Five Ingredient Toxin Dispersing Beverage (Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin) as the Primary Formula to Treat Common Acne

Wang Hong, Ji Nan University Teaching Hospital

Sichuan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine Vol. 19, No.3, 2001. p. 69.

In my hospital from May 1992 through July 2000 Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin was used as the primary treatment for ordinary acne in 180 cases. At the same time 60 cases were treated comparatively with metronidazole. The summary follows.

1. General Data
Of the 240 cases, all are out-patients. The patients have skin damage mainly distributed over the facial area and a little in the back area. In the facial area there are primarily hair follicle type papules. Also accompanying are 2-5 running sores, and 2-3 follicular type nodules. After the diagnosis the patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group had 180 cases - 42 were men, 138 were women. The ages ranged from 17 to 25 years old, with the mean being 18.62 years plus or minus 2.64 years. The course of the disease ranged from between 1 month and 5 years, with the mean at 2.62 years plus or minus 2.14 years. As for the extent of the skin damage, 75 cases had a light degree, 95 cases had a moderate degree and 10 cases had a severe degree. In the control group there were 60 cases, 21 which were men, and 39 which were women. The ages ranged from 17-23 years old with the mean being 18.54 years plus or minus 2.34 years. The course of the disease ranged from 1 month to 5 years with the mean at 2.31 years plus or minus 2.14 years. 32 of the patients had light skin damage, 24 had moderate skin damage, and 4 had severe skin damage. There was no noticeable difference between the two groups' general data.
Patients were excluded on the following criterion: (1) aged 16 years or younger; (2) women who were pregnant or breast feeding; (3) occupational type acne, or pharmaceutically induced type acne from iodine, bromine, etc; (4) serious heart, liver or kidney diseases, as well as hematopoietic disorders.

2. Formula Treatment Method
Treatment group: clear heat resolve toxin, cool blood invigorate blood, disperse swellings scatter nodes. Modify the primary formula of Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin; take decocted in water one pack a day divided into two warm doses. Take this continuously for 6 days, then stop the herbs for a day, and then take again for 6 days. Prescription: shuang hua (jin yin hua)20g, pu gong yin, zi zhu di ding each 15g, bai ju hua 10g, sheng gan cao 6g. For phlegm nodule type add chen pi, ban xia each 10, xiang fu 9g, huang qin, ju he, pi pa ye, tao ren, hong hua each 10g; for blood heat type add sheng di 15g, xuan shen, chi shao, bai shao, xia ku cao each 10g, huang qin, dan pi each 9g; for heat toxin type add sheng di 15g, lian qiao, chi shao, huang qin, dan pi, ju he each 10g, pi pa ye 12g, jie geng 6g.
Control group: oral dose of metronidazole pill each time 0.2g, taken 2 times a day continuously for 7 day. After a break of 1-2 days resume pills for 7 more days. While taking the medicinals, patients in both groups avoided eating greasy, sweet, hot or pungent foods, and did not drink alcohol. They mostly ate fresh vegetables and fruits to ensure smooth bowel movements. At the same time they stopped using other medications and cosmetics. After four weeks of treatment for each group the treatment effects were evaluated.

3. Treatment results
Criterion of treatment effects: Cured: skin rash completely eliminates, symptoms dispersed. Patients can have remaining temporary type hyper-pigmentation, but no new rash eruptions. Noticeable effect: skin rash reduced by 70% or more, symptoms lightened, under 5 newly appeared skin rashes. Improved: skin rashes reduced between 30 and 69%, under 10 new skin rashes. No effect: skin rash less and 30% reduced, or no distinct degree of change.
Treatment results: In the treatment group of 180 cases, 65 cases totally recovered (36.11%), there was noticeable effect in 98 cases (54.44%), and no effect in 17 cases (9.44%). Therefore in the treatment group there was 90.55% with a noticeable recovery. In the control group of 60 cases, 10 were cured (16.67%), 30 had a noticeable effect (50%), and 20 had no effect (33.33%). Therefore, overall 66.67% had noticeable recovery. The treatment group's treatment was distinct compared to the control group. (P < 0.05).

4. Disease case example
Li Mou, 21 year old woman came into the office on October 21 1998. The patient's facial area had a light degree of tidal reddening, with red colored small pimples, papules and surrounding inflammatory seepage. The area was scorching hot with pricking itchiness. Her tongue tip was red, the fur was slightly yellow, the pulse was slippery and rapid. Chinese medical diagnosis: common acne, appropriate pattern differentiation is blood heat type. Treatment should clear heat resolve toxin, cool blood dissipate nodules. Herbs used: shuang hua 20g, pu gong yin zi hua di ding, sheng di each 15g, yuan shen, xia ku cao, bai ju hua, chi shao, bai shao each 10g, huang qin, dan pi each 9g, gan cao 6g. One pack per day. After continuously taking 6 bags, the red colored pimples and the papules was lessened. The scorching heat and itchiness was lightened, and there were no new skin rashes. 10 grams of sang bai pi were added to the above formula and 15 more packs were continuously taken. The skin rash was reduced by over 70% and less then 5 new skin rashes appeared. The patient was satisfied and stopped treatment.

5. Discussion
Chinese medicine believes that common acne belongs to lung channel accumulated heat upwardly steaming, or through hot pungent rich flavors that consequently generate stomach and spleen damp, and generates heat that steams through the skin. The treatment principles are to clear heat resolve toxin, cool blood invigorate blood, disperse swellings scatter nodules. The author chooses to use Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin as the treatment. In the formula shuang hua, pu gong yin, zi hua di ding, and bai ju hua are used to clear heat and resolve toxin. For the phlegm nodule type add chen pi, ban xia, ju he, and pi pa ye to disperse phlegm nodes. For the blood heat type add sheng di, xuan shen, chi shao yao and dan pi to cool and invigorate blood. For the blood toxin type add lian qiao, sheng di, ju he, chi shao and huang qin to cool blood and disperse nodes. ­­­­­­­­­­But for acne relating to the menstrual cycle, the menses must be regulated, and on that basis the above formula can be modified.­­ ­­­In taking the herbs over time there were no distinct side effects, but the control group had 10 cases of stomach upset. This illustrates that the Chinese herbal treatment for common acne has a good effect.