WORLD JOURNAL OF ACUPUNCTURE-MOXIBUSTION

Vol.10 No.2,  June, 2000

Clinical Observation  

Treatment of  40 Cases of Chronic Eczema with Point-Injection of Compound Radix Salvia Miltiorrhizae Injection 

by Guo Zhiwei(郭志伟)

(Luohu District's Hospital of TCM, Shenzheng 518001, China)

Chen Hanzhang(陈汉章)

(The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of TCM and Pharmacology)

Abstract The authors have used point-injection of compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection to treat 40 cases of chronic eczema and achieved a satisfactory therapeutic effect. The total effective rate was 95%.

Key Words Point-injection Compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection Chronic eczema

Chronic eczema is difficult to cure due to its complicated pathogenesis. Patients often lose their confidence without relieving through years' treatment and suffer from paroxysmal itching. Though a great number of medicines for external and internal application, have been produced, the medicines able for chronic eczema are not many and merely alleviate its symptoms of it. Recently the authors have treated 40 cases chronic eczema with point-injection of compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection and achieved a satisfactory therapeutic effect. It 's reported as follows.

Clinical Data 

The patients were out-patients in the Dermatological Department of our hospital . Among 40 cases, 26 cases were male and 14 female. Their ages ranged between 16 -72 years. The duration of disease was from 3 months to 6 years. The affected position was on their hands and elbows in 15 cases, on their shanks in 8 cases, on the scrota in 6 cases, around the umbilici in 4 cases, around the anus in 3 cases and on their whole bodies in 4 cases.

Therapeutic Methods and Courses

Acupoints: Quchi(LI 11) and Xuehai(SP 10) were selected. After routine local disinfection, a 5 ml gauge syringe was taken to draw 4 ml compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection. The syringe needle was inserted perpendicularly into 3-4 cm. When the needling sensations were got and no reflux blood was found, the drug was slowly injected into the acupoint, 2 ml for each point. The treatment was conducted once daily. The bilateral acupoints were employed alternately. 10 days made up a therapeutic course.

Criteria of Therapeutic Effect

Cured: After treatment, skin rash disappeared, itching stopped and no new skin rash reappeared.

Markedly effective: Above 50% of skin rash disappeared, the other symptoms were the same as the cured cases.

Effective: Part of skin rash disappeared and itching relieved.

Ineffective: Itching did not relieve, or new skin rash continuously appeared.

Results 

Of the 40 cases, 22 cases were cured, 10 cases markedly effective, 6 cases effective and 2 cases ineffective. The total effective rate was 95%.

A Typical Case

Mr. Liu, 63 years old. His first visit was on July 12, 1994. He complained that skin rash had appeared in his bilateral upper limbs and itching had attacked repeatedly in the past 3 years. He was treated with Calcium, Histamine and Chinese medicinal herbs, etc. He was improved in symptoms but when the medicines were stopped, the repeated attack appeared in 1-2 weeks. Then he came to our hospital, his skin in the bilateral dorsum manus and elbows was soakage pachyntic, callous , black-red with pigmentation and marked scratch mark. The patient could not fall asleep due to severe itching. It was diagnosed as chronic eczema. He was treated with the above-mentioned method. After 3 days' treatment, itching relieved , black-red skin became light in color, furfurous things fell away and he could fall asleep. After one therapeutic course, itching stopped and the skin color turned normal with elasticity. The illness did not recur after a following-up for 6 months.

Discussion

1. Chronic eczema is long in duration of disease, difficult to cure it, easy to result in stagnation of the blood. As Ye Tianshi said, “A protracted or repeated attack of an illness will damage the collaterals; the collaterals are the place where the blood gathers; this kind of illness can lead to stagnation of the blood." According to the differentiation of syndromes in TCM, the clinical characteristics of the cases above-mentioned belonged to the type of blood stasis; For example, the skin color was dark-red, pachyntic and rough with pigmentation, the position of skin rash got stable, ect.. Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Dan Shen) and Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae (Jiang Xiang) are the main ingredients of the compound Radix Salviae Miltorrhizae Injection, which are effective herbs for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. In recent years, a large number of clinical and pharmacological researches have shown that compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection can improve microcirculation dysfuncion of dermopathy, speed up the flow of blood and thus had a marked therapeutic effect; besides, it can be resist inflammation and regulate the body's immunity, reduce exudation of inflammation, inhibit migration of white blood cell and enzymic release of lysosome, ect..

2. Quchi and Xuehai are the commonly used acupoints which can eliminate skin rashes and relieve skin itching. Quchi has functions of dispelling the wind and relieving itching so it can be used to treat pruritic dermopathy. Xuehai has functions of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, nourishing the blood and moistening the skin, so, it can be used to treat chronic dermopathy. Two acupoints combined with compound Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Injection can strengthen their own functions mutually. The origin and the superficiality of the disease are treated at the same time and get a better therapeutic effect.

3. The cases in this series hadn't marked unfavorable consequences during the treatment. Patients had sensation of soreness, distention and shortness of strength in walking after injecting due to the stimulation of the injection. Generally, the sensation can disappear in 2-5 hours. If some patients faint during acupuncture, let them take a rest on a bed or drink some sugar water. In order to prevent acupuncture fainting, the treatment is not suitable to be conducted in empty stomach state and before treatment, doctors should make some explanations about the sensation of point-injection to the patients.

Reference

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2. 骆和生，等. 中药方剂的药理与临床研究进展.华南理工大学出版，1991，18 (11): 84.