Ingredient Animal — secretion (动物分泌物 dòng wù fēn mì wù)

Ye Ming Sha

Bat Dung · 夜明砂

Vespertilio superans Thomas · Excrementum Vespertilionis

Also known as: Tian Shu Shi (天鼠屎)

Ye Ming Sha (Bat Dung) plant

Images shown are for educational purposes only

Ye Ming Sha is the dried droppings of insect-eating bats, used in Chinese medicine primarily for eye-related conditions. It clears excess heat from the Liver (which in TCM governs the eyes), helps disperse blood stasis in the eye area, and was classically used for night blindness, visual cloudiness, and childhood digestive problems. Despite its unusual origin, it has a long history of recorded use dating back to the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing.

Category Heat-clearing herbs Herbs that clear Liver Heat and brighten the eyes
Therapeutic focus Eye Health and Vision Children's Digestive Health

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Acrid / Pungent (辛 xīn)

Channels entered

Liver

Parts used

Animal — secretion (动物分泌物 dòng wù fēn mì wù)

Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Ingredient Does

Every ingredient has a specific set of actions — here's what Ye Ming Sha does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Ye Ming Sha is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Eye Health and Vision Children's Digestive Health

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Ye Ming Sha performs to restore balance in the body:

Clears Liver Heat and Brightens the Eyes Invigorates Blood and Dispels Stasis Resolves Accumulation Reduces Childhood Nutritional Impairment

How these actions work

'Clears Liver Heat and brightens the eyes' is the primary action of Ye Ming Sha. In TCM, the Liver 'opens to the eyes,' meaning the health of the eyes is closely tied to the Liver system. When excess heat accumulates in the Liver channel, it can rise upward to the eyes, causing redness, pain, swelling, or impaired vision. Ye Ming Sha is cold in nature and enters the Liver channel, allowing it to cool this heat and restore clarity to the eyes. It is used for conditions such as red and painful eyes, night blindness, corneal cloudiness, and cataracts, particularly when blood stasis is also involved.

'Dissipates Blood stasis' means Ye Ming Sha can help move stagnant blood. Because it is classified as a Liver-channel blood-level herb (肝经血分药), it acts specifically on blood stasis affecting the eyes, such as subconjunctival hemorrhage (bleeding under the white of the eye). Its acrid taste gives it the ability to disperse and move stagnation, while its cold nature clears the associated heat.

'Disperses accumulation' refers to its secondary use for childhood nutritional impairment (known as Gan Ji, 疳积), a condition where poor digestion leads to food stagnation, abdominal distension, and wasting in young children. Ye Ming Sha's dispersing quality helps break down these accumulations. It is also historically used for abdominal masses and for the pain of traumatic injuries where blood stasis is present.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Ye Ming Sha is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Ye Ming Sha addresses this pattern

When Liver Fire blazes upward, it scorches the eyes, causing redness, pain, swelling, and impaired vision. Ye Ming Sha is cold in nature and enters the Liver channel directly, where it clears excess heat from the Liver blood level. Its acrid taste disperses stagnation in the blood vessels of the eyes, while its cold nature quenches the Fire. This dual action of clearing heat and moving blood makes it especially effective when Liver Fire produces both eye inflammation and local blood stasis, as in subconjunctival hemorrhage or acute conjunctivitis.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Red Eyes

Redness and swelling of the eyes due to Liver heat rising

Eye Pain

Eye pain with heat sensation

Blurry Vision

Visual disturbance from Liver Fire disturbing the eyes

Headaches

Headache concentrated around the eyes

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Ye Ming Sha is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Liver Fire Blazing Blood Stagnation

TCM Interpretation

TCM understands night blindness through the principle that 'the Liver opens to the eyes.' The Liver stores blood and governs the nourishment of the eyes. When Liver blood is insufficient to nourish the eyes, or when Liver heat or blood stasis obstructs the flow of nourishment to the eyes, vision deteriorates, particularly in low-light conditions. The classical term for this is 'sparrow blindness' (Que Mu, 雀目), referring to the sparrow's inability to see at night. The condition may involve either deficiency of Liver blood, excess heat in the Liver, or a combination where heat consumes blood and generates stasis.

