Di Long (Earthworm) - Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese Name: Di Long
English Name: Earthworm

Clinical Usage and Indications

  • Drains liver heat, stops spasms an convulsions - high fever with convulsions and seizures.
  • Clears lung heat - wheezing.
  • Clears heat in the channels and promotes movement - swollen, painful joints with limited range of motion, sequelae of wind-stroke.
  • Clears heat and promotes urination - hot painful urinary dysfunction, edema.
  • Hypertension associated with liver yang rising.

Functional Groups (Click for Summary/Study Notes)

Dosage and Preparation Notes

  • Dosage: 4.5-12g

Channels/Meridians Influenced

Associated Temperature and Taste

Cautions and Contraindications

There are currently no contraindications listed.

Staff Clinician Notes

There are no additional notes for this herb.

Herbal Formulas Which Include This Herb

Below you will find Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulas which contain this particular herb (in alphabetical order). You may click on the name of the formula for more details or click on any of the products from our store to read usage information or purchase a particular formula.

Comments

Frannas85's picture
Submitted by Frannas85 on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 4:51am.

Seriously? Can I go dig up

Seriously?

Can I go dig up some earthworms in my garden, eat them and it will work or do i need to buy some special

preparation?

Chad Dupuis's picture
Submitted by Chad Dupuis on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 7:49am.

One of the main differences

One of the main differences and ultimately the strongest aspect of Chinese Medicine is the use of formulas.  As opposed to way many western western herbs (Chamomile, Lavender, etc.) are used, Chinese Herbs are rarely used individually.  The theory behind creating formulas is vast, but in essence the formulas that have been developed over time help to strengthen the main actions of the herbs, eliminate side effects, and increase the efficacy.  So the herbs here are most often used in carefully created formulas that are, except for many standard formulas, created just for the individual.  This allows for tailoring of the contents to increase the efficacy of the herbs.

If you look, for example, at the formula Jin Gu Die Da Wan (for tendon and joint injuries), you will see the list of ingredients that make the formula.  If you click on each of the ingredients you can get an idea of how they work together (even as a layperson).  Some are actually for the joints, some eliminate any side effects of the strongest herbs in the formula, some balance underlying causes of the condition, etc.

To answer your question specifically, yes, you can eat earthworms and many people do around the world.  They are high in protein and if you soak them first relatively safe.  I'm not entirely sure they will have the exact same medicinal effect, but I imagine there are aspects that would be similar.  The herbs listed within the database, however, are generally dried, ground into powders, combined into formulas and drank as a tea or filled into capsules to ease administration.