Herpes Zoster ⁽⁶⁾

Herpes zoster (shingles) is a viral infectious disease caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (the same virus that caused chickenpox in our childhood), characterized by severe neuralgia and unilateral rash. It commonly affects middle-aged and elderly people over 50; by age 85, about half…

Recently, two relatives of mine who had been hepatitis-B virus carriers have both developed health problems. One was diagnosed with liver cancer; the other was found to have an elevated HBV viral load and to be showing clinical symptoms of hepatitis. Can HBV carriers develop…

Professor Li Zizhi, a disciple of Shi Jinmo and one of the founders of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, once used a heat-clearing and toxin-resolving method to treat a case of shingles. The case is as follows: Cui, a 65-year-old man, first visited on February…

Chonglou Jiedu Ding is a Chinese patent medicine—more precisely, it was originally a Miao ethnic medicine. It is a topical preparation used by the Miao people for herpes zoster, skin pruritus, insect-bite dermatitis, and epidemic parotitis. Because of its marked effect it was promoted and…

The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine published an empirical prescription for herpes zoster in 1985. Its composition: 5 parts of Haijinsha (spora lygodii) and 1 part of Qingdai (indigo naturalis). Mix and grind evenly, then blend with sesame oil into a thin paste and apply…

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Butantan Institute in Brazil recently issued a press release stating that a team participating in the institute studied a venomous spider from the coastal region of São Paulo State, Brazil. Within this spider's venom they discovered a polyamine substance…