"Huadu Yin" (Toxin-Transforming Drink) That Cools Blood, Purged Fire, Reduces Swelling and Stops Pain

In Dantai Yuzan (Jade Box from the Cinnabar Platform) there is a formula called "Huadu Yin" (Toxin-Transforming Drink), composed as follows: Radix Paeoniae Rubra (chishao), Radix Angelicae Sinensis (danggui), Radix Glycyrrhizae (gancao), and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (dahuang), each 8 fen (2.4 g). Decoct in water, strain out the dregs, and take warm at any time, three times a day, one dose each time.

This formula has the actions of cooling blood and purging fire, reducing swelling and stopping pain. It is indicated for heat-toxin in the blood system that flares as huodan (fiery cinnabar), with red swelling all over the body. Huodan, also called erysipelas, is a bacterial infectious disease caused mainly by hemolytic streptococcus. The disease chiefly invades the reticular lymphatics within the skin or mucous membranes, and clinically presents as an acute infection that does not suppurate. Chinese medicine, according to the location of outbreak, divides it into boutou huodan (fiery cinnabar attacking the head and face), neifa dandu (internal erysipelas of the chest, abdomen, waist and hypochondrium), liuhuo (flowing fire on the lower limbs); in newborns it is called chi you dandu (wandering red cinnabar).

This disease has an abrupt onset. Before onset the patient has mild chills or body pain, followed by fever and chills, the skin feeling hot and tender, swollen and red, as if coated with a layer of red cinnabar ointment—hence the name erysipelas. The lesion has a clearly demarcated border and usually does not suppurate. Because children are less attentive to hygiene, they are a high-risk group for erysipelas, which tends to recur, and affected children are prone to constipation. Microorganisms in the air are active in spring and summer, so erysipelas is most common in these two seasons.

Modern medicine treats erysipelas mainly with anti-infective drugs, generally erythromycin and co-trimoxazole; patients with fever and pain may also take antipyretic analgesics orally. Chinese medicine treats erysipelas following the approach of clearing heat and cooling blood, reducing swelling and stopping pain.

In Huadu Yin, Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Angelicae Sinensis cool blood, invigorate blood and stop pain; Radix Glycyrrhizae (raw Gancao must be used, not honey-fried Gancao) clears heat and resolves toxin; Radix et Rhizoma Rhei purges heat and cools blood. Thus the four herbs together produce the effect of cooling blood and purging fire, reducing swelling and stopping pain.

Erysipelas usually progresses rapidly and the condition looks quite dramatic. A child with erysipelas cries out in pain, with a dry mouth and parched throat, eating and sleep both affected and difficult to soothe. The medication can be given more frequently, and it may be combined with the topical Chonglou Jiedu Tincture (Paris Toxin-Resolving Tincture).