Abstract
In the river and lake regions of China there lives a large toad which secretes a whitish, slimy venom in some superficial organs located behind the eyes. These structures may be similar to the “parotid glands” and other smaller glands of the skin of the tropical toad, Bufo agua, the secretions of which were studied by Abel and Macht. 1 When the venom is collected by irritating the animal and is allowed to dry spontaneously, it is known as Ch'an Su. 2 This has been used empirically in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. It has been employed in the treatment of canker sores, sinusitis, and many local inflammatory conditions, in the relief of toothache, and in the arrest of hemorrhages from the gums. 3 When administered internally in the form of a compound pill, it is said to be able to break colds.
Ch'an Su has been a subject of study by Japanese investigators 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 under the name of “Senso” during the last few years. Their chemical results, however, do not agree, and their published pharmacological data can therefore only be accepted with reservation.
During 1923-25, one of us (Chen) made a preliminary study of several Chinese drugs in China. Ch'an Su was one of them. The potent action of its alcoholic and aqueous extracts on the cardiovascular system was then observed. Owing to the extensive work on ephedrine, a thorough investigation was postponed until in 1928. With the assistance of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, American Medical Association, a supply of 1729 gm. of Ch'an Su was purchased from Tung Jen T'ang, Peiping, one of the oldest drugstores in China. 8 In the present study, Jensen was responsible for the chemical side and Chen for the pharmacological and pharmacognostical side.
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