Baihu-Tang, Tiaowei-Chengqi-Tang And Taoren-Chengqi-Tang Could Be Added
By Ju Bong Kang, KMD
Action and Diagnosis
This prescription has the functions of dispelling wind-evil, clearing away heat-evil, promoting diuresis, and nourishing to moisten so that it treats various types of skin symptoms such as skin flare, exudation, itching, hives, rash, atopy, and eczema caused by wind-dampness invasive to the channels. This prescription is often used for people who have good digestion and enjoy meat and fatty foods. It is also applicable to the symptoms such as skin inflammation and itching that occur when tension and stress levels are high. As for the climate, it tends to get worse in the hot summer weather but sometimes gets worse in winter. These skin problems have various symptoms and prognoses depending on the patient’s constitution, food, and lifestyle. Often, the condition does not improve easily if the patients eat fatty and rich foods frequently and for a long time, along with overwork.
If symptoms do not improve effectively during taking Xiaofeng-San, drugs with the functions of clearing away heat and toxic material, purging feces, and expelling blood stasis are added to this prescription. For example, Huanglian-Jiedu-Tang, Baihu-Tang, Tiaowei-Chengqi-Tang, Taoren-Chengqi-Tang, etc., are added or combined with this prescription, or taken with Fangfeng-Tongsheng-San’s powder forms or pills.
In addition to Xiaofeng-San, if this does not work, it may have to be changed to Yubi-Tang, Da-Qinglong-Tang, Shao-Qinglong-Tang, and Yinchenhao-Tang. Suppose the recurrence of symptoms is stubbornly repeated as a person with good physical strength. In that case, it may have to be severely purged. Although rare, if a person with good physical strength stubbornly repeats the recurrence of symptoms, it may have to be severely purged with Da-Xianxong-Tang or Wan or Shizao-Tang, which are Gansui-prescriptions, or Sanwoo-Beiji-Wan, which is a Badou-prescription, during the treatment process; and in this case, it should be confirmed that the pulse and abdominal conditions are solid and to be excessive pattern.
In this prescription, Fangfeng, Jingjie, Niubangzi, and Chantui become monarch drugs as wind-evil relief drugs. Fangfeng is pungent and warm in property, and Jingjie is pungent and cool in property. Both disperse wind-cold, wind-heat, and wind-dampness to improve symptoms of fever due to exogenous pathogenic evils and alleviate eczema, skin flare, exudation, hives, rash, pruritus, and the initial state of carbuncle.
Niubangzi and Chantui are drugs with pungent and cool properties. All have the functions of dissipating wind-heat, promoting eruption, and improving itching, skin flare, rash, sore throat, and carbuncle.
Shigao, Zhimu, Cangzhu, and Mutong are minister drugs. Shigao and Zhimu clear away the heat of the lungs and stomach and disperse wind-heat evil to help improve the pruritic skin flare and pyocutaneous disease. Mutong has the function of clearing away heat and inducing diuresis, so they restore exudation due to eczema and alleviate swelling of the legs, etc.
Danggui and Shudihuang are adjuvant drugs that serve with tonifying blood, promoting blood circulation, and invigorating yin as nourishing drugs. Gancao has the function of benefitting qi and becomes an adjuvant drug and also serves as a guiding drug by mediating the effects of other drugs through its sweet flavor.
In diagnosis, the symptom of Xiaofeng-San, skin inflammations are evident around the elbow joint and knee joint and are also found in the thigh and small leg, cervical region, chest and back, and face and forehead. This prescription is not so characterized by abdominal diagnosis, but the abdomen is not so fragile, and the pulse is usually not so weak. In tongue diagnosis, white fur and yellow fur are mixed.
Application
Atopic dermatitis, eczema, hives, lichenous dermatitis4), athlete’s foot, etc..
Distinction
Danggui-Yinzi: When a patient suffering from atopy or eczema has a low digestive ability, then Xiaofeng-San subtracted Shigao, or Danggui-Yinzi, which helps dry skin, and severe itching due to symptoms of dry eczema.
Wenqing-Yin: Unlike Xiaofeng-San, skin inflammation in this prescription has no exudation and skin wounds; itching often gets worse at night.
Danggui-Nientong-Tang: This prescription includes Wuling-San, which can treat swelling and pain in joints. So, it cures skin wounds and inflammation with a lot of exudates or several forms of large or small blisters on the body surface.
Longdan-Xiegan-Tang: This prescription is effective if eczema and pruritus in the groin area are worse than the skin of the back or limbs.