Why Ye Ming Sha Helps

Ye Ming Sha clears Liver heat and disperses blood stasis within the Liver channel, addressing two of the key pathological factors behind night blindness. Its cold nature cools any excess heat that may be scorching and depleting the eyes' nourishment, while its acrid taste moves stagnant blood, restoring circulation to the eye area. Traditionally, it is combined with animal liver (pig or sheep liver), which strongly nourishes Liver blood. This combination simultaneously clears the obstruction (with Ye Ming Sha) and replenishes the deficiency (with liver), addressing both root and branch of night blindness.

Also commonly used for

Cataract

Used when blood stasis component is present

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

Bleeding under the white of the eye; a key traditional indication

Corneal Opacity

Corneal cloudiness or nebula from internal or external causes

Malnutrition

Gan Ji pattern with food stagnation and emaciation

Scrofula

Historically used for lymph node swellings along the Liver channel

Ingredient Properties

Every ingredient has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Acrid / Pungent (辛 xīn)

Channels Entered

Liver

Parts Used

Animal — secretion (动物分泌物 dòng wù fēn mì wù)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Ye Ming Sha — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

3-10g (decoction, wrapped in cloth); or 1-3g as ground powder taken with water

Maximum dosage

Up to 10g in decoction (wrapped in cloth), or 3g as powder per dose. Do not exceed these ranges.

Dosage notes

For decoction: use 3-10g, always wrapped in cloth (布包) to prevent the fine particles from clouding the liquid. For powder form taken directly with warm water: 1-3g per dose, typically divided into two daily doses. For night blindness and eye conditions, the traditional method involves stuffing powdered Ye Ming Sha into pork or chicken liver and steaming or boiling it, then eating the liver and drinking the broth. Lower doses (3-5g) are used for mild eye symptoms; higher doses (up to 10g) for more severe Blood stasis in the eyes or stubborn childhood nutritional impairment.

Preparation

Must be wrapped in cloth (布包煎服) when decocted to prevent the fine fecal particles and insect fragments from dispersing into the liquid. This is essential, not optional. Alternatively, the raw material can be lightly dry-fried (炒) until slightly charred before grinding into powder for direct ingestion with warm water. For the traditional food therapy preparation, the powder is placed inside a piece of pork liver or chicken liver and steamed or boiled.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same ingredient can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Ye Ming Sha does

Processing method

The raw material is cleaned to remove dirt and debris, then dry-fried (stir-fried without additives) over gentle heat until slightly scorched, then removed and cooled.

How it changes properties

Dry-frying reduces any unpleasant odor and makes the herb more suitable for internal administration as a powder. The thermal nature remains cold but is slightly moderated. The processing also helps sterilize the material and makes it easier to grind into fine powder for direct ingestion.

When to use this form

This is the standard form used clinically. The lightly fried form is preferred for powder preparations taken directly with water, especially for eye conditions like subconjunctival hemorrhage where it is ground fine and taken in small doses.

Common Ingredient Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Ye Ming Sha for enhanced therapeutic effect

Shi Jue Ming
Shi Jue Ming Shi Jue Ming 15-30g : Ye Ming Sha 6-10g

Shi Jue Ming (abalone shell) calms the Liver and subdues rising Yang while clearing Liver heat and brightening the eyes. Combined with Ye Ming Sha, the pair provides strong Liver-heat-clearing action with enhanced eye-brightening effects. Shi Jue Ming works by calming and settling, while Ye Ming Sha disperses blood stasis, together addressing both the heat and stasis components of eye disease.

