Sparrow Brain

Maghz Sar Kanjishk (Sparrow brain, Unani)
Maghz Sar Kanjishk Ner (Male sparrow brain, Unani)
Que Nao 雀脑 (TCM)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Photo by Boothsift (Wikimedia)

Zoological name:

Passer domesticus is the Common European Sparrow. P. montanus is the Tree sparrow.
P. rutilans and P. montanus are used in TCM. Other similar species may be used.

Parts used:

Brain, preferably from male birds.
In China, typically the whole dried skull with brain is used.

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Sweet, Salty
Regarded as Balanced (Neutral) in TCM (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Classification:

3I. APHRODISIACS 3J. INCREASE SEMEN
N. Tonics

Uses:

1. Warms and Strengthens the Kidneys, Increases Yang: (West, Unani, TCM, Tibet)

-Impotence; Aphrodisiac (West, Unani, TCM, Tibet)
-‘Provokes Lust exceedingly’. (Culpeper, Salmon)
-Lower Back and Knee pain with weakness
-nourishes Semen (Aristotle); used for Infertility, Azoospermia
-Frequent or excessive urination
-also for Deafness from Kidney deficiency (TCM)
-“The flesh, and brains of Sparrows being frequently eaten excite Venery, and clear the Sight”. (Medicinalis Hibernica, K’eogh, 1739)

2. Externally:

-topically, the ash is applied to Frostbite (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-deafness, loss of hearing, fresh Sparrow brain wrapped in cotton wool is placed directly into the ear canal, changing every 12 hours, repeating for 7 days. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-Chilblains in children, apply a paste of the brain (TCM)

Dose:

Powder: 500mg–2 grams
Skull with brain in Decoction: 5–10 grams per day (TCM)

Comment:

1. Sparrow Brain has been used very similarly in Western, Unani, TCM and Tibetan Medicine.
2. The flesh of the Sparrow has similar effects which has been recognized in East and West: “It strengthens the Yang, and boosts the Qi. It warms the lower back and the knees … It boosts essence and marrow”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Substitute:

Duck, Chicken or Rooster Brains have been substituted. Many bird brains share this effect.

Preparation:

1. Sparrow brain is removed from the skull, dipped in brandy and dried in a warm place. If needed, it is re-dipped in Brandy several times until thoroughly dried. This preparation greatly facilitates drying, enhances the effect of warming the Yang, and removes some of the foul smell.
2. In TCM, the head is removed, the skin is peeled off and the skull with brain is dried in an oven.

Main Combinations:

1. Aphrodisiac, Sexual Debility, Impotence:
i. Sparrow Brain, Carrot, Date, Chickpea, Almond, Pistachio, Tribulus, Cinnamon, Saffron (as in Electuary of Sparrows Brains of Unani)
ii. Sparrow Brain, Orchis root, Coconut, Pistachio, Sweet Almond, Walnut, Sesame seed, Poppy seed, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Saffron, Gold (as in Laboob Kabir)
iii. Sparrow Brain, Skink tail, Bull genitals, Orchis, Lesser Cardamon, Cinnamon, Clove, Red and White Behen (as in Majun Salab).
iv. Sparrow Brains, Onion seed, Orchis, Date, Frankincense (equal parts). Form pills the size of a Chick pea. Dose: 5–6 pills.
v. “Potency is enhanced by the brains of Tibetan and Chinese sparrows mixed with honey”. (Buryat Tibetan Medicine).
2. Infertility, Sparrow Brain, Deer or Bull genitals, Fox or Boar Testicles, Sea Holly root, Cinnamon, Date, Saffron
3. Azoospermia (absence of sperm), Sparrow Brain with Codonopsis Dang Shen, Poria Fu Ling, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Licorice, Dang Gui, Paeonia Bai Shao, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Velvet Deer horn (Lu Rong), Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Lycium Gou Qi Zi, Ligustrum Nu Zhen Zi.
4. Frequent Urination, Sparrow Brain, Bull genitals, Tribulus, Date, Celery root and seed, Sea Holly root, Red Behen, White Behen
5. Frostbite, ash the Brain, mix with oil and apply topically. (Li Shi Zhen, TCM)

Sparrow Flesh

1. To warm Yang and clear Cold, Sparrow flesh was boiled with Aconitum Fu Zi into a paste from which Pills are formed. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
2. To tonify the elderly: fry 5 Sparrows until cooked, add a little wine and fry a little, then add stalks of green onions and corn and prepare a porridge. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Major Formulas:

Electuary to Promote Fertility
Electuary of Sparrows Brains (Unani)
Electuary of Sparrows Brains (Wirtzung)
Electuary of Steel (Unani)
Jawarish Zar Ooni Ambari (Unani)
Laboob Kabir (Unani)

Cautions:

Not for Yin deficient Heat.