Acupuncture Research

WOMEN'S HEALTH

The Chinese Medicinal Herbal Treatment of 21 Cases of (Female) Genital Sores with

by Hong Jian-nan & Wang Ru, Zhong Yi Za Zhi

(The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine), #2, 1994, p. 98.

According to the authors, the modern Western medical conditions of Bartholin's cyst, vulval abscesses, postpartum infection of an episiotomy wound, and other such bacterial infections are types of acute pyogenic, inflammatory conditions which TCM simply refers to as yin chuang, (female) genital sores. From 1986-1991, the authors treated 21 cases using Chinese medicinals which clear heat and quicken the blood with entirely satisfactory results.

Of the 21 women treated, there were 15 cases of Bartholin's cysts, 4 cases of postpartum infection of episiotomy wounds, and 2 cases of vulval or external genital abscesses. The youngest patient was 20 years old and the oldest was 65. Two women were unmarried and 19 were married. The shortest course of disease was 4 days and the longest was more than 1 year. In most of the patients, on examination, there was either open wounds or obvious redness, swelling, heat, and pain in the local region. In those women with postpartum infections of episiotomy wounds, the largest lesion was 10 cm x 4 cm x 3 cm and the smallest was 4 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm.

The formula used consisted of: Cortex Phellodendri (Huang Bai), 30g, Radix Sophorae Flavescentis (Ku Shen), 30g, Rhizoma Coptidis Chinensis (Huang Lian), 6g, Fructus Forsythiae Suspensae (Lian Qiao), 15g, Radix Rubrus Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Chi Shao), 30g, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Dan Shen), 30g, and Lignum Sappanis (Su Mu), 30g.

These Chinese medicinals were soaked in water for 30 minutes. Then more water was added in order to cover these medicinals to a depth of 3cm. They were next decocted down to 20ml. Each ji was decocted 3 times and the decocted fluid added together. This fluid was then allowed to cool to 35-37_C. Each evening before sleep, the patients took a sitz bath in this medicinal fluid. If there was an open wound, each day, after the doctors made their rounds (i.e., in the morning), the wound was rinsed with Coptis and Phellodendron water. Afterwards, Hong Fen Gao (Mercuric Oxide Paste) was applied to transform putrefaction and generate (new) flesh. Ten days equaled one course of treatment.

All 21 cases were cured with this treatment and all their symptoms disappeared. Four cases were cured in one course of treatment, 15 cases in two courses of treatment, and two cases in two courses of treatment.

Case history: Zhang X, female, 26 years old. The patient had had a postpartum infection of an episiotomy wound for nine days before being admitted to the hospital. The affected area was red, swollen, hot, and painful. The wound was approximately 4cm x 2cm x 2cm in size. It exuded a copious amount of pus. Treatment was given as described above. Three days later, the superficial skin was beginning to heal. Yu Hong Gao (Jade Red Paste) was applied to generate flesh and close the wound. Five days later, there was no further bacterial growth. After two courses of treatment, the disease was cured and the patient was discharged from the hospital.