Witnessed by: TCM
Snake slough, of the Colubridae (Reptilia) family. The cast skin of the non-venomous rat snakes and their kin, shed whole; native range: gathered where the rat snakes and their colubrid kin shed, across China and east Asia. Globally recognized as she tui (蛇蛻) in Chinese, and snake slough, cast snake skin in English. The part used is the shed skin (slough), whole. A translucent silvery tube of skin, papery, weightless and crackling, holding the scale pattern and a faint iridescence, with a slight fishy smell.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
SNAKE SLOUGH
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- snake slough
- Family
- Colubridae (Reptilia)
Form
- Part used
- the shed skin (slough), whole
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- sweet (甘) · salty (鹹)
Temperature
- TCM
- neutral (平)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- dispels wind and stops spasms, dispels superficial visual obstruction and brightens the eyes, and relieves toxicity to disperse sores and stop itching
Cautions
- Contraindications
- pregnancy
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