蠶沙係動物性藥材，自古即入藥，至今在中醫師處方藥中仍受重視；蠶沙(Excrementum Bombycis)始載於名醫別錄為蠶蛾科昆蟲家蠶(Bombyx mori L.)之乾燥糞便，能祛風濕，主治風濕痛，臨床上用為鎮靜，鎮痛藥。本研究除了上述之本草學及動物學考察外並根據古本草及臨床上之藥效記載作如下相關藥理實驗：蠶沙的水及乙醇粗抽液 (1)毒劑量試驗：口服LD50大於10g/kg，故其近乎無毒。 (2)利用對hexobarbital誘發睡眠時間的延長，顯示具有鎮靜作用。 (3)小白鼠醋酸扭體試驗；能減少扭體次數，顯示具有鎮痛作用。綜合上述蠶沙具有鎮靜，鎮痛等作用；與古文獻及臨床應用記載之療效一致。
Tsan Sha "the silkworm feces" is a traditional Chinese medicine which first came into use in the ancient. The research work contains pentsaological study on Tsan Sha and pharmacological study on the commercially available species in Taiwan. Tsan Sha was first reported in Ming-Ioryi-Pieh-Lu and then in the pentsa of descendant dynasties. It was believed to have sedative and analgesic effects. According to the pharmacological experiments, the results are shown as following: (a) The water extract (EBw) and alcohol extract (EBa) of Excrementum Bombycis could prolong the sleeping time induced by hexobarbital in mice and the effect of EBa is stronger than EBw. It will prove that they are sedatives. (b) The writhing response stimulated by 1% acetic acid in mice, EBw and EBa also have analgesic effect. To sum up, EBw、EBa should be used in different prescription for clinical application. This study has provided useful information that EB is animal feces but it still have something surplus value.
