Xiaotong Wan for Anti-Cancer Pain Relief

The "Yifang Leiju" (A Compendium of Medical Formulas) records a formula named "Xiaotong Wan" from the "Xian Chuan Jiyin Fang" (Immortal Transmission Gynecologic Formulas). Its composition is: Ganqi (Dried Lacquer) 5 qian (15g), Gaoliangjiang (Lesser Galangal) 1 liang (30g), Sanleng (Bur-Reed Rhizome) 5 qian (15g), Banmao (Mylabris) 3 pieces (stir-fried). Add 300 ml of vinegar to the above herbs, boil until dry, roast, and grind to powder; make pills with a vinegar paste.

The usage is 30 pills each time, twice daily, taken with vinegar water or ginger water. This formula warms the middle and dispels stasis. It treats women with cold stasis lodged internally, causing constant abdominal pain that shifts up and down and fails to resolve for years. The Ganqi, Gaoliangjiang, and Sanleng used in this formula all relieve pain; Ganqi, Sanleng, and Banmao also break blood and disperse accumulation. Modern pharmacological studies show that Ganqi, Sanleng, and Banmao all have anti-tumor effects.

But Banmao is highly toxic, and careless use may kill the patient. Therefore, when using this formula it is best to replace Banmao with norcantharidin tablets. Norcantharidin tablets have the same anti-cancer and pain-relieving action as Banmao, but with far fewer side effects. The dosage and usage of norcantharidin may follow the package insert.

The Ganqi in this formula is also somewhat toxic and, like Banmao, is not easy to obtain; however, the anti-cancer Chinese patent medicine Pingxiao Pian (Pingxiao Tablets, or Pingxiao Capsules) contains Ganqi. When I need Ganqi for anti-cancer purposes, I generally use Pingxiao Tablets (or Capsules) as a substitute.

Thus this formula may be modified by making pills from Gaoliangjiang and Sanleng alone, while concurrently using norcantharidin tablets and Pingxiao Tablets (or Capsules). Besides treating benign and malignant gynecologic tumors, this formula can also treat common cancers such as gastric cancer and lung cancer. But the effective rate of these anti-cancer Chinese medicines is not high, so patients must undergo regular follow-up examinations during treatment to observe efficacy. If the effect is poor, the regimen should be changed promptly, so as not to waste too much time and miss the therapeutic window.