Professor Yin Huihe's Empirical Formula for Hyperplastic Diseases: Shugan Sanjie Fang

Professor Yin Huihe developed an empirical formula specifically for various hyperplastic diseases, called "Shugan Sanjie Fang" (Liver-Soothing Nodule-Scattering Formula), which has shown good clinical efficacy in treating hyperplastic diseases of internal medicine, surgery and gynecology.

Old Yin's formula uses Danshen, Chishao and Sheng Muli to invigorate blood and unblock collaterals; Chaihu to soothe the liver and resolve depression, and harmonize and release evil; Haizao, Kunbu and Xiakucao to clear heat, resolve phlegm, scatter nodulation and dissipate goiter; Xuanshen, Haipaoshi and Sheng Muli to drain phlegm and scatter nodulation. For prostatic hyperplasia, add Huai Niuxi and Dongkuizi; for mammary hyperplasia, add Pugongying and Juye, and in severe cases add Sanleng, Ezhu and Shan Jiazhu; for thyroid adenoma, add Sheng Yiyiren, Shancigu, Shan Jiazhu, Baijiezi and Huangyaozi; for chronic lymph node enlargement, add Lianqiao, Sheng Yiyiren, Zaojiaoci, Duan Longgu, Maozhuaocao and Shan Jiazhu; for bony hyperplasia, remove Kunbu, Haizao, Xuanshen and Chuanbeimu, and add Weilingxian, Mugua, Tougucao, Shanzha and Luxiancao; for cervical hyperplasia, add Gegen; for lumbar hyperplasia, add Duhuo; for severe pain, add Zhi Maqianzi.

Old Yin's formula is in fact a modification of "Xiaoluo Wan," the famous formula of the Qing-dynasty physician Cheng Guopeng (from Cheng's "Yixue Xinwu"). Xiaoluo Wan is a classical external-medicine formula; the original has only three herbs: Xuanshen, Beimu and Muli. Later people added all sorts of herbs on its basis, evolving it into various tumor-scattering and nodule-dispersing formulas. The most common additions are Haizao, Kunbu, Sanleng, Ezhu and Xiakucao; modern people often use this as the base formula for various benign and malignant tumors.

Old Yin's cleverness was adding the single herb Chaihu to soothe the liver and resolve depression, thus turning this nodule-scattering formula into a liver-soothing, nodule-scattering formula. Most patients with various hyperplastic diseases have emotional depression, so adding Chaihu is indeed a targeted approach. Moreover, the "Shennong Bencao Jing" records that Chaihu indeed has the action of breaking concretions and accumulations, and removing putridity to generate new tissue.

The Shan Jiazhu in this formula is pangolin scales, now banned. Pangolins are listed as an endangered species; TCM physicians should conscientiously abide by the law and protect biodiversity. In my own experience, for treating various benign and malignant hyperplastic diseases, substituting Wugong, Quanxie, Bihu and Sanqi for pangolin scales works even better.

Zaojiaoci in the formula has the side effect of hemolysis and must be used cautiously; patients with low platelets and poor coagulation should not abuse it, lest a medical accident occur. Shancigu and Huangyaozi have some toxicity, but as long as dosage is controlled, the toxic side effects are not too great. If, in pursuit of rapid efficacy, one abuses large doses of Huangyaozi and Shancigu, one easily causes liver and kidney damage. The author once saw a patient taking 30 g of Huangyaozi daily who developed acute liver damage in less than a week, to the point of life-threatening danger. So it should be used under the guidance of an experienced TCM physician.

Old Yin's empirical formula is mostly used for benign tumors; the case records he left mainly treat mammary hyperplasia, thyroid adenoma, bony hyperplasia and uterine fibroids. But this formula can actually also be used for malignant tumors; when treating malignant tumors, anticancer and detumescence herbs such as Banzhilian, Baihuasheshecao, Shandougen, Chonglou and Lulu should be added on this basis.

Old Yin once treated a patient with mammary hyperplasia: Chaihu 10 g, Danshen 30 g, Chishao 30 g, Pugongying 30 g, Sheng Muli 60 g (decoct first), Haizao 10 g, Kunbu 10 g, Xuanshen 10 g, Chuanbeimu 10 g, Shan Jiazhu 10 g, Xiakucao 15 g, Juye 15 g, Haipaoshi 15 g (decoct first). Twenty-one doses in all cured the patient's mammary hyperplasia.

He also treated a thyroid adenoma patient: Danshen 30 g, Chishao 30 g, Sheng Yiyiren 30 g, Chaihu 10 g, Haizao 10 g, Kunbu 10 g, Banxia 10 g, Shancigu 10 g, Huangyaozi 10 g, Xiakucao 15 g, Haipaoshi 15 g (decoct first), Chuanbeimu 15 g, Baijiezi 3 g, Xuanshen 12 g. After 50 doses, the thyroid adenoma disappeared.

He also treated a uterine fibroid patient: Chaihu 10 g, Danshen 30 g, Chishao 30 g, Yimucao 30 g, Banzhilian 30 g, Sheng Muli 60 g (decoct first), Xiakucao 15 g, Haizao 10 g, Kunbu 10 g, Danggui 10 g, Taoren 10 g, Qingpi 10 g, Huangyaozi 10 g. After more than three months of medication, the uterine fibroid disappeared.

From Old Yin's three cases, we can roughly see his usual dosages. Here, Huangyaozi and Shancigu are used in small amounts because they are highly toxic and cause significant side effects with long-term use.

Both Zhang Xichun and Men Chunde modified Cheng Guopeng's Xiaoluo Tang by adding relevant herbs to form their own empirical formulas for benign and malignant tumors: Zhang Xichun added Sanleng, Ezhu, Haizao, Kunbu, and so on; Men Chunde, on Zhang Xichun's basis, added Liangtoujian and others. Professor Men Chunde recorded cases of using modified Xiaoluo Tang to treat malignant tumors, including cures; for reasons of space this article does not reprint his cases.

Cheng Guopeng's Xiaoluo Tang, through continuous improvement by successive physicians, has become a famous antitumor formula. Old Yin's addition of Chaihu is not seen in earlier works and is his own original touch, well worth learning from.