Vitiligo is a recalcitrant disease. It causes
disfigurement and affect interpersonal communications.
It can cause great psychological pressure and mental sufferings
especially for adolescent students and youths of marrying
age. Depression, melancholy, and change of character are
often observed, which adversely affect their study, work
and life. Many of them seek medical treatment from every
possible source and cause serious financial burden for
their family by spending lots of money. Many hope that
a cure of the disease can be found to relieve the mental
pressure and psychological burden caused by the disease.
The vitiligo clinic of our hospital has made preparations
for the treatment of vitiligo after 20 years of clinical
research by comparison of many types of treatment and
screening of many recipes based on the theory of traditional
Chinese medicine. Over 7000 patients suffered from the
disease have been treated at our clinic with oral Anti-vitiligo
(Xiaobailing) powder, Gui-qi anti-vitiligo dissolvable
granules, Gui-qi anti-vitiligo capsules, Anti-vitiligo
(Xiaobaiquban) bolus, Anti-vitiligo decoction, and Anti-vitiligo
tincture. Good results have been achieved with a total
effective rate of 87%. For the (untreated) early-stage
vitiligo patients the cure rate is over 95%. Some intermediate
and late stage vitiligo patients have been cure. For some
patients even though there was no cure, there may be marked
improvement and effective control of the disease progression.
Since vitiligo is a disease with multiple, complicated
factors few can be cured within 3 months. Most patients
need long courses of treatment, usually between 8 -16
months. The patients are advised against impatience for
a quick result, otherwise the anxiety might lead to the
opposite of what one desires. The doctor's orders should
be strictly followed and the prescribed drugs should not
be used at one's own will, esp. the topical agents. The
prolonged use or abuse of any kinds of topical agents
will cause adverse stimulation of the skin, leading to
injuries with thickening and aging of the skin, and thus,
making the subsequent treatment more difficult. To prevent
the thickening and ageing of the skin caused by topical
agents, it is best advised that the patients use these
drugs under the doctor's supervision and regular examination.
1. Recipes and mechanism
of action
The treatment of vitiligo by Chinese herbal medicine
in our hospital is based an overall analysis of the
symptoms and signs according to the theories of traditional
Chinese Medicine. The recipes are selected according
to the clinical types of the disease. The basic recipe
contains more than 10 herbal medicines, such as Chinese
angelica root, Chuanxiong rhizome, broom cypress fruit,
dittany bark, fleece-flower root, wolfberry fruit, licorice
root, Chinese caterpillar fungus, astragalus fruit,
red peony root and cinnamon twig. In the recipe fleece-flower
fruit, wolfberry fruit and Chinese angelica root have
the function of nourishing the liver and kidney, nourishing
and regulating blood; while Chuanxiong rhizome and red
peony root can activate blood circulation to dissipate
blood stasis, and when used in combination with cinnamon
twig, can penetrate the skin and hair and reach the
four limbs, clearing and activating the channels and
collaterals, and removing blood stasis and promoting
regeneration. Dittany bark and broom cypress fruit can
remove the wetness-heat from the skin; licorice root
can co-ordinate the actions of various components in
the recipe and in combination with astragalus fruit
can reinforce their mutual function, supplementing qi
and invigorating vital function as well as detoxificating.
Modern pharmacological research has demonstrated that
cinnamon twig can dilate blood vessels and enhance microcirculation.
Astragalus fruit, fleece-flower root, wolfberry fruit,
Chinese caterpillar fungus can regulate the body immune
function and maintain homeostasis. All of the ingredients
when used in combination can nourish the liver and kidney,
invigorating vital function and nourishing blood, dispelling
qi, and removing wetness, invigorating blood, activating
blood circulation and dissipating blood stasis, clearing
channels and collaterals and removing patches. This
is the treatment of the primary aspect of the disease.
The topical herbal preparations made by soaking dahurian
angelica root and bark of Chinese cassia tree in ethanol.
Dahurian angelica root can promote melanocyte regeneration
while bark of Chinese cassia tree is acid-sweet and
rich in heat, and can dissipate blood stasis and promote
blood circulation. It can dilate peripheral blood vessels
and increase local blood flow when applied topically.
This topical treatment will activate the melanocytes
and to treat the external aspect of the disease. When
the above oral and topical therapies are used in combination
the disease will be treated internally as well as externally,
thus treating both the principal and secondary symptoms
at the same time. After 3 months' treatment with Chinese
herbal medicine, the treatment is supplemented with
epidermal autografting to increase the number of melanocytes
in the lesion areas, promoting healing of the vitiliginous
patches, and shortening the treatment courses with increased
the cure rate.
2. Introduction to
our herbal medicine preparations
(1) Anti-vitiligo (Xiaobailing) powder:
8 g. twice a day, taken with warm water
(2) Gui-qi anti-vitiligo dissolvable granules:
Different preparations are available based on different
recipes.
8 g per sacket, one sacket a time, twice a day for adults
(3) Gui-qi anti-vitiligo capsules
Different preparations are available based on different
recipes.
For adults: 6 capsules, twice a day
(4) Anti-vitiligo (Xiaobaiquban) bolus
1 bolus, twice a day
(5) Anti-vitiligo decoction.
Decocted from herbal medicines, suitable for special
types of patients, such as those with rapid dissemination,
or complicated with rheumatism, psoriasis or other skin
diseases. The decoction can be modified according to
the patients' symptoms and signs, but troublesome in
preparation and administration.
(6) Anti-vitiligo tincture:
preparations 1-6; Different preparations can be selected
according to different conditions.
¡¶Lesson Seven£ºHow to co-operate with
doctors during treatment ¡·¡¡¡¡¡¡
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