Horse-maned Snake is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It consists of the entire body of the variegated tree lizard (Calotes versicolor (Daudin)), a member of the Iguanidae family. It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions. It has the therapeutic effects of dispelling wind and promoting blood circulation, as well as nourishing and strengthening the body. It is commonly used to treat pain in the lower back, legs, tendons, and bones; blood deficiency and physical weakness; and malnutrition in children.
Horse-maned Snake
Horse-maned Snake is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It consists of the entire body of the variegated tree lizard (Calotes versicolor (Daudin)), a member of the Iguanidae family. It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions. It has the therapeutic effects of dispelling wind and promoting blood circulation, as well as nourishing and strengthening the body. It is commonly used to treat pain in the lower back, legs, tendons, and bones; blood deficiency and physical weakness; and malnutrition in children.
Chinese Name : 马鬃蛇
Aliases : Salt Snake, Fence-Pipe Snake, Noon-Meeting Snake, Tree Lizard, Four-Legged Snake, Rooster Snake, Cockscomb Snake, Thunder God Snake, Grandfather Snake
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Warm in nature, sweet in taste. Enters the Spleen Meridian
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Dispels wind and promotes blood circulation; nourishes and strengthens the body.
Indications
Used for pain in the lower back, legs, tendons, and bones; blood deficiency and physical weakness; and malnutrition in children.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Drink as a wine infusion, 20–30 ml per dose; or steam until tender, 1–2 snakes per dose; or grind into powder.
Precautions
Contraindicated for pregnant women.
Relevant Discussions
*Medicinal Animals of Guangxi*: “Nourishes and strengthens the body, dispels wind, and promotes blood circulation. Treats childhood malnutrition.”
*Medicinal Animals of China*: “Treats pain in the lower back, legs, tendons, and bones; blood deficiency; physical weakness; and childhood malnutrition.”
Applications
Related Compatibility
1. For pain in the lower back, legs, tendons, and bones: 3 horse-maned snakes, 500 ml of white liquor, and 3 g of Angelica sinensis. Soak the horse-maned snakes and Angelica sinensis in the liquor for 2 months, then drink the liquor. Take 20 ml twice daily. (*Chinese Animal Medicines*)
2. For pediatric malnutrition: (Horse-maned snake) Remove the internal organs and skin from a live specimen, cut into pieces, and steam with lean pork to eat; consume 1–2 snakes per serving. (Horse-maned snake) Remove the internal organs from a live specimen and burn until charred. Grind into powder. Take as a suspension, or steam with pork to eat; consume 1 snake per serving. (*Medicinal Animals of Guangxi*)
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Capture between June and August. If the chameleon is on a tree, use a thin bamboo pole 4–5 m long with a horsehair noose (or one made of nylon thread) attached to the end. Taking advantage of the chameleon’s habit of always raising its head while crawling or at rest, and its tendency to lift its head and stare intently when encountering a foreign object, swiftly loop the noose around its neck.Alternatively, you can swing the noose in front of its head to provoke it; as it often raises its head and lashes out, quickly snap the noose over its head and pull it back immediately to secure it.When the chameleon is active in trees, it can be chased and captured using a small net with a handle or by hand. After capture, place it in a bamboo or wire cage. Gut it and remove the internal organs; use it fresh; or spread it open with bamboo strips and dry it over low heat or in the sun.
Crude Drug Identification
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
The chameleon-like tree lizard, also known as the chameleon-like iguana (*Chinese Animal Atlas*), measures 80–90 mm in body length, with a tail approximately three times as long as its body. It has a relatively large head with a blunt, rounded snout and a distinct snout ridge. Its eyes are small, and its eyelids are well-developed.The pupils are round; the eardrums are exposed, and there are no shoulder folds. The body scales are arranged in an overlapping, roof-tile pattern, all with ridges; the dorsal scales point backward. A single row of laterally flattened, erect crested scales runs down the midline of the back. The neck is well-developed but tapers gradually toward the rear. The limbs are well-developed; the hind limbs extend forward close to the body, reaching the eardrums or eyes. Both forelimbs and hindlimbs have five fingers or toes, all equipped with claws.The body is generally light brown or light brownish-gray, with 5–6 dark brown transverse bands on the back. The tail bears alternating light and dark rings, and the area around the eyes is marked by dark, radiating patterns. Juveniles and males have two pale yellow longitudinal stripes on their flanks. Males have well-developed crests, a larger caudal base than females, and a prominent throat pouch.During the breeding season, the male’s head and sometimes even its back turn bright red.
Distribution Area
It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other areas.