An Umbilical-Therapy TCM Formula for Diarrhea Caused by Chemoradiotherapy or Targeted Therapy in Cancer Patients

This is an umbilical-therapy TCM formula, shared by a fellow leiomyosarcoma patient, for treating diarrhea caused by chemotherapy (chemo or targeted therapy). She herself is taking targeted drugs for her tumor, which caused side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. She found this formula herself, tried it, and obtained good results.

She is also one of my patients. She shared this formula with me, hoping I would apply it to other patients in the future and help more people.

Buguzhi (Psoralea), Roudoukou (nutmeg), and Wubeizi (gallnut), equal parts, ground into an extremely fine powder, sifted, and bottled for use.

Each time take 10 g of the powder, apply externally to the Shenque acupoint at the navel, secure with adhesive tape, and change every 24 hours until the diarrhea stops.

Chemotherapy, especially high-dose chemotherapy, often causes side effects such as mucositis and even bloody diarrhea; the longer the medication, the more obvious the side effects. These side effects are extremely stubborn, and some patients do not respond to repeated treatment.

In addition, radiotherapy causes radiation enteritis, which can also lead to intractable diarrhea and even bloody stool; one may try this method to stop diarrhea and bleeding.

Umbilical therapy does not use oral medication; it delivers medicine mainly through the navel. The effect is mild and lasting, with very little damage to the body—especially less damage to the patient's gastrointestinal tract. Compared with common methods such as taking decoctions or pills, it is more convenient and safe and is worth recommending. However, those with sensitive skin should take care when using umbilical therapy.

In this formula, Buguzhi (Psoralea) tonifies the kidney and strengthens yang, secures essence and reduces urination, warms the spleen and stops diarrhea, and absorbs qi to calm panting. It is commonly used for impotence and cold pain of the lower back and knees due to kidney-yang deficiency; for spermatorrhea, enuresis, and frequent urination due to insecure kidney deficiency; for diarrhea due to spleen-kidney yang deficiency; and for panting due to kidney deficiency. Applied externally it treats vitiligo and alopecia areata. Modern pharmacology has confirmed that Psoralea also raises white blood cells, enhances immunity, and has anti-tumor effects.

Roudoukou (nutmeg) is an important herb in TCM for treating deficient diarrhea, cold dysentery, cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen, and vomiting. Traditional TCM theory holds that nutmeg is pungent, warm, and bitter, so although it treats diarrhea, it is unsuitable for diarrhea caused by damp-heat; caution is therefore needed. The Bencao Tushu notes on nutmeg: those with perennial fire-heat in the large intestine, summer-heat diarrheas and sudden urgent purging, intestinal wind with bleeding, stomach-fire toothache, or abundant damp-heat accumulation, and those in the early onset of dysentery, should not take it.

Wubeizi (gallnut) is also an important herb for treating diarrhea. Gallnut is cold in nature and sour and astringent in taste; it astringes the lung and drains fire, secures the intestine and stops diarrhea, astringes sweat and stops bleeding, and drains dampness and settles sores. It mainly treats chronic cough due to lung deficiency, chronic diarrhea and dysentery, hematochezia and hemorrhoidal bleeding, carbuncles and sores, and moist ulcerated skin.

Modern pharmacology has confirmed that the tannic acid contained in gallnut precipitates protein. After contact with skin ulcers and human mucous membranes, tissue protein is coagulated, forming a protective film that astringes and stops diarrhea; at the same time, small blood vessels are compressed and contracted, promoting blood coagulation, so gallnut also has a hemostatic effect.

In addition, gallnut has antibacterial and antiviral effects, which is also one of the important reasons it can stop diarrhea.

These three herbs are all key medicines for treating diarrhea; combined, using cold and heat together, the composition is reasonable, so good clinical results are unsurprising.