Products Featuring This Herb:
Chinese Mountain Ant Extract
Ant Essence Formula

More Information:

Other Common Names
black ant or red ant

Page Number In Radiant Health
210

Pharmaceutical Latin
Polyrachis

Pinyin
ma yi

Treasures
Jing, Qi and Shen

Treasure Rating
*****

Atmospheric Energy
neutral

Organ Meridian Systems
Kidney, Liver, Spleen and Heart

Part Used and Form
Whole dried ants

Primary Functions
Promotes, maintains and prolongs life, replenishes Qi, nourishes blood, increases vitality, adaptogenic, regulates yin and yang, antiaging, enhances immunocompetence (bipolar immune regulation), improves sexual function and increases virility and fertility, strengthens musculoskeletal system, calms anxiety, promotes sound sleep, improves digestion and assimilation

Qualities
Ant tonics are widely consumed in Asia to promote strength, sexual vigor and as a powerful antiaging agent. Over 70 years of research has proven that ants are highly nutritious and have powerful medicinal effects. As a matter of fact, ant is considered a premium adaptogenic substance in the same ranks as Ginseng, Acanthopanax, Schizandra, Cordyceps, Astragalus, Ganoderma and Gynostemma, the superstars of Chinese tonic herbalism.

Polyrachis is widely used to boost the immune system, or to maintain already strong immune functions. It has been established to have double-direction benefits on the immune system, so it is used by anyone with any immune disorder to regulate immune functions.

Polyrachis is widely believed to prevent common symptoms associated with aging, such as lumbago, memory loss, joint problems, fatigue, climacteric symptoms, cardiovascular disease, etc. Ant strengthens the entire Kidney system, including the sexual functions, skeletal structures and renal system. It also strengthens the nervous system, digestive functions, detoxification functions and muscular system. Therefore ant products have become extremely popular with middle aged and elderly consumers in Asia. Ants are being called the “forever young” nutritional supplement.

Young people in China seem to be major advocates of ant as well. Young men and women use it to increase energy on a daily, as well as long-term basis. Both physical and mental energy seems to be supplemented by consuming ant. Ants can carry a load of 100 times there own weight, and people have long felt that consuming non-toxic varieties of ants can increase physical and mental strength. Students in particular have made ant elixirs a virtual craze in cities like Shanghai , Hong Kong and Beijing. It is commonly used by those who have become fatigued or exhausted due to excess workloads or other forms of stress, including mental sources. Ant is noticeably energizing when consumed for a short period of time and builds long-term energy if used continuously for awhile.

Because of its long and short term energy boosting quality, ant tonics are becoming popular as pre-workout elixirs in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where many adults visit health clubs regularly. Ant is an ideal tonic for athletes, especially when combined with Ginseng, Acanthopanax and other similar tonics.

Ant has a big reputation in Asia for increasing libido and virility. Both men and women claim that after using ant for even a short time that their interest in sex increases significantly and that their sexual performance improves in numerous ways. This reputation has contributed to the explosion of ant products available in the Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Southeast Asian and Japanese markets.

As a result of modern technology and vastly improved manufacturing capabilities previously not possible, ant is now being widely used in Asia for the first time. There has been a genuine explosion of interest in ant tonic products now that it is, for the first time, not a product reserved just for emperors, rich nobles and their wives and families.

Scientific Data
Ants are extremely rich in nutrients, including significant amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B12, D and E . Ant contains more than 42% protein and provide 8 essential amino acids. It contains enzymes and other active substances. The ATP in ants can provide energy directly to the human body. Ants are rich in more than 20 trace elements such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, selenium, and especially zinc.

Polyrachis is extremely rich in zinc. The zinc content of Polyrachis is the highest among all known living organisms. Every gram of dried ants contains 180 mg. of zinc. This undoubtedly explains part of ant’s strong beneficial influence on sexuality, as zinc is a critical element in the human sexual function. In Japan, Zinc has been called “harmony element” because it creates harmony between couples---it is a powerful sex-improving element. These chemicals seem to have an influence on the way that zinc is utilized. Studies have shown that regular use of ant tonics can prevent and treat disorders associated with zinc deficiency, including senile cataract, night blindness, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction, including impotence, spermatorrhea and premature ejaculation in men and menorrhagia, frigidity and climacteric symptoms in women.

Ant has a bipolar (double-direction) immuno-regulatory activity. It thus fortifies a weakened immune system and modifies an overactive immune system. Ant can have a very beneficial effect on autoimmune disorders such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, alkolyzing spondylitis, scleroderma, psoriasis, and some studies indicate significant tumor reducing effects when ant is consumed in therapeutic dosages. Ant has been used clinically for the following disorders in China and other Asian nations: rheumatoid and other forms of arthritis, sciatic neuralgia, hepatitis B, neurosis, insomnia, high blood sugar mellitus, tuberculosis, asthma, dermatomyositis, tumor, hypertension, and more.

Polyrachis vicina, Polyrachis lamellidns and other species of nutritional ant have been demonstrated to have liver protective activity by lowering the activity of SGPT, a liver enzyme (detail). It can also, to a certain degree, prevent liver cells from turning into fat. Polyrachis has been demonstrated to be very useful in the treatment of both acute and chronic hepatitis B. Recent research indicates that hepatitis B, both chronic and acute, is due to immune deficiency and that the hepatitis virus is itself opportunistic. Therefore, strengthening the immune system as a whole is essential and invaluable in treating hepatitis B. Ant serves this role very effectively because of its dual role as an immune tonic and a liver protector.

