Here are three more short abstracts from issue #5, 2008 of Bei Jing Zhong Yi Yao (Beijing Chinese Medicine & Pharmacology). Hope you find them interesting and useful.

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Overlap Syndrome

Overlap syndrome is a combination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). In a recent article appearing in issue #5, 2008 of Bei Jing Zhong Yi Yao (Beijing Chinese Medicine & Pharmacology) on pages 357-359, Tan Su-zhen and Zhang Yan-ping discuss their treatment of 13 cases of this condition by the methods of fortifying the spleen, transforming phlegm, and supplementing the kidneys. Their base formula was a modification of a combination of Er Chen Tang (Two Aged [Ingredients] Decoction) and Er Xian Tang (Two Immortals Decoction):

Chen Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), 10g
Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae), 10g
Fu Ling (Poria), 30g
Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), 10g
Xian Mao (Rhizoma Curculiginis), 15g
Xian Ling Pi (Herba Epimedii), 15g
Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae), 10g

If phlegm dampness was serious, they added Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) and Hua Shi (Talcum).

If lung heat cough was serious, they added Kuan Dong Hua (Flos Tussilaginis), Zi Wan (Radix Asteris), and Qian Hu (Radix Peucedani).

If there was yin vacuity with a dry cough, they added Mai Men Dong (Tuber Ophiopogonis) and Xuan Shen (Radix Scrophulariae).

If there was concomitant blood stasis, they added Tao Ren (Semen Persicae), Hong Hua (Flos Carthami), and Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae).

One packet of these medicinals was decocted in water and administered per day for two weeks. At the end of this time, four cases (30.77% 0 got a marked effect, seven cases (53.85%) got some effect, and two cases (15.38%) got no effect, for a total effectiveness rate of 84.62%. Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) both improved from before to after treatment (P >.05). Similarly, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and the ration between FEC1 and FVC improved from before to after treatment (P >.05).

Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) & Modified Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang

Sun Si-miao’s Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang is a commonly used formula for the treatment of impediment conditions where there is a righteous vacuity with wind damp evils. On pages 361-362 of the same Chinese journal as the abstract above, Sun Xue-dong et al. describe their treatment of 40 cases of KOA with a modification of this famous formula. In standard professional Chinese medicine, at least as practiced in China, one rarely uses a standard formula in its standard form. Usually such formulas are modified with additions and subtractions, if not to more accurately fit the patient’s presenting patterns, to more effectively empirically treat their diagnosed disease. The following formula from Sun et al.’s is an example of such a modification and may be useful to others trying to treat gonarthralgia with Chinese medicine.

Du Huo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis), 15g
Sang Ji Sheng (Herba Taxilli), 15g
Niu Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), 15g
Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), 10g
Bai Shao (Radix Alba Paeoniae), 15g
Shu Di Huang (cooked Radix Rehmanniae), 30g
Qin Jiao (Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae), 15g
Xi Xin (Herba Asari), 3g
Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuan Xiong), 15g
Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi), 5g
Fu Ling (Poria), 20g
Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommiae), 15g
Dang Shen (Radix Codonopsis), 30g
Huang Qi (Radix Astragali), 30g
Ji Xue Teng (Caulis Spatholobi), 30g
Quan Xie (Scorpio), 6g
Wu Xiao She (Zaocys), 10g

One packet of these medicinals was decocted in water and administered per day in two divided doses, morning and evening. Four weeks equaled one course of treatment, and two courses were given. Two cases (5.0%) got a marked effect, 34 cases (85.0%) got some effect, and four cases (10.0%) got no effect, for a total effectiveness rate of 90.0%. Readers should not that a marked effect was defined as complete disappearance of the knee pain with a return to basically normal function along with normal life-style and work activities. Among the 11 cases followed up after a half year, there was not a single relapse, and there also were no adverse reactions in any of the patients treated with this protocol.

MS Contin-induced Constipation & Chinese Medicinals Applied to the Navel

MS Contin is a time-released formulation of morphine, usually taken every 12 hours for chronic pain. It is the brand name for morphine sulfate marketed by Purdue Pharma. This medication is often used for cancer pain. One of its side effects is constipation. On pages334-336 of the same journal mentioned above, Yang Zhong et al. present a comparison study of 60 cancer patients with MS Contin-induced constipation treated with Chinese medicinals applied to their navel and 57 cancer patients with MS Contin-induced constipation treated with Ma Ren Run Chang Wan (Cannabis Moisten the Intestines Pill). All54 patients in this study were taking a comparable dose of MS Contin and suffered from a statistically comparable group of cancers. The total effectiveness of this protocol was 71.9% as compared to 51.7% in the comparison group taking the orally administered remedy. The formula for the medicinals applied to the navel consisted of:

uncooked Da Huang (Radix Et Rhizoma Rhei), 100g, powdered
Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae), 100g, powdered
Bing Pian (Borneolum), 20g, powdered

These medicinals were mixed together and then moistened with vinegar. A bolus 10 grams in weight was formed and applied to the navel. The bolus was affixed in place with an adhesive plaster. A new bolus was replaced once every 24 hours, and seven days application equaled one course of treatment. A rest of two days was given between the two successive courses.