Shengjiangsan The Literature Of The Modern Clinical Applications

The thesis comprises 3 parts.Part 1 deals with the origin,composition, elucidation,decoction and directions for use of Shang Jiang Powder as well as its status in the 15 Prescriptions for Heat Diseases.All these were induced from the analysis of classic publications on the prescription.Shang Jiang Powder originated from the Chinese medical works "Shang Shu Book" published in the Ming Dynasty.It was first given the name of Pei Zhen Powder by Chen Liangzuo of the Qing Dynasty,which was later renamed Shang Jiang Powder by Yang Lishan,a well-known Heat Disease specialist of the same century.The prescription,originally in powder form,consists of 6 kinds of Chinese medicine,viz.,Bombyx Batryticatus,Periostracum Cicadae,Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei,rice wine and honey.However,rice wine and honey are undesirable ingredients as the pungent wine tends to generate pathogenic heat and wind while sweet honey may lead to abdominal distension and fullness,thus hindering the dispersion of dampness and heat.In view of this,physicians of the later generations often discarded these 2 ingredients and used the remaining 4 herbs in decoct prescriptions. Dr.Yang attached paramount importance to the prescription which,together with 14 other prescriptions he created by making flexible modifications thereto,was utilized to treat 22 heat diseases.Part 2 dwells on modern clinical application of Shang Jiang Powder.It contains statistical surveys on big sample researches and individual clinic cases derived from 118 medical articles over the past 20 years.Results of the surveys reveal that Shang Jiang Powder was used in 57 big sample researches to treat 57 diseases falling under various medical systems and departments,involving 3859 clinic cases.Infectious and contagious diseases,accounting for 49%of all the clinic cases,come out at the top, followed by otolaryngologic diseases which represent 21%of the total.It can thus be seen that Shang Jiang Powder is most effective for treating infectious,contagious and pulmonary contractions as well as otolaryngologic diseases.61 articles on individual clinic cases report on the treatment of 78 diseases spreading over Internal Medicine, Surgery,Gynaecology,Paediatrics and the Five Senses Department.They encompass 112 case studies,of which dermatological diseases constitute 21%,standing out clearly above the others.Altogether,these two categories of articles report on the treatment of 135 diseases,involving 3971 clinic cases.In regard to the rules of using the component herbs of Shang Jiang Powder, statistical analyses on the frequency of use indicate that with a usage rate of 100%, Bombyx Batryticatus tops the list while Periostracum Cicadae comes second, representing 97.25%.In clinical practice,these 2 herbs are often used together. Analyses on average dosage show that Bombyx Batryticatus,Periostracum Cicadae, Rhizoma Curcumae Longae and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei are dispensed with doses of 9.5g, 7.5g,7g,7.5g respectively,an obvious deviation from Dr.Yang's dosage but similar to Professor Zhao Zhaoqin's dispensation(10g,6g,6g,1-2g respectively).It is evident that the dispensation of the dosage of these 4 herbs,being different in ancient times and nowadays,has to be changed with times.Special attention should be paid to the dosage of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei which must be duly adjusted in accordance with the constitution of the patient as well as the urgency and gravity of the sickness involved. The above statistical analyses seek to elaborate on the primary and secondary positions as well as the most effective dosage of the component herbs of Shang Jiang Powder so that apt adjustment can be made to the dosage to enhance its efficacy.Regarding the rules of matching additional herbs,statistical analyses reveal that altogether 117 additional herbs were used to match with Shang Jiang Powder in 3859 clinic cases of the big sample researches.Among the additives,the first 12 are Radix Glycyrrhizae,Radix Platycodi,Scorpio,Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati,Spina Gleditsiae, Radix Scutellariae,Flos Lonicerae,Fructus Forsythiae,Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii, Radix Isatidis,Radix Bupleuri,Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae,4 of which,namely,Radix Glycyrrhizae,Radix Platycodi,Scorpio,Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati,are most frequently used,each with a utilization rate of over 20%.The remaining 8 herbs also carry higher usage rates ranging from 13.07%to 15.17%.As to the study about the dosage of additional herbs,results of the analyses indicate that as far as dosage is concerned,the above 12 herbs descend in order as follows: Spina Gleditsiae,Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati,Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae,Fructus Forsythiae,Flos Lonicerae,Radix Isatidis,Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii,Radix Bupleuri, Radix Scutellariae,Radix Platycodi,Radix Glycyrrhizae,Scorpio.In spite of their different dosages,the duo-herbs such as Radix Glycyrrhizae cum Radix Platycodi,Flos Lonicerae cum Fructus Forsythiae,Radix Bupleuri cum Radix Scutellariae and Radix Isatidis cum Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati work along with the tri-herb of Flos Lonicerae, Fructus Forsythiae cum Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii to give the effects of clearing heat and disintegrating toxin,dispersing stagnated liver qi as well as elevating the lucid yang and lowering the turbid yin,thus enormously enhancing the effects of Shang Jiang Powder in curing diseases of a vast variety of medical systems and departments.Since additional herbs over and above Shang Jiang Powder were adopted to treat diseases in all the 57 big sample researches and the overwhelming majority of 112 individual clinic cases,the rules of dispensing the component parts of Shang Jiang Powder and the said additional herbs will provide an inspirational guide to numerous Chinese medicine practitioners in their clinical application of Shang Jiang Powder.Analyses of the combination of prescriptions reveal that apart from the addition of single herbs,duo-herbs and tri-herbs,the combination of prescriptions plays a vital role in the matching of additives with Shang Jiang Powder.The overriding rules are:--2 prescriptions shall be combined for 2 syndromes and several prescriptions for several syndromes appearing simultaneously;-A classic prescription can be combined with either a classic or a current prescription;-Irrespective of the nature of the illness,obstinate or common,treatment based on syndrome differentiation shall be made with a suitable combined prescription.Hopefully,the study in this connection can provide a stimulus to scientific researchers in developing brand-new prescriptions for preventing and treating such epidemic as bird flu by making flexible use of the principle of combining Shang Jiang Powder with other prescriptions.Last but not least,rules relating to the common characteristics of Shang Jiang Powder in its modern clinical application can be deduced from the statistical analysis of 112 individual clinic cases.The general pathogenic factors of diseases curable by Shang Jiang Powder are infection with external heat and impairment by endogenous fire. Common clinical manifestations include fever,constipation,yellow and reddish urine, disphoria,insomnia,dreaminess,dry throat and mouth,anorexia,red and sore throat, thirst for water,headache,as reflected by red tongue,red or slightly red tip and sides of tongue,yellow or yellow oily fur,deep,stringed quick pulse or stringed slippery pulse. So long.as these common pathogenic factors and clinical manifestations are detected, consideration may be given to the use of Shang Jiang Powder in treating any disease, however complicated it may be.Thus,reference can be made to these common rules in the clinical application of Shang Jiang Powder,so that accurate diagnosis may be made before prescribing appropriate herbal medicine in a more effective way.Part 3 is a concluding message which spells out the above conclusions in addition to expressing some personal opinions.It is hoped that researchers will make still greater endeavours to probe further into the possibility of developing new forms of Shang Jiang Powder and the possible use of the prescription in treating obstinate diseases, so as to benefit the great mass of traditional Chinese medicine users.