Insights and Updates

Among Professor Yin Huihe's self-composed empirical formulas is "Qingli Changdao Fang" (Intestine-Clearing Formula), designed specifically for treating patients with diarrhea and unpleasant, sticky stool. It can be widely used in treating inflammatory bowel diseases and may also serve as an adjuvant formula for patients with…

Professor Hu Xishu wrote a short essay titled "On Formula Patterns." The essay is concise and to the point, and captures the crux of TCM clinical practice. Old Master Hu said: "In TCM pattern differentiation, we do not differentiate only the six meridians and eight…

After the Start of Autumn (Li Qiu), Beijing has become cooler day by day, especially after several heavy rains. Because of the pandemic and to reduce waste, my study was, for a while, lent to a friend; a few days ago that friend left for…

The Chinese herb Tenghuang (gamboge) is the resin of Garcinia hanburyi of the Clusiaceae family. This herb is uncommon; most pharmacies and hospital dispensaries do not stock it. Because gamboge is highly toxic, the lethal dose of raw (unprocessed) gamboge is very low. The Regulations…

Summer is the season to sweat, yet many people hide in air-conditioned rooms or blow fans day and night, unwilling to shed a single drop. As a result, all sorts of problems arise: arthritis, eczema, rhinitis, frozen shoulder, frequent urination, unexplained headaches, and aversion to…

Professor Yin Huihe had many empirical formulas; "Qingjie Biaore Fang" (Formula to Clear and Release Exterior Heat) is one of them. It was Old Master Yin's common formula for externally contracted wind-heat cold with cough and sore throat, and is suitable for patients with upper…

A few days ago, one of my gastric cancer patients referred me to the mother of a patient with advanced intestinal cancer. After reading this patient's medical record, I felt deep sorrow. She was a 19-year-old girl who, at such a young age, had already…

In 1974, Professor Zhang Mengnong, a renowned veteran TCM physician from Hubei Province, published a case report on using white goose blood (or white duck blood as a substitute if goose blood is unavailable) to treat gastric and esophageal cancer. Since then, other TCM physicians…

Liuwei Dihuang Wan is a patent medicine known to most ordinary Chinese people; everyone knows it is a good kidney-tonifying medicine. But in fact there are dozens of Dihuang-series patent medicines; the ten most commonly used share the same base formula, and by adding one…

Unless there is an unavoidable emergency requiring a decoction, I myself would not advise cancer patients to take decoctions during the Sanfu (dog) days. The Sanfu period is truly the hardest stretch of the year; many weak elderly patients, even without major disease, easily die…