The Chinese herb therapy can be classified into three categories:

1. clearing heat (re),

2. blood- invigorating method

3. tonifying blood method

(yu, sludge), and dry (zao)

I. Clearing Heat Methods

1. rid of heat and cool the blood method

This method is for the progressing stage. 

Symptoms : New bright red particle -like or blotches of rashes. The surface is covered with white flakes, and under them there are bleeding small particles.

Itchiness, restlessness, dislike of heat, yellow urine, constipation, red tongue with thin moss, strong tight (stringy) pulse.

Prescription: tu fu ling 30 g, huai hua 30 g, sheng di 30 g, mao gen 30 g, zhi cao 15 g, gan cao 6 g.

Adjustment of formula:

(1) Constipation is bad, add da huang 10 g.

(2) New rashes, particle- like, bright red, not much particles (flakes), dry tongue and mouth, swollen tonsils, add jin yin hua, da qing ye, ban lan gen 15 g each.

(3) When rashes become larger with more flakes, especially on the upper limbs and upper torso and on the scalp, add wind -ridding herbs like jing jie, fang feng, niu bang zi 10 g each, chan yi 6 g. If the problem is mainly on the scalp and when the usual herbs for ridding of wind are not effective, try to use insects or snake type of herbs like wu gong or wu she.

(4) If rashes are more on the lower limbs with heaviness at the chest, tongue is white, limbs feel heavy, showing dampness, add fu ling, yi yi ren 15 g each, fang ji 10 g.

(5) If rash is gradually turning from bright red into dark red patches, and tongue is showing purpura, add moving blood herbs like chi shao, dang gui wei 15 g each, hong hua 10 g.

(6) If thirsty, restless, yellow tongue coating, pulse is hong (洪 大 ), indicates that the lung and stomach evil heat is not solved. Add sheng shi gao 30 g, zhi mu 10 g.

銀 痟 病 醫 治 法

I. 清 熱 涼 血 法 ﹕  銀 痟 病 進 行 期 ，  新 疹 出 現 ， 色 鮮 紅 ，

點 滴 或 班 狀 ，  表 面 覆 蓋 白 色 鱗 痟 ， 基 底 有 出 血 小 點 ，

痒 ， 心 煩 ， 怕 熱 ， 尿 黃 赤 ， 便 秘 ， 舌 紅 苔 薄 ， 脈 弦 有 力 。

處 方 ﹕  土 茯 苓 30 克 ，  槐 花 30克 ， 生 地 30克 ， 茅 根 30克 ，

紫 草 15克 ， 甘 草 6克 。

加 減 ﹕

(1) 便 秘 甚 者 加 大 黃  10克 。

(2) 皮 疹 初 起 ， 呈 點 滴 狀 ， 疹 色 鮮 紅 ， 鱗 痟 少 ， 口 乾 舌 燥 ，

扁 桃 腺 腫 大 者 ， 加 銀 花 ， 大 青 葉 ， 板 藍 根 各 15克 。

(3)皮 疹 由 點 滴 狀 丘 疹 散 大 ， 變 為 斑 塊 ， 表 面 鱗 痟 較 多 ，

以 上 肢 或 軀 幹 上 部 為 甚 ， 尤 有 分 布 頭 皮 者 ，  加 去 風 的 荊 芥 ，

 防 風 ， 牛 蒡 子 各 10克， 蟬 衣 6克 。

頭 皮 為 銀 痟 病 好 發 部 位 ， 用 一 般 驅 風 藥 無 效 時 ，

試 加 蟲 類 驅 風 藥 如 蜈 蚣 ， 烏 蛇 之 類 。

(4)若 皮 疹 以 下 肢 為 多 ， 胸 滿 悶 ， 四 肢 沉 重 ， 舌 苔 白 膩 ， 有 濕 濁

不 化 癥 候 者 ， 加 利 濕 的 茯 苓 ， 意 仁 各 15克 ， 防 己 10克 。

(5)若 皮 疹 由 鮮 紅 逐 漸 轉 為 暗 紅 之 斑 塊 ， 舌 出 現 瘀 斑 者 ， 加 活 血

的 赤 芍 ， 當 歸 尾 各 15克 ， 紅 花 10克 。

(6) 口 渴 心 煩 ， 舌 苔 黃 燥 ， 脈 洪 大 ， 屬 肺 胃 邪 熱 未 解 ， 加 生 石 膏 30克 ， 知 母 10克 。

2. 清 肝 膽 濕 熱 法

 來 源 ﹕ 俞 熄 純 。

2. Clearing damp heat of liver and gall  method

II.  Blood invigorating method

III.  Tonifying blood method

Note: Chinese herbal medicine is a completely a different branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by itself. Traditionally it is practised by  specially trained Chinese herb doctors and not by acupuncturists. An herb doctor is not necessarily a trained acupuncturist. In America Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture were grouped together by some of the law making bodies to save administrative expenses. A licensed acupuncturist in America is not necessarily a trained herbalist.

Modern Drug Therapy and its Toxicity

methotrexate (aminopterin) and ethylenediamine tetraaccetylimide

Some of the brands of methotrexate: Folex , Folex PFS , Methotrexate LPF , Rheumatrex

Toxicity: methotrexate (formerly, aminopterin) can cause cirrhosis of the liver, decrease of white cell count, thus lowering the immune system, and can even cause leukemia. During the sixties, aminopterin caused many cases of death in China.

Ethylenediamine tetraaccetylimide is toxic to the CNS. It should not be used by chronic leukemia patients, kidney impaired patients and pregnant women.

Methotrexate, similar to folic acid, an antimetabolite, is being used in the treatment of severe psoriasis. 

Ethylenediamine tetraaccetylimide: main usage is for the regular type, special type and mixed type of psorriasis during progression and remission stages. It is mostly used when flareups and failure of other drugs like methotrexate, formylmerphalan (Formylsarclysin), hydroxycarbamide, etc.

It is effective for the short term. Usually after using the drug after 3 to 4 weeks, it shows  marked improvement.

Dosage: oral application. For adult: 300 to 400 mg daily divided into 2 ~ 3 doses. Use after meals. Use daily or every other day. Thirty days is one therapy cycle.

bimolane (AT-1727)

Toxicity: During the seventies, bimolane (AT-1727) was used. Reports in China mentioned that it caused more than 200 deaths.

Bimolane is more effective than ethylenediamine tetraccetylimide in psoriasis therapy and it causes fewer side effects. It can be used in cases where steroids are ineffective and when combined with steroids it can improve effectiveness.

Dosage: for psoriasis therapy, take orally 200 mg each time, 3 times a day. Continue until symptoms subside  if no side effects are observed.

dithranol

Some commonly used brand names are: Drithocreme , Drithocreme HP ,

Dritho-Scalp , Micanol , Anthraforte 1 , Anthraforte 2 , Anthranol 0.1 ,

Anthranol 0.2 , Anthranol 0.4 , Anthrascalp.

For psoriasis, dithranol is usually made into ointment for topical application.

It is  used for mild to moderate cases of psoriasis and is usually more effective when combined with ultraviolet therapy.

Toxicity: Dithranol can cause tumors.

psoralen

Psoralen (補 骨 脂 素)  is an extract of the medicinal part of a Chinese herb, bu gu zhi (補 骨 脂), which is also known as po gu zi (破 故 子). It is being used for treatment of psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo. It is a modern version of an old Chinese herb.