Guilu Erxian Gao: A Famous TCM Blood-Nourishing Formula
Many cancer patients have serious anemia problems. On the one hand, tumors easily consume the body's qi and blood; on the other, commonly used cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy also easily damage qi and blood. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy readily cause bone marrow suppression, leading to anemia in cancer patients.
There are many Chinese patent medicines that nourish blood. This article introduces a famous TCM blood-nourishing formula, "Guilu Erxian Jiao." The Guilu Erxian Gao sold in pharmacies is the same prescription as Guilu Erxian Jiao, with equal efficacy; only the dosage form differs.
Guilu Erxian Gao is a blood-nourishing formula from "Yi Bian" (Medical Conveniences), compiled by the Ming-dynasty TCM physician Wang Sancai. It consists of four herbs: Lujiao (deer antler), Guiban (turtle shell), Renshen (ginseng) and Gouqizi (wolfberry fruit). Take 5000 g of deer antler, 2500 g of turtle shell, 450 g of ginseng and 900 g of wolfberry, repeatedly decoct and condense into an extract according to the method for preparing paste, then store sealed. When using, take an appropriate amount and dissolve it in boiling water.
Guilu Erxian Gao belongs to the strongly tonifying formulas. Traditional TCM holds that this prescription tonifies the kidney and strengthens yang, nourishes yin and fills essence. It can be used for patients with severe deficiency and damage, presenting with aching and weakness of the waist and knees, emaciated body, dim-sighted eyes, falling hair and loose teeth, impotence and seminal emission, infertility, and metrorrhagia in young women, with a pale tongue and weak, faint pulse.
Today it is more often used to treat severe anemia, aplastic anemia, myasthenia gravis, infertility and sterility, male sexual function decline, metrorrhagia in adolescent women, syringomyelia, and primary hypotension—diseases occurring in patients with weak constitutions.
Guilu Erxian Gao is also commonly used for patients with severe anemia after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, with low white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Cancer patients who, after chemotherapy, present with pale or sallow complexion, bodily weakness and fatigue, aching of the lower back, severe hair loss, and dim vision can use Guilu Erxian Gao to nourish blood. Guilu Erxian Gao is a blood-nourishing medicine of medium-to-high price. There are many blood-nourishing patent medicines, and patients may choose whether to use Guilu Erxian Gao according to their economic situation.