symptom of frequent and unsmooth urination.
Huang qi, bu gu zhi, fu ling, chai hu, and dang shen all tonify the spleen qi to lift the yang. Since part of the diagnosis is sinking spleen qi leading to dampness pouring down, this part of the formula begins to address a main aspect of injury. Yi zhi ren also helps to lift the yang and treats a primary symptom, frequent urination. It is astringent and helps to regulate and hold in the urine. Fu ling, yi ren, yin chen hao, qu mai, and hai jin sha all drain dampness. Fu ling, yin chen hao, and yi ren all have antineoplastic properties, as well. Hai jin sha enters the small intestine and bladder channels and helps to regulate urination. Yu jin, san leng, ba yue zha and dan shen are all blood-regulating herbs that help to eliminate blood stasis, a component of the cancerisation process. Ba yue zha, dong ling cao, fu ling, yi ren, yin chen hao, huang qi, bu gu zhi are all antineoplastic in various ways. Ze xie, mu dan pi, and sheng di clear heat and yu zhu and yin yang huo help to protect the yin in a clear heat and drain dampness formula. Chai hu not only lifts the yang qi but also circulates the liver qi. In fact, elements of Bu zhong yi qi tang are in this formula.
The patient continued on this formula for 4 months while he interviewed various practitioners regarding options and their expertise in those options. He decided that radiation was not a comfortable treatment form to him because of the toxicity of radiation. He was very sensitive to the possible ongoing effects of radiation and opted for a radical prostatectomy.
He was given the following formula post- surgery at 6 g three times daily:
zhi huang qi (Astragali Radix; 20 g
Astragalus membranaceus)
dang gui (Angelicae sinensis Radix; 15 g
Angelica sinensis)
jin yin hua (Lonicerae Flos; Lonicera 15 g flowers)
mu dan pi (Moutan Cortex; Paeonia 10 g
suffruticosa root cortex)
lian qiao (Forsythiae fructus; 15 g
Forsythia)
zao jiao ci (Gleditsiae Spina; 15 g
Gleditsia spines)
dang shen (Codonopsis Radix; 20 g
Codonopsis pilosula root)
nu zhen zi (Ligustri lucidi Fructus; 20 g
Ligustrum lucidum fruit)
zhu ling (Polyporus; Polyporus – 15 g
Grifola)
tai zi shen (Pseudostellariae Radix; 15 g
Pseudostellaria heterophylla)
tian dong (Asparagi Radix; 15 g
Asparagus)
xian he cao (Agrimoniae Herba; 15 g
Agrimonia pilosa var. japonica;
agrimony)
dong ling cao (Rabdosiae rubescentis 20 g Herba; Rabdosia)
Fried (zhi) huang qi and dang gui make up Dang gui bu xue tang. They work together to heal wounds and replenish blood lost in surgery. Jin yin hua, mu dan pi and lian qiao all clear heat to reduce inflammation and help to promote healing and establish normal function. Zao jiao ci also reduces inflammation and helps to prevent infection along with the clear-heat herbs. Ziao jiao ci is a warming herb whereas the heat-clearing herbs are cooling or cold. It helps to protect a deficient spleen, which is part of the underlying diagnosis for this patient. Dang shen and nu zhen zi are an excellent combination to increase WBC and RBC counts. They are synergistic in this respect.
Zhu ling is antineoplastic and also drains damp. Draining damp helps to reduce inflammation and swelling from the surgical trauma. Zhu ling also increases the WBC count and increases
phagocytosis to prevent infection. It is mildly analgesic. Tai zi shen and tian dong benefit fluids. Tai zi shen tonifies the qi of the spleen; tian dong nourishes the yin. Xian he cao stops bleeding and is also antineoplastic. Dong ling cao is a primary antineoplastic herb against prostate cancer.
The surgery went well and resulted in the best possible prognosis. There were no surprises or complications. Post-surgery there was hematuria and incontinence. His sleep was normal, stools were regular and formed, there was no pain. The pulse was a spleen sho or moderate. The tongue was slightly dark in the center area, reddish body, with right vein distention that was moderate. Over the next months, the patient remained on
modifications of this formula. The xian he cao was removed because the bleeding stopped early on. Then the heat-clearing herbs were eliminated. The tongue was then slightly pale with a thin white coat. The pulse was a spleen sho with deficient kidney pulses on both sides. Incontinence and erectile dysfunction persisted. The patient wore Attends incontinence products, first six per day and then three per day and finally none. The erectile function was slower to return, but in 1 year had returned to normal function.
At 6 months post-surgery, the following formula was given at 6 g three times daily:
You gui wan 150 g47
Add:
zhu ling (Polyporus; Polyporus – 50 g
Grifola)
san qi (Notoginseng Radix; Panax 15 g
notoginseng)
huang qi (Astragali Radix; 40 g
Astragalus membranaceus)
tai zi shen (Pseudostellariae Radix; 40 g
Pseudostellaria heterophylla)
gua lou ren (Trichosanthis Semen; 40 g
Trichosanthes seed)
yi ren (Coicis Semen; Coix 40 g
lacryma-jobi )
shan ci gu* (Cremastrae/Pleiones 25 g Pseudobulbus; Cremastra/Pleione
pseudobulbs)
chong lou (Paridis Rhizoma; Paris) 25 g bai shao (Paeoniae Radix alba; 30 g
Paeonia lactiflora root)
bai hua she she cao (Hedyotis 50 g diffusae Herba; Oldenlandia)
There are many antineoplastic herbs in this formula, which is meant to treat erectile dysfunction and to prevent recurrence. You gui
wan treats kidney yang deficiency with insufficient fire at the gate of vitality. Kidney yang warms the lower burner, is the primary motivator in the functional transformation of water, including urination and testosterone. The fire of kidney yang is partially responsible for erection. This formula is essentially Liu wei di huang wan plus fu zi (Aconiti Radix preparata; Aconitum carmichaelii) and gui zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus; Cinnamomum cassia branches), two warming herbs that draw the fire back to the kidneys.
Several of the herbs in the formula are antineoplastic in order to prevent recurrence. The first 2 years post-treatment are usually the most critical in terms of recurrence. It is best to
convince patients to continue treatment to prevent recurrence. This includes persisting in dietary changes and all other lifestyle changes that have been made. In fact, these changes should become a permanent part of one’s life. The antineoplastics include zhu ling, huang qi, gua lou ren, yi ren, shan ci gu*, chong lou, and bai hua she she cao. San qi is added to regulate the blood and to act as an antineoplastic. If this patient had decided to be treated with radioactive seed implants, then
the following formula would have been appropriate:
Fu zheng zeng xiao fang:48
huang qi (Astragali Radix; Astragalus 30 g
membranaceus)
ji xue teng (Spatholobi Caulis; 15 g
Spatholobus suberectus)
tai zi shen (Pseudostellariae Radix; 15 g
Pseudostellaria heterophylla)
bai zhu (Atractylodis macrocephalae 15 g Rhizoma; Atractylodes
macrocephala)
tian dong (Asparagi Radix; Asparagus) 15 g tian hua fen (Trichosanthis Radix; 15 g
Trichosanthes root)
gou qi zi (Lycii Fructus; Lycium 15 g
chinensis fruit)
nu zhen zi (Ligustri lucidi Fructus; 15 g
Ligustrum lucidum fruit)
hong hua (Carthami Flos; 15 g
Carthamnus tinctorius flowers)
su mu (Sappan Lignum; Caesalpinia 15 g
sappan; lignum sappan)
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