xiao chai hu tang 小柴胡湯

Name of Formula: xiao chai hu tang (Shang Han Lun)


Application:
~ For treatment of liver qi stagnation, and
~ For preventing cirrhosis of liver and turning into liver cancer; thus improves rate of survival.
~ For treatment of syndrome of shaoyang which is caused by external causes like cold or flu with chill and fever, fullness in rib case area, anxious, nausea, lack of appetite, blurry vision, tight pulse, tongue with white and yellow fur.
~ For treatment of premenstrual syndrome with fever
~ For treatment of impotence: use this formula with adjustment.


Composition:
chai hu 3 qian,  huang qin 3 qian,  dang shen 3 qian, ban xia 3 qian,
zhi gan cao 2 qian, sheng jiang 3 qian,  da zao 3 pieces slit open
Boil with water. Take as tea.
Note: qian = 3.75 grams (old measurement)
This formula has been used in certain cancer therapy. especially in APL. When you prescribe this, make sure your patients are not using interferon therapy or are allergic to ban xia or chai hu.


Warning: this formula is relatively safe but it should not be used with the drug interferon because it may cause interstitial pneumonia.


In January 14, 2000, the health department of Japan announced that there were 50 patients who used xiao chai hu tang (sho saiko to) developed interstitial pneumonia and eight of them died. Although patients with interstitial pneumonia can get healed over time but those with cirrhosis or with liver cancer may died because of weak immune system.

Note:
shosaikoto is Japanese pronunciation of xiao chai hu tang (小 柴胡湯)
Interferons are a group of proteins called cytokines produced by white blood cells, fibroblasts, or T-cells as part of a first line immune response to a viral infection before the specific immune system has had time to respond. The name of the proteins comes from their ability to interfere with the production of new virus particles. (See: answers.com)
Manufactured interferons-alpha and interferons-beta have been used to treat various viral infections.
Modern study: this formula can enhance the resistance of variety of bacteria to which the antibody plays an effective role. [1]
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3437105


方名﹕小柴胡湯 (傷寒論）
功用﹕用於
~ 肝氣鬱結，
~ 經期前綜合症，
~ 預防肝硬化轉變成肝癌，並提高存活率。具有和解少陽﹐扶正祛邪的作用，
~ 主治外邪病入少陽，邪奇郁于半表半里 之的少陽病。
  凡病邪在半表半裡出現寒熱往來，胸肋脹滿，心煩喜嘔、不欲飲食、口苦咽乾、目眩、脈弦、舌苔白黃等少陽証時都可用本方治療。
~本方加减治肝氣欎結型之陽委。

組成﹕
柴胡 三錢﹐黃芩 三錢﹐黨參 三錢﹐半夏 三錢﹐炙甘草 二錢﹐生薑 三錢﹐大棗三枚劈開。
加水三碗﹐煎八分。溫服。
註﹕一錢 = 3.75 克 (舊制)


小柴胡湯及藥群配方含藥血清對體外 CCl4 誘導的肝細胞損傷有保護作用.[1]


The following Chinese article is by Jau-Shin WU, M.D., Ph.D
以下文 章是吳昭新醫師所編著：
~ “小柴胡湯”是一種中藥、漢方，在我國和日本一向都用於治療慢性肝炎。
~ 因小柴胡湯和干擾素同時使用時容易罹患間質性肺炎，所以日本醫界一直都警告兩者不可同時使用。
~ 今天（西元二零零零年一月十四日）日本厚生省鑑於過去兩年間的調查報告，有五十位病人被懷疑因服用小柴胡湯引起副作用而發生間質性肺炎，其中 有八人死亡，並有五人是肝硬化和肝癌病人，因此在十四日通報全國醫療機構禁止對於肝硬化及肝癌病人使用小柴胡湯。雖然間質性肺炎經過適當的治療一段時 間後會痊癒，但是肝硬化及肝癌病人因體力差而會導致死亡。
[1]孫明瑜, 謝鳴, 伊麗縈, 張娜, 王守勇, 牛福玲, 朱陵群, 王碩仁.小柴胡湯及藥群配方含藥血清對CCl4損傷肝細胞凋亡的影響. 世界華人消化雜志 2004年 8月;12(8):1889-1893.
100029, 北京市北三環東路11號, 北京中醫藥大學方劑學科.