When to use: Night blindness, corneal cloudiness, or visual obstruction from Liver heat with blood stasis

Gu Jing Cao
Gu Jing Cao 1:1 (equal parts, typically 10g each)

Gu Jing Cao (pipewort flower) expels Wind-Heat and clears the eyes, particularly for superficial visual obstruction and corneal nebula. Paired with Ye Ming Sha, Gu Jing Cao addresses the Wind-Heat component while Ye Ming Sha clears Liver blood-level heat and moves stasis, producing a comprehensive treatment for cloudy vision and corneal opacity.

When to use: Corneal cloudiness, superficial visual obstruction, and childhood eye disorders following measles

Cang Zhu
Cang Zhu 1:1 (typically 10g each)

Cang Zhu (Atractylodes rhizome) dries Dampness and strengthens the Spleen, and historically it is known to brighten the eyes by addressing Spleen-related Dampness that clouds vision. Combined with Ye Ming Sha, the pair treats night blindness from both the Liver channel (heat and stasis) and the Spleen system (dampness and poor nourishment), especially when combined with pig liver in classical recipes.

When to use: Night blindness with digestive weakness, or post-measles corneal softening in children

Huang Lian
Huang Lian Huang Lian 3-6g : Ye Ming Sha 6-10g

Huang Lian (Coptis rhizome) powerfully clears Heat and dries Dampness. Combined with Ye Ming Sha, the pair strongly clears Heat accumulation while Ye Ming Sha moves blood stasis and Huang Lian addresses the digestive-heat component. This pairing was recorded in classical texts for childhood nutritional impairment (Gan Ji) with abdominal distension.

When to use: Childhood nutritional impairment with heat signs, abdominal pain, and digestive stagnation

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature Ye Ming Sha in a prominent role

Bu Dai Wan 布袋丸 Deputy

Bu Dai Wan (Cloth Sack Pill) is the most well-known formula containing Ye Ming Sha, used for childhood nutritional impairment (Gan Ji) with intestinal parasites. Here, Ye Ming Sha serves to clear accumulated heat and disperse food stagnation, showcasing its secondary action of reducing childhood digestive problems alongside parasite-expelling herbs like Shi Jun Zi and Wu Yi.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Jue Ming Zi
Ye Ming Sha vs Jue Ming Zi

Both clear Liver heat and brighten the eyes, but Jue Ming Zi (Cassia seed) also moistens the intestines and is better suited for patients with constipation alongside eye problems. Ye Ming Sha specifically moves blood stasis in the eyes, making it the better choice when subconjunctival hemorrhage, corneal opacity with blood stasis, or visual obstruction from stagnation is present. Jue Ming Zi is mild enough for daily use as a health tea, while Ye Ming Sha is used in medicinal contexts only.

Gu Jing Cao
Ye Ming Sha vs Gu Jing Cao

Both treat eye disorders and corneal cloudiness, but Gu Jing Cao (Pipewort flower) primarily expels Wind-Heat from the Liver channel and is better for acute eye redness with Wind symptoms. Ye Ming Sha works more at the blood level, dispersing blood stasis and clearing deeper Liver heat. Gu Jing Cao is preferred for superficial Wind-Heat eye disease; Ye Ming Sha is preferred when blood stasis is the dominant factor.

Mi Meng Hua
Ye Ming Sha vs Mi Meng Hua

Both target eye conditions through the Liver channel. Mi Meng Hua (Buddleia flower bud) is cool and sweet, nourishing the Liver while clearing heat and resolving nebula. It is gentler and more suited for chronic eye conditions with underlying Liver blood deficiency. Ye Ming Sha is more dispersing and blood-moving, better for acute conditions or when blood stasis is prominent.

