• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.203-217
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• 2015

Scolpendra subspinipes (centipede) is pungent in flavor, activates the channels to stop pain, and, removes toxins and resolves masses. So it has been used as a folk remedy. We researched folk remedies which used centipede as a single medicine and results of its prior clinical and experimental study, and figured out that centipedes are effective on ulcerative disease, herpes zoster, clavus, insect bite, inflammatory disease, furunculus, pain disease by external therapy, and oral administration is effective on anti-cancer such as hepatoma and uterine cancer, cerebrovascular disease, inhibition of atherosclerosis, sedation of central nervous system, antipyretic action, and anti-inflammation, and centipede Herb-Acupuncture is effective on inflammatory disease and pain disease. Centipede preparation materials for external therapy were sesame oil, perilla oil, vinegar, salt, and, burnt alum. Fumigation of centipede treated paronychia, pertussis, and hemorrhoids. For the external therapy, the way of centipede powder mixing with other materials has been used. It is needed that we use dusted powder to make skin absorb its ingredients more easily, and we study intensely minor ingredients to make centipede components absorbed more effectively and do pharmacological action. Also, fumigation, a kind of another external therapy, is considered to be effective treatment of upper respiratory infection like pertussis, so it needs an in-depth study on centipede fumigation.