Tu Si Zi and Bu Gu Zhi tonify the Kidney's Defensive-Qi system.Gan Cao harmonizes.Case History 5.4
Asthma: Lung and Kidney Defensive-Qi Systems Deficiency-Female, Age
30
A 30-year-old woman had been suffering from eczema and asthma since birth. She used
Ventolin and Becloforte inhalers every day and also took Phyllocontin tablets. As a baby, she
was given steroids for the asthma, but these made the eczema worse. She used cortisone creams
for her eczema from the age of 7. The eczema seemed to clear during her school years but
returned with a vengeance at around 20. When she came for treatment, it was extremely bad. It
covered practically the whole body, and was worse on her face, chest and limbs. The skin was
very red, very dry, thick, coarse and itchy. Although the skin was dry, the eczema lesions would
also weep occasionally. She also suffered from seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and her
mouth often felt dry. There were no other obvious symptoms and signs and her urine and stools
were normal. Her tongue was slightly Pale, Thin and dry. Her pulse was Weak, Choppy and both
Rear positions (Kidneys) were particularly Weak.
Diagnosis This is also a clear case of inborn deficiency of Lung and Kidney's
Defensive-Qi systems. The pulse confirms the Kidney weakness. Due to
the long duration of the illness, there is also some Blood deficiency (as
the Kidneys also contribute to making Blood) which, leading to the
development of Wind-Heat in the skin, aggravates the eczema. The
Blood deficiency is clearly shown by the tongue being Pale, Thin and
dry. The eczema is primarily of the Wind-Heat type although there is
some Damp-Heat as well because it is sometimes weepy.
Treatment principle Since the eczema was by far the most distressing problem at the time,
attention was turned to treating it first. The aim of treatment was to
tonify the Lung and Kidney's Defensive-Qi systems, expel Wind from
the chest, nourish Blood, clear Wind-Heat from the skin and restore the
descending of Lung-Qi. The formula used was a variation of Yang Xue
Ding Feng Tang Nourishing Blood and Clearing Wind Decoction:
Sheng Di Huang Radix Rehmanniae glutinosae 12 g
Dang Gui Radix Angelicae sinensis 9 g
Shou Wu Radix Polygoni multiflori 9 g
Tian Men Dong Tuber Asparagi cochinchinensis 9 g
Mai Men Dong Tuber Ophiopogonis japonici 6 g
Chi Shao Radix Paeoniae rubrae 6 g
Mu Dan Pi Cortex Moutan radicis 4 g
Shan Zhi Zi Fructus Gardeniae jasminoidis 4 g
Chan Tui Periostracum Cicadae 6 g