Pharmaceutical name: 英文藥名﹕	Alumen
Chemical name: 學名﹕	aluminum potassium sulfate; aluminum sulfate.
Pron. in Japanese: 日語發音﹕	myoban
Pron. in Korean: 韓語發音﹕	myongbum
Pron. in Cantonese 粵音﹕	ming4 faan4; baak6 faan4
Other Names: 別名﹕	bai fan 白礬
Common Name: 英文名﹕	alum
Distribution: 產地﹕	Hubei, Anhui, Shanxi, Zhejiang, Fujian of China and all parts of the world. 湖北，安徽，山西，浙江，福建等省與世界各地都有。
Properties  characteristics)﹕ 性味﹕	sour, astringent, cold。 酸, 涩, 寒。
Channels  meridians) entered:   歸經﹕	large intestine, liver, lung, spleen, stomach 大腸﹐ 肝﹐ 肺﹐ 脾﹐ 胃。
Medical functions: 藥理﹕
Actions & Indications: 主治﹕	being used as external wash for scabies, ringworm,  and rashes caused by infection for chronic diarrhea, blood in the stool, uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge for wind phlegm disorders with syndrome of irritability, delirium, and convulsion for  expectorating of phlegm. Note: Ku fan is burnt bai fan where the crystals are reduced into powder form. It is mainly for external use for sores and abcesses. 外用於疥癬，圆癬，感染性的 發疹。 慢性糖尿病，便血，子宫出血，带下。 風痰兼有心烦，神智昏迷，痙攣。 作化痰用。 註：枯礬是焼過的明礬。其晶體已變成粉狀。主要作外用於瘡口與膿腫。
Chemical ingredients: 化學成份﹕	bai fan is aluminum potassium sulfate  (AlK(SO4)2·12H2O ). ku fan is anhydrous alum. The water has been burned away. 白礬是一種硫酸鹽類礦物, 主要成份是硫酸鋁鉀。 枯礬是鍛過的白礬 (即燒去水份的白礬)
Dosage: 用量﹕	0.3 g  to 3 g in pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, apply to affected areas. 0.3～3 克 用于药丸或作药粉用。 外用適量。
Samples of formulae :處方舉例﹕	For leukemia: dan fan san 白血病常用方：蛋礬散
Modern Research: 現代研究﹕
Toxicity & Cautions: 毒素與禁忌﹕	Mainly used externally. Internal overdose can cause ulceration, vomiting, diarrhea, and shock. The aluminum in alum can cause depletion of calcium and cause osteoporosis and can cause depletion of phosphorous and cause memory loss. 本品主要為外用。 如果內服劑量過大﹐可能導致潰瘍﹐嘔吐﹐腹瀉﹐與休克。 明礬 的鋁之副作用可使鈣質流失導致骨骼疏鬆，與磷質流失而記憶減退。