Anti-Cancer Folk Formula ⁽¹⁵⁾

Huisheng Gao (Life-Returning Paste) comes from the Jiyan Liangfang (Effective Formulas Collected for Relief), compiled during the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty. Composition: Chuanbeimu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus) 8 liang, Mao'er Yanjingcao (Euphorbiae Helioscopiae Herba) 1 jin, Xiakucao (Prunellae Spica) 1 jin, and sesame oil…

In the Ming-dynasty physician Fang Guang's work Danxi Xin Fa Fu Yu (Supplement to the Core Traditions of Danxi), there is a formula called "Shenxian Duoming Dan" (Divine Life-Saving Pill). It consists of 13 wumei (smoked plums, soaked in water, pit removed), naosha (sal ammoniac)…

In the Qing dynasty physician Wu Jutong's Wenbing Tiaobian (Systematized Identification of Warm Diseases), there is a formula called “Huazheng Huisheng Dan” (Conglomeration-Transforming, Life-Reviving Pill). It is indicated for “dryness qi extending into the lower jiao, spreading into the blood portion and forming Zheng” —…

In his work Linzhen Yide Lu (Records of Clinical Experience, People's Medical Publishing House, 2006, 1st ed., p. 15), the senior physician Ling Yunpeng recorded a small empirical formula he used for a melanoma patient: Huangyaozi (Discorea bulbifera bulb), Xiakucao (Prunella spike), and Huainiuxi (Achyranthes…

Qiongyu Gao comes from the Hong Shi Jiyan Fang. The original formula is: Sino-Korean ginseng (Xinluo Renshen) twenty-four liang (750 g), raw rehmannia (Sheng Dihuang) sixteen jin (8 kg), white Poria (Bai Fuling) forty-nine liang (1.5 kg), and white crystallized honey (Baisha Mi) ten jin…

The day before yesterday, a fellow townsman from Hubei sent me some photos of herbs and asked me to help identify them. After careful identification, I believe the photos she sent are of Tiankui (Semiaquilegia adoxoides). (After this article was published, a reader pointed out…

Gexia Zhuyu Tang (Blood-Stasis-Dispersing Decoction from Below the Diaphragm) comes from Wang Qingren's Yilin Gaicuo (Correction of Errors in Medical Works) of the Qing dynasty. In Yilin Gaicuo, Wang Qingren defined the indications of Gexia Zhuyu Decoction as: abdominal masses, pediatric pi masses, pain at…

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, or taking anticancer Chinese herbs or patent medicines, often develop liver-function impairment. In clinical practice, veteran physician Liu Yaxian developed an empirical formula for repairing liver function, which he named Jia Yi Jian. Jia Yi Jian is composed as follows: Yinchen…

After radiotherapy, cancer patients often develop complications such as radiation enteritis. It is very stubborn and hard to treat: patients have chronic diarrhea and bloody stool, and some become severely anemic from long-term bleeding, requiring regular transfusions. TCM treatment of radiation enteritis is also tricky.

"Xiangbei Yangrong Tang" comes from the Yizong Jinjian (Golden Mirror of the Medical Lineage), and "Herong Sanjian Wan" comes from the Waike Zhengzong (Orthodox Manual of External Medicine). Both are classic famous formulas of TCM external medicine. The reason I introduce these two formulas together…