Qing Huang Powder for TCM Treatment of Leukemia
A powder composed mainly of indigo naturalis (qingdai) and realgar (xionghuang) is called Qing Huang Powder. The ratio of indigo naturalis to realgar varies—there are versions at 9:1, 8:2 and 7:3. Qing Huang Powder is the dedicated TCM formula for treating leukemia; a large number of papers on Qing Huang Powder treating leukemia can be found on CNKI.
When the veteran TCM physician Zhou Aixiang used indigo-realgar powder to treat leukemia, he would, according to the patient's condition, prepare the powder in capsules with indigo naturalis and realgar in the above three ratios, for the patient to take. According to reports, Zhou Aixiang's research group used Qing Huang Powder to treat leukemia and achieved a remission rate (not a cure rate) of up to 100%; some patients' symptoms were relieved, and some achieved long-term survival. This project also won the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Achievements of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in 1980.
Because realgar has relatively severe side effects while indigo naturalis has far milder ones, the amount of indigo naturalis in Qing Huang Powder is much larger than that of realgar. For patients with stronger tolerance, realgar may be used in a moderately larger amount; for patients with weaker tolerance, the dose of realgar should be smaller.
The usual adult daily dose of Qing Huang Powder is generally 6–12 grams, divided into three doses taken with or after meals. Qing Huang Powder has some irritant effect on the digestive tract and can easily cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even blood in the stool. In clinical use, patients' reactions to the medication should be closely monitored, and the dosage adjusted at any time according to the response, together with the appropriate decocted formula or other patent medicines.
Some physicians add other herbs beyond indigo naturalis and realgar—such as carbonized human hair (xueyu tan) and Ampelopsis (baiji)—into the powder, to strengthen Qing Huang Powder's efficacy against leukemia. Some veteran TCM physicians also add herbs that resolve the toxic side effects of realgar (such as Saposhnikovia, fangfeng) into Qing Huang Powder, making a powder to treat leukemia.
Both the indigo naturalis and the realgar in Qing Huang Powder have been confirmed by modern pharmacological experiments to be effective against leukemia. Indirubin, contained in indigo naturalis, and arsenic, contained in realgar, are the main active components of Qing Huang Powder against leukemia, but both have certain toxicity—especially realgar, which taken in excess or over a long period can cause acute or chronic arsenic poisoning.
A detailed introduction to the anticancer and anti-leukemic effects of indigo naturalis can be found in my article The Anticancer Effects and Side Effects of the Chinese Herb Indigo Naturalis (Qingdai), and a detailed introduction to the anticancer and anti-leukemic effects of realgar can be found in my article The Anticancer and Anti-Leukemic Effects of Realgar (Xionghuang); this article will not repeat the effects and side effects of these two herbs.
Qing Huang Powder is effective not only against leukemia but also against malignant lymphoma, malignant melanoma, lung cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer and many other tumors, though it is used most for leukemia.
Qing Huang Powder is cheap but highly toxic; it has certain side effects on the liver, kidneys, digestive system, nervous system and hematopoietic system, and can easily cause death. Patients using this medicine on their own must be extremely cautious; it is best used under the guidance of an experienced physician. If side effects appear, report them to the physician immediately and ask for help in handling them.