Toads, commonly known as toads, belong to the vertebrate phylum, amphibians, anurans and toad family in animal taxonomy. There are now about 300 species in 25 genera in this family, and 17 species and subspecies in 2 genera are known in China, among which the Chinese toad is the most widely distributed, and is found in almost all parts of the country. However, in recent years, due to the deteriorating ecological environment, wild resources have been drastically reduced, and artificial breeding of toads has become imperative. Zhang Haitao, National Medical Hall, Changping District Chinese Medicine Hospital, Beijing, China The toad is an economic animal with high medicinal value. Its whole body is a treasure, and toad puff, dried toad, toad clothing, toad head, toad tongue, toad liver, toad gall, etc. are all valuable medicinal materials. The dried white pulp secreted from the gland behind the ear and the skin gland of the toad is called toad puff, which is a precious Chinese herbal medicine containing many biological components and has the effects of detoxification, swelling, pain relief, cardiac diuretic, anti-cancer, anesthesia, anti-radiation, etc. It can treat heart failure, stomatitis, pharyngitis, sore throat, skin cancer, etc. At present, Germany has used toad preparation for clinical treatment of coronary heart disease, and Japan uses toad as raw material to produce “life-saving dan”. There are more than 50 kinds of Chinese patent medicines in China, such as Six Gods Pill, Plum Blossom Tongue Dotting Pill, One Toothache Pill, Heart Treasure and Huachansu Injection, etc. All of them have toad puff ingredients. The dried carcass of the toad with its internal organs removed is dried toad skin, which is cold in nature and bitter in taste, and can be used for the treatment of children’s noma, chronic bronchitis, sore throat, carbuncle and healing poison. In recent years, it has been used for a variety of cancers or in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat cancer, which not only improves the efficacy of treatment, but also reduces side effects and improves blood picture. The toad’s coat is the keratinous coat naturally shed by the toad, which has better curative effects on chronic liver disease, many kinds of cancer, chronic bronchitis, ascites, and canker sores. In addition, the head, tongue, liver and gall of the toad can be used as medicine; at the same time, the meat of the toad is tender and tasty, and is also a nutritious health food. Toad skin: Pungent, cool; toxic. It belongs to the heart, lung, spleen and large intestine meridians. Clearing heat and detoxifying, killing insects and healing chancre, promoting water retention and reducing swelling. Used for carbuncles and sores, children’s chancre, bloating, scrofula and cancer. Toadstool: Pungent, warm; toxic. Returning to the heart meridian. Detoxifying, relieving pain, opening the orifice and awakening the mind. Used for carbuncle and furuncle, sore throat, heatstroke and dizziness, cholera and abdominal pain and vomiting and diarrhea. Use with caution when pregnant. (From the Revised Table of Clinical Standards for Chinese Materia Medica and Tablets, 2010 Edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia) Toads have medicinal value but should not be consumed directly “Although toadstools and toads are used as medicines, they must be administered under a physician’s prescription. When used in moderate amounts, toadstool poison has a wide range of medicinal uses, but when used in excess, it can become a deadly poison. Because it has a cardiotonic effect, once taken in excess, it can lead to rapid heartbeat, heart rate disorders and even cardiac arrest.” Lu Junfeng said that after scientific refinement, toad puffs and toad clothing on toads can indeed be used as medicine, and they are also useful for cancer patients, but they do not encourage patients to eat toads without the guidance of a doctor. Toads are poisonous and cannot be eaten at will Toad toxins are mainly concentrated in the head, parotid glands, skin glands, liver and ovaries. These parts will secrete a substance called “digitalis”, and once the human body ingests this toxin, it will affect its heart and other blood circulation system. If processed or handled improperly, the toxin may enter the toad meat, and once the human body ingests this toxin, symptoms such as dizziness, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. will occur, and in serious cases, even lead to death. ”The incubation period for clinical manifestations of toad poisoning is 0.5 to 1 hour, and the main symptoms are dizziness, sweating, numbness of the mouth, lips and limbs, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, shock, chest tightness, palpitations, etc. Severe cases may also lead to respiratory and circulatory failure.” Toad poison can also cause eye redness and even blindness if it is accidentally introduced into the eyes.