Topical Application of Herbs in External Medicine
Topical remedies are important treatment options for external diseases like superficial infections, skin diseases, genital problems, piles as well as traumatic injuries.
TCM physicians will prepare herbal ingredients in pastes, soft extracts, lozenges or powders and applied locally. This is the most popular remedy in external medicine, and is applied for a wide range of conditions. Sample herbs are:
- Herbal ingredients like dandelion, tokyo violet herbs, purslane herbs, cotton rose leaves, wild chrysanthemum leaves, paris polyphylla smith and sponge cucumber leaves, which help to clearing heat and reduce swelling, pain and itching. Each herb can be freshly ground and then applied on the newly formed infection site twice a day.
- Couch grass tassels, eclipta and sponge cucumber leaves help to arrest bleeding. They can be ground and used for arresting local bleedings.
- Paniculated swallow-wort root (xu chang qing), common cnidium fruit (she chuang zi), belvedere fruit, sun ruphorbia herb (ze qi) and curled dock can arresting itching, and are usually used in various skin remedies.
Some commonly used external preparations include:
- Adhesive plasters for different kinds of infection, which are applied by direct pasted on the affected area, e.g., Tai Yi Gao ( 太乙膏 ) can ease swelling, detoxify and promote regeneration of wounds.
- Oily ointments for skin ulcers with little effusion and hemorrhoids. They are applied by smearing evenly on the cleaned wound, e.g., Sheng Ji Bai Yu Gao ( 生肌白玉膏 ). This ointment promotes lubrication and tissue growth, making it suitable for wounds that have difficulty closing, anal fissure and nipple splitting.
- Powders, which are applied by scattering directly onto the lesion, a sticky plaster, or inserting into the deep lesion with a thread. These are used to stop bleeding, reduce pain and swelling, astringency, so promoting tissue generation. For example, Regeneration Powder ( 生肌散 ) is for wound closure; Peach Blossom Powder ( 桃花散 ) is for arresting bleeding; Natural Indigo Powder ( 青黛散 ) is for astringency, relieving swelling and arresting itchiness.
- Alcohol extractions, which are made by soaking the ingredients in alcohol to extract the active ingredients and then concentrated. They are suitable for frostbite, gangrene of the fingers and toes, fungus infections and facial eczema.