Identity & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Ye Ming Sha

Ye Ming Sha can be adulterated with or confused with droppings from non-insectivorous bats or other small animals (such as mice or rats). Authentic Ye Ming Sha from insectivorous bats is distinguished by the visible presence of shiny insect body fragments (heads, compound eyes, wing pieces) under magnification. Feces from fruit-eating bats lack these insect fragments and contain plant fiber instead, making them medicinally distinct. Mouse droppings are typically darker, more uniform in texture, and lack insect inclusions. Wang Yue Sha (望月砂, rabbit feces) is a different medicinal substance that is sometimes confused with Ye Ming Sha but has different properties and applications.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any ingredient.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Ye Ming Sha

Non-toxic

Ye Ming Sha is classified as non-toxic in classical texts including the Ming Yi Bie Lu. However, as a fecal product, it poses potential hygiene concerns. Bat feces may harbor pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, or heavy metals. Modern analysis using ICP-MS has found that heavy metal content in bat feces can be relatively high, while vitamin content is low. Proper processing (cleaning to remove soil and impurities, followed by drying and sometimes light dry-frying) is essential to minimize contamination risks. The substance should be wrapped in cloth (布包) when decocted to prevent dispersal of fine particulate matter in the decoction.

Contraindications

Situations where Ye Ming Sha should not be used or requires extra caution

Avoid

Pregnancy. Ye Ming Sha has blood-moving (activating) properties that may disturb the fetus. Classical texts including De Pei Ben Cao (得配本草) explicitly state that postpartum women should not use it, and the same caution extends to pregnancy.

Caution

Eye conditions without Blood stasis or Heat. When eye problems are due to deficiency alone rather than Liver Heat or Blood stagnation, Ye Ming Sha is not appropriate and may further deplete the body.

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency Cold. The cold nature of Ye Ming Sha can aggravate digestive weakness in those with pre-existing Spleen Yang deficiency.

Caution

Concurrent use with Bai Lian (白蔹, Ampelopsis root) or Bai Wei (白薇, Cynanchum root). Classical texts state Ye Ming Sha is incompatible with these herbs (恶白蔹、白薇).

Classical Incompatibilities

Traditional Chinese pharmacological incompatibilities — herbs or substances to avoid combining with Ye Ming Sha

Ye Ming Sha does not appear on the Eighteen Incompatibilities (十八反) or Nineteen Mutual Fears (十九畏) lists. However, the Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (《本草经集注》) by Tao Hongjing states that it is "averse to" (恶) Bai Lian (白蔹, Ampelopsis japonica root) and Bai Wei (白薇, Cynanchum atratum root). These should not be combined with Ye Ming Sha.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Contraindicated. Ye Ming Sha has blood-invigorating and stasis-dispersing properties that pose a risk of disturbing the fetus or promoting uterine activity. The classical text De Pei Ben Cao (得配本草) explicitly states that postpartum women should not use it (产妇禁用), and the same principle extends to pregnancy. Its cold nature may also be detrimental to the developing fetus. Pregnant women should avoid this substance entirely.

Breastfeeding

No specific classical prohibitions exist for breastfeeding, but caution is advised. As an animal fecal product, Ye Ming Sha may contain microbiological contaminants or heavy metals that could theoretically transfer through breast milk. Its cold nature could also potentially affect the mother's digestive function during the postpartum period when warmth is traditionally emphasized. Use only under qualified practitioner guidance during breastfeeding.

Children

Ye Ming Sha has a traditional history of use in children, particularly for childhood nutritional impairment (疳积, gan ji), a pattern involving abdominal distension, poor appetite, and emaciation due to food stagnation. For children, dosage should be reduced proportionally based on age and body weight, typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose. Given hygiene concerns with this fecal product, it should only be used for children under careful practitioner supervision. Prepared formulas (such as combined with pig or chicken liver in traditional food therapy preparations) are traditionally preferred over raw decoction for pediatric use.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Ye Ming Sha

No well-documented pharmacological drug interactions have been established for Ye Ming Sha in modern clinical research. However, based on its known chemical constituents and traditional actions, the following theoretical considerations apply:

  • Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications: Because Ye Ming Sha has blood-invigorating and stasis-dispersing properties, concurrent use with blood-thinning drugs (such as warfarin, heparin, aspirin, or clopidogrel) may theoretically increase the risk of bleeding. Caution is advised.
  • Heavy metal content: Modern analysis has shown that bat feces can contain relatively high levels of heavy metals. Patients on medications sensitive to heavy metal interactions or those with impaired kidney or liver function should exercise extra caution.

