Calcined Alum — Classic Formulas

Duan Bai Fan · Alumen Calcinatum

Primary Actions

  • Dries Dampness, relieves itching, and kills parasites for external use - classically applied to weeping eczema, scabies, tinea, genital itching, and damp skin lesions that need a stronger drying form than raw alum solution.
  • Shrinks tissue and stops bleeding - used topically for bleeding hemorrhoids, prolapse, ulcerated tissue, and small oozing lesions where the dehydrated processed form offers stronger astringency.
  • Promotes tissue closure and healing of sores - used in external powders for chronic ulcers, damp erosions, and lesions that need both desiccation and regeneration support.

Classic Formulas

  • Ku Fan topical powder - the classic dried-alum application for bleeding hemorrhoids, weeping eczema, and damp erosive sores.
  • Ku Fan with Ku Shen or sulfur-containing external medicines - traditional pairing strategy for stubborn itching, parasites, scabies, and fungal skin disease.
  • Ku Fan with Er Cha or other astringent wound powders - used for chronic ulcers and lesions that need both bleeding control and tissue regeneration.

Classical Text References

  • Me & Qi identifies alum under the Ming Fan entry and lists Ku Fan as the processed dried form, preserving the broader alum tradition while distinguishing the preparation state.
  • Ben Cao Gang Mu, as already summarized in the raw Bai Fan record, explicitly notes that Ku Fan has greater astringency after calcination and is preferred for external use in sores and hemorrhoids.
  • PREPARATION NOTE: Duan Bai Fan (煅白矾) and Ku Fan (枯矾) refer to the same clinical idea of dehydrated, calcined alum. This file keeps the pinyin imported by the spreadsheet while documenting the more common classical synonym.