During my internship at 亞東醫院 (Far Eastern Hospital) there are two ointments of great clinical value. My teacher Dr. Liu Liang Yin (劉亮吟醫師) makes two famous ointments that she prepares by herself. One is 紫黃膏 Zi Huang Gao (Purple Yellow Ointment), the other is 紫雲膏 Zi Yun Gao (Purple Cloud Ointment). These ointments can be used for a wide variety conditions which is why they are so useful, and so often prescribed. Sometimes, after telling people where I intern they ask me if I can get the ointments for them. The reason they ask is because they know how good it works...
I have been privileged to have been taught the process of making these ointments but have not yet tried to make them. At this point I do not have the permission to share with you the process of making them but I will ask to see if it's okay with her to share. If it's okay with Dr. Liu I will make that my next blog post.
Important Note: I have translated the herb information from 本草備要 (Ben Cao Bei Yao) an herbal text from the Qing Dynasty, compiled in 1694 by 王昂 (Wang Ang). Some actions, flavors and natures may differ from modern texts. I have also translated Dr. Liu Lian Yin's (劉亮吟醫師) notes and am using Nigel Wiseman's terminology as my foundation to translate.
Let's examine the constitutes of both 紫黃膏 Zi Huang Gao (Purple Yellow Ointment) & 紫雲膏 Zi Yun Gao (Purple Cloud Ointment) first.
紫黃膏 Zi Huang Gao (Purple Yellow Ointment)
1) Zi Cao 紫草
2) Dang Gui 當歸
3) Huang Lian 黃連
4) Huang Qin黃芩
5) Huang Bai (Huang Bo) 黃柏
6) Da Huang 大黃
7) Sesame Oil 麻油
8) Yellow Wax 黃蠟
紫雲膏 Zi Yun Gao (Purple Cloud Ointment)
1) Zi Cao 紫草
2) Dang Gui 當歸
3) Sesame Oil 麻油
4) Yellow Wax 黃蠟
Here is the breakdown; (BCBY= Ben Cao Bei Yao 本草備要)
Zi Cao 紫草
Flavor: sweet, salty (salty added in BCBY)
Nature: cold
Action: same as BCBY except for; "Benefits the 9 orifices and frees urination"
BCBY Action: cools and invigorates the blood, clear damp heat from the skin, resolves toxins. Benefits the 9 orifices and frees both urination and bowel movements.
Pharmacological Actions: antibacterial and antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic actions, anti-neoplastic, anti-pyretic and well as stop bleeding and lower blood sugar.
Dang Gui 當歸
Flavor: sweet, acrid & bitter (bitter added in BCBY)
Nature: warm
Action: supplement blood, invigorate blood, regulates menstruation, moistens the intestines and reduces pain and swelling.
BCBY Action: nourish blood, engenders flesh, moistens the intestines, expels pus and stops pain. Sweet and warm harmonize the blood, acrid and warm dispel internal cold, bitter and warm assist the heart in dispersing cold.
Pharmacological Actions: stimulate hematopoietic system, inhibit release of serotonin and increase concentration of cAMP and inhibit synthesis of TXA to prevent blood platelet aggregation. Increase blood flow volume to brain and myocardium and dissolve aggregated blood cells. Reduce blood lipids and inhibit synthesis of cholesterol. Enhance specific and non-specific immunological functions. Action on smooth muscle; contracts uterus and relaxes the smooth muscles in the bronchi and intestines. Promotes extraction of liver bile and resolves liver inflammation.
Huang Lian 黃連
Flavor: cold (very cold BCBY)
Nature: bitter (very bitter BCBY)
Action: clear heat, eliminate dampness, extinguish fire, dispel toxins.
BCBY Actions: enter the heart- drains fire, cools liver, cools blood, dries dampness, brightens the eyes. Eliminates thirst, stops night sweats, stops sweating, resolves toxins, kills parasites.
boosts the liver and gallbladder, favors stomach yang, dispels heart (blood) stasis.
Pharmacological Actions: inhibition of pathogenic microbes, anti-inflammatory, sedative action, inhibition of platelet aggregation.
Huang Qin 黃芩
Flavor: bitter
Nature: cold
Action: clear heat, eliminate dampness, extinguish fire, dispel toxins, stop bleeding and calms the fetus (prevents miscarriages).
BCBY Actions: bitter nature enters the heart and cold nature overcomes heat, dispels phlegm and disinhibits water, and drains San Jiao replete fire, resolves thirst and calms the fetus, dispels splenic fire, nourishes yin and returns the yang. Supplement water in the bladder.
Wine Fried; will therefore move upward and drain fire from the lungs and benefits the chest and Zhong Qi (中氣)
Pharmacological Actions: antibacterial and immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, sedative, analgesic, anti-pyretic and reduce blood lipids.