Due to limited formal pharmacological study, patients taking any prescription medications should consult their healthcare provider before using Ye Ming Sha.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Ye Ming Sha

When taking Ye Ming Sha for eye conditions related to Liver Heat, avoid spicy, greasy, and fried foods that may aggravate Heat in the Liver. Alcohol should also be avoided as it generates Heat and rises to the head and eyes. Foods that support the Liver and benefit the eyes are encouraged, including dark leafy greens, goji berries (Gou Qi Zi), chrysanthemum tea, and carrots. When used for childhood nutritional impairment, avoid heavy, difficult-to-digest foods and focus on easily digestible, nourishing meals.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Ye Ming Sha source animal

Ye Ming Sha (夜明砂) is not derived from a plant but is the dried feces of several species of insectivorous bats, primarily from the family Vespertilionidae. The main source species include the Eastern Vesper Bat (Vespertilio superans), the Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus), and the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) of the family Rhinolophidae, among others.

These bats are small flying mammals, typically 4.5 to 8 cm in body length, with dark brown fur and thin, hairless wing membranes stretched between elongated finger bones. They are nocturnal, roosting in caves, tunnels, and abandoned buildings during the day and emerging at dusk to feed on insects such as mosquitoes and beetles. Their droppings accumulate in large deposits on cave floors beneath roosting colonies.

The dried fecal pellets are elongated, slightly pointed at both ends, about 5 to 7 mm long and 2 mm in diameter. Under magnification, fragments of undigested insect parts, including shiny heads, eyes, and wing pieces, can be clearly seen within the pellets.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Ye Ming Sha is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Can be collected year-round, but summer is considered optimal when bat colonies are most active and fecal deposits are freshest and most abundant.

Primary growing regions

Ye Ming Sha is collected from bat caves across much of China. Major producing regions include Zhejiang (Pujiang, Lanxi, Wenling), Jiangxi (Ruichang, Xiushui, Pingxiang), Jiangsu (Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Changzhou), Guangxi (Baise, Guilin, Yishan), Henan (Xinxiang, Jiyuan), Gansu (Tianshui, Wudu), and Liaoning (Fuxin, Zhangwu). Additional supplies come from Yunnan, Sichuan, Anhui, Fujian, Shaanxi, Jilin, Shandong, Hebei, Hunan, Hubei, and Inner Mongolia. There is no single dominant terroir region; quality depends more on the bat species' diet (insectivorous bats yield the medicinally valued product) and the cleanliness of the collection site.

Quality indicators

Good quality Ye Ming Sha consists of intact, elongated pellets about 5-7 mm long and 2 mm in diameter, slightly pointed at both ends. The surface should be slightly rough and brownish-brown to grayish-brown in color. Under a magnifying glass, shiny brown or yellowish-brown fragments of insect heads, eyes, and wing membranes should be clearly visible, confirming it comes from insectivorous bats. The smell should be faint or absent, and the taste slightly bitter and slightly acrid. Avoid material that is excessively sandy, muddy, or mixed with soil and non-fecal debris. Pellets that are crumbly with no visible insect fragments may be adulterated or from non-insectivorous sources.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Ye Ming Sha and its therapeutic uses

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》)

Original: 「主面痈肿，皮肤洗洗时痛，腹中血气，破寒热积聚，除惊悸。」

Translation: "Treats facial abscesses and swelling, intermittent skin pain, Blood and Qi problems in the abdomen, breaks up accumulations of Cold and Heat, and eliminates fright palpitations."

Ming Yi Bie Lu (《名医别录》)

Original: 「去面黑皯。」

Translation: "Removes dark discoloration from the face."

Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》, Li Shizhen)

Original: 「治目盲，障翳，明目，除疟。」「夜明砂……厥阴肝经血分药也，能活血消积。」

Translation: "Treats blindness, visual obstructions, brightens the eyes, and eliminates malaria." "Ye Ming Sha is a medicinal of the Jue Yin Liver channel's Blood level. It can invigorate Blood and disperse accumulations."

Ben Cao Jing Shu (《本草经疏》)

Original: 「夜明砂，今人主明目，治目盲障翳。其味辛寒，乃入足厥阴经药，取其辛能散内外结滞，寒能除血热气壅故也。」

Translation: "Ye Ming Sha is used today mainly to brighten the eyes and treat blindness and visual obstructions. Its acrid, cold nature means it enters the Foot Jue Yin (Liver) channel. Its acridity disperses internal and external stagnation, while its cold nature clears Blood Heat and Qi congestion."

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Ye Ming Sha's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Ye Ming Sha was first recorded under the name Tian Shu Shi (天鼠屎, literally "heavenly rat droppings") in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, China's oldest surviving materia medica. In that early text, its indications focused on facial swellings, abdominal masses, and fright palpitations, with no mention of its later fame as an eye remedy.

The name "Ye Ming Sha" (夜明砂, "night-brightening sand") first appeared during the Song dynasty in the Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (日华子本草). This poetic renaming reflects the growing association between the substance and the treatment of night blindness. The logic followed a classical reasoning pattern sometimes called "doctrine of signatures": because bats navigate in darkness, their droppings were thought to have special power to restore night vision. Modern science has shown that bats actually navigate using echolocation rather than eyesight, but the clinical tradition persisted.

Li Shizhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu (16th century) gave the most systematic account, classifying Ye Ming Sha as a Jue Yin Liver channel Blood-level medicinal with the ability to invigorate Blood and disperse accumulations. Li Shizhen noted that the substance consisted of undigested insect eyes (蚊蚋眼), and speculated this was the basis for its vision-restoring properties. The Ben Cao Yan Yi (本草衍义) of the Song dynasty had earlier noted its role in treating childhood nutritional impairment (疳积), broadening its application beyond ophthalmology.

Modern Research

3 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Ye Ming Sha

1

Pharmaceutical Screening of Bat Feces and Their Applications and Risks in Traditional Chinese Medicine (LC/MS/MS and ICP-MS analysis, 2024)

Chung KT, Lin CL, Chuang WC, Lee MC, Chen LW, Wu CH. Separations, 2024, 11(3): 76.

This study analyzed the vitamin content and antioxidant capacity of insectivorous bat feces from Taiwan using DPPH assays and LC/MS/MS. The feces showed good antioxidant capacity and contained B-vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5). However, ICP-MS analysis revealed that heavy metal content was high while vitamin levels were low, leading the authors to recommend strict restriction of bat feces use in medicine.

Link
2

Fermentation Enhances the Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Bat Faeces (Ye Ming Sha) via the ERK, p38 MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways in RAW 264.7 Cells (In vitro study, 2019)

Lee HS, Chon SH, Kim MA, Park JE, Lim YM, Kim EJ, Son EK, Kim SJ, So JH. Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry, 2019, 62(2): 109-117.

This laboratory study found that fermenting bat feces with Aspergillus kawachii enzymes significantly enhanced their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The fermented ethyl acetate fraction inhibited nitric oxide production, iNOS, and COX-2 expression in macrophage cells stimulated with LPS, acting through suppression of NF-κB, ERK, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

Link
3

Fecal Medicines Used in Traditional Medical System of China: A Systematic Review (Systematic review, 2019)

Feng Y, et al. Chinese Medicine, 2019, 14: 40.

This comprehensive review documented 54 fecal medicines used across 14 traditional Chinese medical systems, including Ye Ming Sha. The study catalogued their species origins, processing forms, and clinical uses, noting that Ye Ming Sha is included in 18 officially approved preparations in the 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The review highlighted that fecal medicines are primarily used for gastrointestinal, nervous system, skin, ophthalmic, and gynecological conditions.

Link

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.