (classical Chinese) versus “slightly toxic” (some English secondary references); both agree it is not a low-risk substance and dosage/professional oversight apply regardless.

  Source: Li Shizhen, Bencao Gangmu; materia medica references cross-referenced against multiple online sources. Reference note, not a safety guarantee.

• This herb is considered slightly toxic.
  (while some Chinese herbs are toxic, it must be noted that many come prepared, or are combined, to mitigate their toxicity)

Herb-Drug Interactions

• No well-established clinical herb–drug interactions are documented for Qi Cao. Preclinical research on Holotrichia diomphalia larvae extract found dose-dependent anticoagulant and antiplatelet activity, with degradation of fibrinogen and fibrin in vitro and in animal thrombosis models (see research below). Given this mechanism, practitioner awareness is reasonable for patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication — this is precautionary based on preclinical pharmacology, not a demonstrated clinical interaction. (Flagged for practitioner confirmation.)

Western / Biomedical Research

Chinese Herb Clinical Studies & Research

Provided as research context — a summary of published biomedical study, not a therapeutic or medical claim.

• Is there modern research on Qi Cao (Holotrichia diomphalia)?

  Yes — several preclinical (animal/lab) studies on Holotrichia diomphalia larvae extract support aspects of its traditional blood-invigorating and detoxifying uses; no human clinical trials were identified.

  • Anticoagulant / antifibrinolytic (preclinical) — a crude larval extract inhibited blood coagulation and platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner and degraded fibrinogen and fibrin in vitro and in a mouse thrombosis model, offering a pharmacological rationale for the traditional blood-invigorating, stasis-breaking use. Laboratory/animal evidence only.
  • Hepatoprotective / antifibrotic (preclinical) — in rats, the extract reduced serum ALT/AST after carbon-tetrachloride- and galactosamine-induced acute liver injury, and reduced hydroxyproline (a fibrosis marker) with improved liver histology over four weeks in an induced-cirrhosis model — consistent with its separate history of use in Korean folk medicine for liver cirrhosis. Animal evidence only.
  • Anti-asthmatic (preclinical) — in an ovalbumin-induced allergic-asthma mouse model, an ethanol extract reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophil infiltration, and Th2 cytokine/IgE levels via inhibition of the GATA-3/Th2 signaling pathway. Animal evidence only.
  • Composition — compositional analysis of larvae from different growing regions found substantial protein content (roughly 33–44%) and seventeen amino acids, providing a chemical basis for the bioactivity studies above but not itself evidence of clinical efficacy.

  All evidence to date is preclinical (cell, animal, or compositional); no human clinical trials were found. Treat as supportive research context, not a therapeutic claim.

  Sources: PMID 26578186, DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2015.11.015 (anticoagulant activity, J Ethnopharmacol 2016); PMID 12860304, DOI 10.1016/s0378-8741(03)00140-5 (liver fibrosis/hepatotoxicity, J Ethnopharmacol 2003); PMID 30823378, PMC 6429524, DOI 10.3390/molecules24050852 (anti-asthmatic effects, Molecules 2019); PMID 21355187 (protein/amino acid composition, Zhong Yao Cai 2010). Research context, not a therapeutic claim.

Chinese Herb Notes

• What formula is Qi Cao best known for?

  Qi Cao is a supporting ingredient in Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan (Rhubarb & Zhe Chong Pill), a classical blood-stasis formula from the Jin Gui Yao Lue. The formula combines Da Huang and Tu Bie Chong (Zhe Chong) as principal stasis-breakers with Shui Zhi (leech), Meng Chong (gadfly), Qi Cao, and Gan Qi (dried lacquer) as penetrating insect/resin medicinals, plus Tao Ren, Xing Ren, Huang Qin, Di Huang, Bai Shao, and Gan Cao — for chronic blood-stasis presentations such as abdominal masses, amenorrhea, and marked emaciation. (Traditional formula context, not treatment advice.)

  Source: this site’s own formula link (Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan); formula reference cross-referenced against multiple online sources.

This herb is considered toxic