Huang Bai (Huang Bo) 黃柏
Flavor: bitter & slightly acrid (slightly acrid added in BCBY)
Nature: cold
Action: Clear heat, dries dampness, extinguish fire, relieve tidal fever, relieve toxins and treat sores
BCBY Action: treats lower jiao deficiency, stemming bone disorder due to taxation (deficiency) heat, supplements insufficient kidney water, strengthens kidneys and moistens dryness, eliminates dampness and clears heat.
Pharmacological Actions: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hypotesnive action, inhibition of platelet aggregation.
Da Huang 大黃
Flavor: bitter (very bitter in BCBY)
Nature: cold (very cold in BCBY)
Action: clear heat, purge stagnation in the intestines, extinguish fire, move blood & eliminate blood stasis.
BCBY Action: its nature floats, it does not sink, it's nature is to move, not to guard; By steeping it in alcohol it is possible to greatly increase this nature. Used in order to clean out the stomach and intestines, eliminate stagnant heat and dryness below, move water and eliminates phlegm, scour puss and disperse swelling. It is able to promote the expulsion of old causing generation of new (flesh).
Pharmacological Actions: antibacterial, anti-pyretic, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor effect, diuretic action, hemostatic effect, inhibition of platelet aggregation, lower cholesterol, enhance intestinal peristalsis
Ma You 麻油- Sesame Oil
Flavor: sweet
Nature: cool
Action: moisten the intestines, frees the bowels, resolves toxins and engenders flesh, moistens dryness, stops pain, disperses swelling.
BCBY Action: not available
Bai La 白蠟- White Wax (Huang La 黃蠟- Yellow Wax not in BCBY)
Flavor: sweet
Nature: warm
Action: can not find modern data other than it being an excipient.
BCBY Action: belongs to metal, engenders flesh and stops bleeding, reduces pain, supplements deficiency, supplements sinews and tendons and is an important medicinal for external application.
Commentary;
紫黃膏 Zi Huang Gao, Purple Yellow Ointment is a newly created modification on the traditional ointment 紫雲膏 Zi Yun Gao, Purple Cloud Ointment.
While the traditional base of this ointment (Zi Cao, Dang Gui, sesame oil & wax) focuses on moving blood, clearing heat, reducing pain and moistening the skin the additions of the "3 Huangs" (Huang Lian, Huang Bai, Huang Qin) greatly increases the heat clearing, dry damp and expel toxin functions of this ointment. The addition of Da Huang enhances the "3 Huangs" while at the same time assisting the base action- invigorating the blood.
While comparing the modern actions to that of the BCBY's this ointment has an added ability to; engender flesh, move blood, stop bleeding, scour puss, stop pain, moisten dryness, nourish yin and kill parasites. It is fascinating how the herbs actions differ slightly in the BCBY yet seem to make such a large impact when added altogether.
This ointment can be used (externally) on any condition of an inflammatory nature with indications of dampness and heat or dry-damp-heat mixed skin conditions. It is great for treating dipper rash, herpes, 1st & 2nd degree burns, but better for 2nd degree with blistering, insect bites, ance, boils and carbuncles as well as sebaceous wounds or cuts. Good for moistening the skin, promoting wound healing, cleaning of wounds. Not very effective for treating bruises, stopping pain and more severe dry and chapped skin conditions.
Key Points:
- Strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory (expelling toxins)
- Strong at treating dipper rash, herpes, acne, insect bites, secreting type cuts or wounds.
- Best for 2nd degree burns (blisters) and but can also be used for 1st degree
- Good at moistening the skin, promoting cut & wound healing (according to BCBY it has a stronger effect)
- Used for heat & damp type conditions (less flexible)
- According to the BCBY & the pharmacological actions it also has the some ability to stop bleeding.
- Not as effecting for treating bruises, severe dryness & stopping pain
This ointment can be used on skins conditions that are painful or painless, inflammatory or non-inflammatory in nature and with indications of dryness with or without the presence of heat. It is very effective for treating chapped or dry skin, wound cleaning & first degree burns. Good for treating bruising, contusions and dipper rash but, less aggressively. This ointment not as effective for treating second degree burns, herpes, cuts/wounds accompanied with secretions or other damp type conditions due to; lack of damp-heat transforming herbs. It's also not best for treating acne, boils and carbuncles due to phlegm accumulation and often the presence of heat in these conditions-but could have minimal effect.
Key Points:
- Strong ability to moisten the skin
- Strong ability to promote the healing of cuts & wounds
- Best for first degree burns & dryness injuring the epidermis.
- Good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
- Good at stoping pain
- Good for treating insect bites
- Not effective for treating damp-heat type conditions
- Not effective for treating acne, boils and carbuncles
Cautions: used for external application only, the ointments are non-toxic so if consumed by accident there is no need to worry. Keep stored in a cool place otherwise the excipients (oil/wax) will turn from solid to liquid. Ointments can temporarily stain clothing but will wash with soap. Some people may be allergic to sesame oil, discontinue use if reaction occurs.
This sums up a look at these ointments. For all my TCM readers I'm sure this was interesting. For my friends that have no idea about Chinese Medicine and made it this far- you are amazing.
I hope you enjoyed this blog entry!
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