Treatment of Malignant Lymphoma by Japanese Kanpo Practitioners

Listed by Dr. Domei Yakazu in the Explanation of Chinese Formulas25 is Chai-hu-cking-kan-tang , (i*£SE>f|fffF;l Bupleurum and Rehmannia Combination) (Formula of I-kuan-tang, Japan). This formula treats pulmonic lymph gland swelling, lymph gland swelling on the neck, chronic tonsillitis, and childhood gland disease. The formula is made up of 2g of bupleurum; 1.5geach of tang-kuei, paeonia, cnidium, rehmannia, coptis, scute, phel-lodendron, gardenia, forsythia, platycodon, arctium, trichosanthes root, mentha, and licorice.
In Talks on Chinese Herbal Therapies21, Vol. 4, Dr. Domei Yakazu describes three cases of lymph gland swelling on the neck.


Case 1. A sixty-three year old man, diagnosed as having Hodgkin's disease by a university hospital, received antibiotics and chemical drugs. No improvement resulted, and new symptoms developed, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, loss of appetite, and gradual weakness. He decided to switch to Chinese formulas. An examination found his nutrition average, no fur on his tongue, resistance and pain under the right hypochondrium when pressed, and chest distress. Thus he was diagnosed as having a malignant tumor. Tzu-ken-mu-li-tang ( 5%;fgJ|±!ilS;*| Lithospermum and Oyster Shell Combination) was initially given to him. But when no response was seen after ten days of taking the formula, he was switched to Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin ( +-^^:Mmek Tang-kuei Sixteen Herb Combination). Again there was no improvment in his condition, so Hsiao-chai-hu-tang ( 'hi££H;l ) plus platycodon, fritillaria, oyster shell, and prunella was given to him with results. After one month his subjective symptoms had improved, and the swollen lymph gland had gradually receded. After another two and one half months of taking this formula, the swelling had com­pletely disappeared. However, pus oozed from his lower eyelids and an odorous pus flowed from his nostrils. Once this condition subsided, the patient recovered. Hsiao-chai-hu-tang may have interacted with Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin. The formula Tzu-ken-mu-li-tang, found listed in On Syphilis and Violent Diseases, was the nostrum of Mizuko Nishiyama during the period of Tokugawa in Japan. It treats syphilis, recalcitrant diseases, obstinate sores and itches, and malignant tumors. Many Japanese physicians in the field of Chinese medicine, such as M. Asada and Todo Kyukyo, frequently and effectively have used this formula for breast cancer, problems of the mammary glands, lymph gland swelling on the neck, syphilitic skin diseases, carbuncles of the lungs, and intestinal ulcers. The components of Tzu-ken-mu-li-tang ( S%S#± 4RJJI Oyster Shell and Lithospermum Combination) are 5g of tang-kuei; 4g of oyster shell; 3g each of paeonia, cnidium, and lithospermum; 2g each of astragalus and cimicifuga; 1.5g of lonicera; lg of licorice; and 0.5-1.Og of rhubarb. The formula Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin (found listed in "Carbuncles and Ulcers" chapter in Wan ping hui chun) treats malignant sores, carbuncles and ulcers, breast cancer, swelling, and toxin. Ordinarily it relieves melancholic stagnation of ch'i (vitality) in a weak conformation. It has been proven very effective in dissipating swelling lumps.


Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin ( +^i*3KIRtfc Tang-kuei Sixteen Herb Combination) contains 3g each of Tang-kuei, cnidium, paeonia, cinnamon, ginseng, and platycodon; 2g each of angelica, astragalus, saussurea, lindera, magnolia bark, chih-ko, areca seed, perilla, siler, and licorice.
Case 2. A sixty-two year old woman suffered from lymph gland swelling on the neck and emaciation. Eight years prior to her clinic visit, she had undergone surgery for uterine cancer. An examination on her first visit found her body weight at 62kg. Five months later, on her second visit, her weight was down to 47kg. She complained of a frequent stuffy nose with a yellow discharge. Her health, otherwise, was average and her complexion slightly red. She was initially given a formula (San-chung-kui-chien tang flfcffiJftMJfi ) to dissipate the swelling of a swollen lymph gland with no results. Then Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin was given to her for a period of two months and proved effective. The swelling completely disappeared.
Case 3. A forty-four year old man suffered from chronic hepatitis five years prior to his clinic visit. Seven months before seeing Dr. Yakazu, he underwent surgery at a university hospital for a swollen lymph gland on the left side of his neck. It was learned that he was highly sensitive to antibiotics which brought on lassitude and a fever of 40°C. The Chinese herbal formula Tzu-ken-mu-li-tang ( S&tgttSSjl ) was given to him for fifteen days. Because no improvement in his condition occurred, he was given Minor Bupleurum Combination plus fritillaria, prunella, tricho-santhes root, and oyster shell for one month. Again no improve­ment resulted, and he was switched to Shih-liu-wei-liu-chi-yin. After one month of using the formula, the swelling had reduced to half of its original size.