TRADITIONAL INTERNAL MEDICINE – DISEASES & FORMULAS
Acne
Acne is a condition of infection and inflammation of the sebaceous glands of the skin, most commonly the face, shoulders and back.
It can be divided into several types:
- Toxic Heat–excess heat and toxin in the Blood causes red, inflamed pimples with yellow centers; there will be dry stool or constipation, yellow urine, red tongue and a yellow coat with a fast or big pulse.
- Heat in the Blood–red, inflamed pimples with less yellowish center (pus) than the former; this is commonly associated with hormones and maybe cyclical in females, increasing before period. Complexion is bright with reddish cheeks. Tongue tip or edges are red, pulse will be full
- Phlegm–pimples have little or no redness and have more pale or white fluid, not yellow. Tongue and face are pale, pulse is low or slow.
- Melancholy, Blood Stasis–nodular, cystic and scarring types of acne; dry skin with bad complexion; dirty white or yellowish tongue coat or a dry, maybe cracked tongue. If blood stasis is more pronounced, there is cyanosis around the acne, the nail beds and lips. If Melancholy is more prevalent, the acne is dark.
Treatment
Treatment primarily aims to remove Heat and Toxin from the Blood. This can be achieved through dietary changes, purging, alterative medicines and bloodletting.
Bloodletting around the affected areas can be very effective. Points such as the tip of the nose, between the eyebrows, mid eyebrows, corners of the mouth and center of the chin are typically bled. Likewise, Leeches can be applied similarly.
Cupping the shoulders, upper back and base of neck (C7) may also be indicated.
Western Tradition
Simples
Violet
Dandelion
Hops
Camomile
Burdock
Neem
Senna
Heartsease
Chicory
Fumitory
Agrimony
Madder
Tinospora
Rhubarb
1. Nigella seed powder mixed with flour and honey and apply at night, washing off in the morning.
2. Apply cotton seed oil to pimples and spots
3. Put Saltpeter into linen cloth and tie well. Wet it a little and use to wash the pimples. (Lemery)
4. Hard boil eggs, cut in half, remove the yolk and in its place put Sweet Almond oil and Turpentine Resin, put the eggs together and bind them with thread. Hang them up in a glass and collect the water that falls. Apply. (Porta, 1669)
General Formulas
Decoction for Skin Disease
Decoction for Boils and Abscess
Decoction to Purify
Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus
Opening Hepatic Decoction
Syrup of Fumitory Lesser (Mesue)
Syrup of Fumitory Greater
Syrup of Chicory and Rhubarb
Decoction of Fumitory (Mesue)
Special Powder for Memory (Wirtzung)
Kaisor Guggulu
Manjistha Kvatha (Madder Decoction)
Toxic Heat / Bile
Red, inflamed acne with yellow heads, red tongue with yellow coat
Syrup of Fumitory Lesser (Mesue)
Syrup of Chicory and Rhubarb
Opening Hepatic Decoction
Manjistha Kvatha (Madder Decoction) (Ayurveda)
Nimbadi Chruna (Neem Powder) (Ayurveda)
Phlegm
Pale, with fluid or thin pus, damp in digestive system; pale, wet tongue
Syrup of Five Opening Roots
Decoction to Purify
Hepatic Decoction (Hoffman)
Kaisor Guggulu
Melancholy
Nodular; cystic; dark-colored, scarring; reddish, dry or dirty dry tongue coat
Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus
Syrup of Fumitory Lesser (Mesue)
Syrup of Fumitory Greater
Decoction of Fumitory (Mesue)
TCM Classification
Simples
Forsythia Lian Qiao
Scutellaria Huang Qin
Rehmannia Sheng Di
Chrysanthemum Ju Hua
Coptis Huang Lian
Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
Toxic Heat
Red pustules, forming yellow heads, prone to infection, dry stools or constipation, scanty and yellow urine, red tongue with yellow coating.
Fang Feng Tong Sheng Wan
Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Dang Gui Long Hui Wan
Blood Heat
Acne especially around the nose and mouth, dry stools, yellow urine, red tip tongue with coating; often increases before period
Si Wu Tang + Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San
Blood Stasis
Dark colored deep and painful nodules, prone to form cysts, scarring, headache, slight fever, purple tongue, lips and nails.
Dang Gui Shao Yao San
Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
Tong Qiao Huo Xue Tang
Research:
1. Herbal Remedies for Acne Vulgaris from the Viewpoint of Persian Medicine
2. Efficacy of local application of an Unani formulation in acne vulgaris
3. The In vitro anti-acne activity of two unani drugs
