Four Commonly Used Patent Medicines for Mammary Hyperplasia (Breast Nodules)
Most mammary hyperplasia and nodules are benign, but in an age where cancer frightens everyone, benign breast hyperplasia and nodules still make many women anxious. This article introduces four commonly used Chinese patent medicines for mammary hyperplasia (breast nodules), for readers' reference.
Runing Keli (Mammary-Ning Granules)
Runing Keli is composed of Chaihu, Danggui, vinegar-processed Xiangfu, Danshen, Chishao, Wangbuliuxing (Vaccariae Semen), Qingpi, Chenpi, Chao Baishao, Fuling, and Bohe (Menthae Herba). It is a light yellow to yellow-brown granule, sweet and slightly bitter.
Runing Keli soothes the liver and nourishes blood, moves qi and resolves stagnation. It is indicated for breast nodules (ru pi) due to liver-qi stagnation, presenting as premenstrual breast distending pain, pain in both hypochondria, breast nodules, and worsening premenstrual pain; mammary hyperplasia showing the above pattern. Usage and dosage follow the package insert.
Rujiling Keli (Breast-Disease-Effective Granules)
Rujiling Keli is composed of Chaihu, Xiangfu (vinegar-processed), Qingpi, Chishao, Danshen, Wangbuliuxing (fried), Jixueteng (Spatholobi Caulis), Muli (Ostreae Concha), Haizao (Sargassum), Kunbu (Eckloniae), Yinyanghuo (Epimedii Herba), and Tusizi (Cuscutae Semen). It is a yellow-brown or brown granule, bitter and slightly sweet.
Rujiling Keli mainly soothes the liver and activates blood, resolves phlegm and softens hard masses. It is indicated for breast nodules due to liver-qi stagnation and interbinding of phlegm and stasis, presenting as breast lumps or nodules of varying number and size, soft or moderately hard, or premenstrual pain; mammary hyperplasia showing the above pattern. Usage and dosage follow the package insert.
Rukuai Xia Pian / Jiaonang (Breast-Lump-Removing Tablets/Capsules)
Rukuai Xia Pian (Jiaonang) is composed of Juye (Citri Reticulatae Folium), Danshen, Zaojiaoci (Gleditsiae Spina), Wangbuliuxing, Chuanlianzi, and Dilong. It is a sugar-coated or film-coated tablet; the contents are brown to brown-brown granules.
Rukuai Xia Pian soothes the liver and moves qi, activates blood and resolves stasis, and dissipates breast lumps. It is indicated for liver-qi stagnation, qi stagnation and blood stasis, mammary hyperplasia, and breast distending pain. Usage and dosage follow the package insert.
Rupixiao Pian / Jiaonang / Keli (Nodule-Dissolving Tablets/Capsules/Granules)
Rupixiao Pian is composed of Lujiao (Cervi Cornu), Pugongying (Taraxaci Herba), Kunbu, Tianhuafen, Jixueteng, Sanqi, Chishao, Haizao, Lulu (Rhapontici Radix), Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Xuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix), Mudanpi, Xiakucao, Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus), and Honghua. It comes as a sugar- or film-coated tablet, capsule, or granule.
Rupixiao Pian softens and dissipates nodules, activates blood and dissipates abscess, and clears heat and resolves toxin. It is indicated for breast nodules and breast abscess due to interbinding of phlegm and heat, presenting as breast nodules of varying number, size, and shape, soft in texture, or postpartum breast masses with redness, heat, and pain; mammary hyperplasia and early mastitis showing the above pattern. Usage and dosage follow the package insert.
All four patent medicines above treat mammary hyperplasia and breast nodules. Runing Keli and Rujiling Keli are somewhat similar: both are modifications of Chaihu Shugan San, mainly soothes the liver and resolves stagnation, assisted by mass-dissipating and blood-activating herbs, balancing pattern and disease treatment. They suit emotionally depressed women with strong premenstrual symptoms.
Rukuai Xia, although it contains Juye and Chuanlianzi, which somewhat soothe liver qi, is less powerful at soothing the liver and resolving stagnation than Runing and Rujiling; Juye and Chuanlianzi focus more on pain relief, while Zaojiaoci, Wangbuliuxing, Danshen, and Dilong activate blood and reduce swelling. It therefore suits blood-stasis-type breast nodules and may also relieve dysmenorrhea.
Rupixiao Pian uses not only blood-activating, swelling-reducing herbs like Sanqi, Chishao, Honghua, and Mudanpi, and qi-moving, nodule-dissolving Muxiang, but also heat-clearing, toxin-resolving, abscess-dissolving herbs such as Tianhuafen, Pugongying, Lulu, Xiakucao, and Lianqiao. In addition, the Lujiao in Rupixiao also regulates sex hormones. The formula is thus fairly comprehensive, and Rupixiao is currently the most widely used patent medicine for mammary hyperplasia.
Many patients do poorly on one medicine alone; you may try combining two or more of these to enhance effect. These four may also relieve corresponding symptoms and suffering in breast-cancer patients. But their effect against breast cancer is weak; in breast-cancer patients they should only be used as adjuncts, alongside comprehensive anti-cancer treatment.