“Xiaozhong Zhitong Powder,” an External Formula from the Quanyang Daquan
Xiaozhong Zhitong Powder (Swelling-Reducing, Pain-Stopping Powder) appears in volume 8 of the Quanyang Daquan, written by the Qing physician Gu Shicheng. Its composition is: cottonrose hibiscus leaf (Furong Ye) 1 liang (30 g); aged wheat powder (Chen Xiaofen) 1 liang 5 qian (45 g); gall nut (Wubeizi), raw Arisaema (Sheng Tiannanxing), raw Pinellia (Sheng Banxia), and raw Aconitum (Sheng Caowu), each 3 qian (9 g).
To use, grind all the herbs to a fine powder and mix with vinegar to apply to the affected area. Xiaozhong Zhitong Powder addresses early-stage welling-abscesses and cellulitis (yong ju) with swelling and pain. One may also use a blank plaster patch (available online), spreading the herbal paste onto the center of the patch and applying it externally to the affected area.
The herbs in this formula are hard to obtain: raw Arisaema, raw Pinellia, and raw Aconitum are all toxic and are generally not sold in pharmacies; they must be self-collected or bought from herb farmers.
In this formula, gall nut, raw Arisaema, raw Pinellia, and raw Aconitum all reduce swelling, stop pain, inhibit tumors, and suppress bacteria. So this external formula works not only for skin infections and cellulitis, but also exerts some inhibitory effect on palpable surface malignancies, while relieving pain and improving the quality of life of terminal patients.
If the raw forms of Arisaema, Pinellia, and Aconitum cannot be obtained, the prepared versions sold in pharmacies may be substituted, though they are less effective. The raw forms, however, are quite toxic and are controlled substances; use them with care. They are for external use only, not internal. When applying externally, do not use directly on broken skin, and those who develop a strong allergic reaction after use should stop.
The cottonrose hibiscus leaf in this formula is the leaf of Hibiscus mutabilis (family Malvaceae), not lotus leaf; fresh leaves work better externally, but the dose should then be doubled. TCM holds that hibiscus leaf cools blood, reduces swelling, discharges pus, and stops pain. Modern pharmacological studies show hibiscus leaf has good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and can treat lung-heat cough, hypertrophic rhinitis, lymphadenitis, appendicitis, welling-abscesses and boils, acute otitis media, and burns and scalds.
The aged wheat powder (Chen Xiaofen) in this formula astringes dampness and contracts sores, and is clinically used to reduce inflammation and discharge pus from ulcers. Its raw material is wheat flour; the ancient method was to take two or three jin of wheat flour, knead it into dough with warm water, put it in a coarse cloth bag, and add water while kneading until the starch seeped through the cloth pores and the gluten remained inside. The resulting powder was then stir-fried yellow to make Chen Xiaofen. What this filtration yields is essentially wheat starch; today one can simply stir-fry medical starch yellow to make it.