Bing Pian (冰片) — Borneol | TCM Herb Guide

At a Glance

• Herb: Bing Pian
• Chinese name: 冰片 (Bīng Piàn)
• Latin name: Borneolum Syntheticum
• Nature: Slightly Cold
• Taste: Acrid / Bitter
• Meridian: Heart / Lung / Spleen
• Category: Herbs that Open the Orifices
• Introduction: Bing Pian (冰片), Borneolum Syntheticum, is a crystalline terpenoid compound — either natural (from Dryobalanops aromatica resin) or synthetic (from turpentine). An intensely aromatic orifice-opening herb, it opens the orifices to revive consciousness, clears heat and relieves pain, and brightens the eyes. Widely used both internally in emergency formulas and topically in eye drops, throat sprays, and wound preparations. Modern research confirms borneol’s analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and blood-brain barrier penetration-enhancing properties.

Action

• Opens orifices and revives consciousness
• Clears heat and relieves pain
• Brightens the eyes and removes superficial visual obstruction
• Reduces swelling and promotes healing (topical)
• Enhances penetration of other drugs (modern use)

Clinical Application

• Unconsciousness from heat-phlegm obstruction — combines with She Xiang, Niu Huang (in Angong Niuhuang Wan)
• Eye redness, pain, and superficial visual obstruction — topical eye drops or combines with Huang Lian
• Sore throat and mouth sores — blown into throat or applied topically
• Burns, wounds, and skin ulcers — topical with sesame oil or zinc oxide paste
• Chest pain (angina) — combines with She Xiang, Dan Shen (in Su Bing Di Dan pills)

Precautions

• Dosage: 0.15–0.3 g per dose in pills or powder; not suitable for decoction — volatilizes
• Contraindicated in pregnancy — promotes downward movement
• Contraindicated in qi deficiency with spontaneous sweating or deficiency collapse patterns
• Natural Bing Pian (from Dryobalanops) is preferred over synthetic; slightly different aromatic profile
• Topical use is widely safe; avoid contact with eyes when using concentrated preparations

Formula

• Angong Niuhuang Wan (安宫牛黄丸): includes Bing Pian as orifice-opening aromatic
• Su Bing Di Dan (速冰滴丸) / She Xiang Bao Xin Wan: Bing Pian, She Xiang, Su He Xiang — opens orifices, relieves angina
• Bing Peng San (冰硼散): Bing Pian, Peng Sha, Xuan Ming Fen, Zhu Sha — clears heat, relieves mouth sores and throat swelling
• Ba Bao Eye Drops (八宝眼药): Bing Pian as key penetrating ingredient for eye conditions

Combinations

• Borneol (冰片) + Cattle Gallstone (牛黄) + Musk (麝香) → An Gong Niu Huang Wan (安宫牛黄丸): open orifices, clear heat; stroke coma and high fever with delirium
• Borneol (冰片) + Cinnabar (朱砂) + Coptis Rhizome (黄连) → clear Heart fire, open orifices; mouth sores, throat inflammation, and eye conditions (topical use)

Pharmacological Effects

• Cns penetrant
  • crosses blood-brain barrier — enhances drug delivery to brain
• Anti-inflammatory; analgesic; antibacterial; antiviral; local anesthetic
  • topical
• Anticonvulsant
  • mild
• Cardiac effects at high doses
  • caution
• topically: cools, relieves pain, clears heat from surface tissues

Classic Description

• Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》): ‘Borneol opens all orifices; disperses pent-up fire; treats fright epilepsy with phlegm confusion, throat impediment, deafness, eye opacities, nasal polyps, lip and mouth sores, genital sores, and hemorrhoids.’
• Tang Ben Cao (《唐本草》): ‘Governs pathogenic qi in the heart and abdomen, wind-damp accumulation, deafness; brightens the eyes; removes eye redness and superficial opacities.’
• Ben Cao Bei Yao (《本草备要》): ‘Acrid, bitter, slightly cold, aromatic and penetrating; opens all orifices, disperses pent-up heat; treats fright epilepsy with phlegm confusion, red eyes with opacity, deafness, nasal congestion, and throat conditions.’