Long-nosed Pit Viper

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan.

Round coiled shape, coil diameter is 17~34cm, length is up to 2m. Head is in the center and slightly raised up, triangular and flat, mouth is raised up. Palate has tube-like poison fangs, which are hollow and sharp. Two sides of the back have 17~25 black-brown and pale brown “V” shaped spots, the upper part of the “V” is connected at the middle line of the back, some are not connected on the left and the right, alternating arrangement. Ventral side may be spread or not, grayish-white, scales are relatively large, with black sub-spherical spots, inner surface of ventral side is yellowish-white, spine crest is relatively high, blade-like raised, front and back spine raised in same shape, often in blade-like shape, tilted backwards, apex is obvious excessive to back raised side of spine. Tail is suddenly narrowed; end has one triangular dark gray horn-like scale. Fishy odor, slightly salty taste.

Superior medicinal material is large, intact with head and tail, obvious spots, clean inner wall.

Sweet, salty, warm

Dispels wind, frees channels, stops convulsion. Apply to wind-damp impediment, numbness spasm, stroke with facial paralysis, hemiplegia, convulsion, tetanus, lepra and scabies and tinea.

‘Dragon head and tiger mouth’: the head of qi she is triangular and flat, the nose is pointed and the end is oriented upward, the mouth is relatively wide and large, resembling the head of a dragon and the mouth of a tiger. It is also called “Raised nose and head”. “Fang sheng lines”: this refers to a pattern seen on the back of qi she, each of the two sides has 17~24 black-brown and light brown alternating V-shaped large markings. The apex of the markings intersect with the central line on the back, forming a shape similar to the design of two overlapping tiled squares known as “Fang sheng” that was used on the hat worn by scholars in ancient times. “Beaded markings”: this refers to numerous black, semi-circular spots seen on the white abdomen of qi she; also called “string-of-pearls markings”. “Buddha’s fingernails”: the tail of qi she gradually becomes thin, and the end is flat and triangular. It has a horn-like, hard texture and the shape resembles Buddha’s fingernails.