Polyrachis also has anxiolytic, anti-cough, analgesic, anti-spasmotic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oncologic and anti-arthritic functions in studies done throughout Asia.

Recent research demonstrated that Polyrachis can promote the growth, and prevent the shrinkage, of the thymus gland, which generally shrinks as one grows older. The thymus is one of the important immune system organs of the body. Ants can stimulate the production of lymphocytes when the body is under microbial attack, and can improve replication of the lymphocytes. Ants increase the amount of active immune cells. Extensive research now verifies that ant has a bipolar immune function.

Ant can increase the amount of DNA and RNA inside of human cells. This is believed to slow down aging and to aid in the regeneration, and even rejuvenation of tissue.

A unique set of aldehyde compounds found in all edible species of Polyrachis has been demonstrated to have a stronger tonic action than ginseng, and it has thus far been impossible to synthesize this chemical. These aldehydes compounds include geranicaldehyde (C10H16O) and formalindehyde (HCHO, C10H14O). It is believed to be a result of these and several similar aldehydes, as well as some other chemicals in ant, that give ants their enormous physical strength---and ultimately give the consumers of ant the well-established increase in strength.

Polyrachis is not a source of hormones and are absolutely free of synthetic chemicals.

Some facts about ants: Ants can lift up to 400 times their own weight and pull up to 1700 times their own weight, making them the world champions in terms of strength. Ant contains 8-13 times the protein of milk, chicken, duck, beef, mutton and fish.

Primary Combinations
Ant may be consumed by itself or may be combined with other herbs. Combine with:

1. Ginseng Root and Astragalus to build qi
2. Astragalus and Ganoderma to fortify the defensive qi
3. Dang Gui, White Peony and Rehmannia (steamed) to build blood, regulate and fortify the female reproductive system
4. Deer Antler, Cordyceps and Placenta to tonify the original qi and to fortify the Kidney yin and yang
5. Silk moth, Gejie, Sea Dragon, Sea Horse, Morinda, Cuscuta, Epimedium, etc. to tonify male sexual functions

Varieties and Grading
Several varieties of ants are used in Chinese tonic herbalism, all with virtually the same attributes. These different varieties come from different regions in China. Each region claims that its ants are superior. Both black ants (primarily from southern and central China) and red ants (primarily from northeastern China) are used. Ants from high, pristine mountain ranges such as the Himalayas in southern China and Tibet, or the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China are considered the finest and most potent. Most of the tonic ants are large ants.

A primary concern in using ant as a tonic supplement is that the ants or ant product is from a reputable company that specializes in ant tonic preparation. The ants must be collected from, or raised in, a pure, pristine environment. Certainly, using ants that have been exposed to Raid is not a good idea. In other words, it is not a good idea to try collecting your own from the basement or back yard. The ants used in Chinese tonic supplements are raised in sealed ant farms and are absolutely chemical free. Ant is rare in raw form in the United States, but is extremely valuable if you can obtain it. It should be light in weight, dark and consistent in color, and fluffy, with no obvious impurities, degradation or discoloration. Most sources of ant as a tonic supplement will be ant products made by a number of ant specialty houses out of China. Ant tonics come in both capsules and oral liquid elixirs. At this writing all the ant products I have tested have been excellent and have met my every expectation. The ant industry is extremely heavily regulated in China and there is no indication that less than quality ant products are now being produced in mainland China.

Contraindications
Polyrachis vicina is non-toxic and without clinically significant side-effect.

However, minor side effects are sometimes noticed by users who are extremely allergic or debilitated, in which case there may be minor abdominal distention, diarrhea, skin rash, etc. after initial use. Experts in China recommend that if this occurs, you should stop taking ant for 1 or 2 days, and start taking it again after the symptoms subside. Take a lower dose for a few days and then increase to a full dosage. In almost all cases, the reaction will not repeat itself.

Those who have taken hormone type drugs (steroidal compounds such as birth control pills, cortisone, anabolic steroids, etc.) for a prolonged period of time will not experience the overt benefits of ant for a period of from 1 to 3 months, although the ant will be helping the body to re-establish its healthy hormone balance during this period. Do not withdraw yourself from steroids abruptly and without the supervision of a physician.

Ant is considered to be very safe and, in Asia, large quantities are often consumed by those seeking extra benefit. Always consume extra water immediately after consuming ant.

History
Ant has been widely used and very highly regarded in China as a tonic for over 3000 years. Ant has been refered to in a number of famous Chinese medicinal classics, including Li Shi Chen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu, where the great master praised ants as a superior tonic with excellent curative powers. It has been universally tauted as a superb Liver and Kidney tonic of the highest order. Its name, which it received in ancient times, means “black horse.” Imperial records indicate that numerous emperors and other noblemen have consumed ant tonics to promote sexuality and to increase longevity. Ant has been historically considered a superior herb of the highest order. In fact, it has been said that “Ginseng may be the King of Herbs, but Ant is the Herb of Kings!”