Shufeng Qingjie Tang for TCM Treatment of Head and Facial Boils and Furuncles

Shufeng Qingjie Tang (Wind-Dispersing, Heat-Clearing Decoction) comes from TCM Waike Xinde Ji (Collected Reflections on TCM External Medicine) by contemporary TCM external-medicine expert Professor Zhao Shanghua. The formula consists of Jinyinhua (Flos Lonicerae) 30g, Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) 6g, Lianqiao (Fructus Forsythiae) 10g, Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) 10g, Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 10g, Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra) 10g, and Sheng Gancao (raw Radix Glycyrrhizae) 6g.

This formula clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind and invigorates blood; it is mainly used for red, swollen, hot, painful boils and furuncles on the head, neck, and face. This is an acute infectious disease with rapid onset, flaring up here and there, recurrent and lingering—such as hairline boils and facial acne—mostly in children or young adults. In addition, this formula may treat wind-heat toothache, though wind-heat toothache is mostly a complication of the above diseases.

In the formula, Jinyinhua clears heat and disperses wind; Fangfeng disperses wind and outthrusts pathogens; Lianqiao and Huanglian clear heat and detoxify; Danggui and Chishao invigorate and cool blood while also nourishing blood; Sheng Gancao both clears heat and detoxifies and harmonizes the other herbs. Combined, the herbs jointly achieve the effect of dispersing wind, clearing heat, invigorating blood, and dispersing pathogens.

Head, neck, and facial furuncles are most common in spring and summer and are generally caused by bacterial infection. Those on the head are mostly folliculitis; those on the face, acne; those on the gums, gingivitis—popularly called "shanghuo" (internal heat). Such disease easily recurs; Western medicine treats it mostly with metronidazole and similar drugs or topical folliculitis ointments.

But some sensitive patients always relapse after cure, and repeated metronidazole becomes less and less effective; overusing antibiotics also brings a series of side effects. So for these recurrent patients, Shufeng Qingjie Tang may be more suitable.

This formula also should not be taken long-term; its Huanglian is bitter and unpleasant, and prolonged use somewhat damages the intestinal flora. TCM also holds Huanglian bitter-cold, and prolonged use easily damages the spleen and stomach.

But such patients' head and neck furuncles recur especially easily; how can recurrence be prevented? The author suggests regularly brewing Jinyinhua tea or drinking water boiled with Jinyinhua teng (caulis lonicecae). Jinyinhua and its vine have few side effects and excellent heat-clearing, detoxifying effects. Jinyinhua lu (a distilled beverage) is also sold on the market and suits infants and children. But commercial Jinyinhua lu, to improve taste, is overly sugary; too much is not good, so when buying choose low-sugar or sugar-free versions.