Xiaotong Wan for Gynecological Tumors (Such as Ovarian Cancer)

In the Yifang Leiju (Collection of Medical Formulas) there is a formula quoted from the Xianchuan Jiyin Fang (Immortal-Transmitted Formulas for Women) called Xiaotong Wan (Pain-Eliminating Pill). The formula consists of 5 qian (15 g) of dried lacquer (Ganqi), 1 liang (30 g) of galangal (Gaoliangjiang), 5 qian (15 g) of burreed tuber (Sanleng), and 3 blister beetles (Banmao, stir-fried). When using it, add 300 ml of vinegar to the above medicines, boil dry, toast, and powder, then make pills with a vinegar paste. Take 30 pills each time, twice daily, washed down with vinegar water or ginger decoction.

This formula has the action of warming the middle, dispelling stasis, and stopping pain. It treats women with internal retention of cold-stasis, constant abdominal pain that moves up and down and has lasted for years without healing. Judging from the medicinal composition and the action of this formula, it is a formula for treating ovarian tumors.

However, as for the blister beetle (Banmao) in this formula, the author advises removing it and not using it, and instead having the patient switch to the proprietary medicine norcantharidin tablets. This is because the toxicity of blister beetle lies chiefly in cantharidin, and the damage cantharidin does to the human body is irreversible. The proprietary norcantharidin tablets remove the most toxic component of blister beetle—cantharidin—while retaining blister beetle's functions of breaking blood and dispelling stasis, dispersing accumulations and concretions, attacking toxin and eroding sores, and fighting cancer and dispersing swelling, greatly improving the safety of medication.

Blister beetle is highly toxic, and using it directly easily causes medical accidents; reports of patients dying after taking blister beetle are not uncommon. From the standpoints of both the physician's professional safety and the patient's personal safety, one should as far as possible switch to norcantharidin tablets. The dosage of norcantharidin tablets may follow the dose on the package insert.

The Ganqi, Gaoliangjiang, Sanleng, and other ingredients in the formula are all of relatively low toxicity and can be prepared according to the original formula. Ganqi, Sanleng, and Banmao are all commonly used Chinese medicinals for fighting cancer and dispersing swelling; Gaoliangjiang has the actions of warming the stomach and stopping vomiting, and dispelling cold to relieve pain. So this formula, while fighting cancer, also relieves pain. However, Xiaotong Wan is not produced by any proprietary medicine manufacturer, so if patients want to use it they must prepare it themselves.