Fujin Shengji San for Ulcerous Sores from the Yizong Jinjian

The Yizong Jinjian (Golden Mirror of the Medical Orthodoxy) contains an external formula called "Fujin Shengji San." Its composition is: Ercha (catechu), Ruxiang (Olibanum), Moyao (Myrrh), Xuejie (Draconis Sanguis), and Han Sanqi (Sedum Notoginseng), each 3 qian (9 g), Bingpian (Borneol) 1 qian (3 g), and Shexiang (Musk) 2 fen (0.6 g). Grind the above into a powder and sprinkle on the affected area twice daily.

If the ulcer oozes fluid, add Duan Longgu (calcined Dragon Bone) 1 qian (3 g). To speed closure of the ulcer, add Zhenzhu (Pearl) 1 liang (30 g) and Xiehuang (crab roe: steam crabs, remove the roe, sun-dry for use) 2 qian (6 g); or use 250 g of lard (strained of residue), add 30 g of Huangla (beeswax), melt, pour into a bowl, and when warm stir in the previous seven ingredients into an ointment and spread as a plaster on the affected area. If the ulcer results from trauma, double the dose of Han Sanqi. Note that the Han Sanqi in this formula is Sedum aizoon (jing-tian san-qi), not the standard Tian-san-qi (Pseudoginseng).

Fujin Shengji San removes necrotic tissue and generates flesh. It treats all kinds of carbuncles and sores that have ulcerated and will not close. In this formula, Ercha, Ruxiang, Moyao, and Xuejie are all blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs that activate blood, resolve stasis, remove necrotic tissue, and generate flesh; Han Sanqi stops bleeding and reduces swelling; Bingpian clears heat, resolves toxicity, reduces swelling, and relieves pain; Shexiang activates blood and unblocks the channels, reduces swelling and relieves pain; Zhenzhu promotes flesh generation; Xiehuang clears heat, resolves toxicity, activates blood, and reduces swelling; and Huangla and lard are both oily substances that moisturize the skin and generate flesh (modernly, Vaseline may replace the beeswax and lard).

This formula is among the safest of all TCM compound formulas for closing sores: it contains essentially no toxic herbs. Many similar TCM formulas use mercury or arsenic compounds that readily cause poisoning, but the herbs used here are very safe.

Many diseases involve ulcers that will not close—for example, post-traumatic infection, pressure sores, ecthyma (deep impetigo), toe gangrene (thromboangiitis obliterans), diabetic foot, and even malignant tumors growing on the body surface. "Fujin Shengji San" has a certain adjunctive effect on all such ulcerations: mild cases may be cured with this medicine, but severe cases (especially cancerous ulceration, such as ulcerated breast cancer or melanoma) respond poorly to this formula alone; such patients should adopt a comprehensive integrated Chinese-Western treatment plan.