🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Leukemia
Leukemia should be regarded as a malignant tumor of the blood. Its characteristics include excessive proliferation of one type of white blood cells, infiltration into various tissues and organs throughout the body—especially the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes—and the presence of immature white blood cells in peripheral blood. The total number of white blood cells is often increased, accompanied by severe anemia and pronounced bleeding tendencies, potentially endangering life.
This condition is often associated with environmental factors and internal factors such as genetics, metabolism, and immunity. According to TCM, it commonly results from emotional overstimulation damaging the liver and spleen, leading to deficiency syndrome. Over time, qi stagnation and blood stasis form phlegm nodules, resulting in a condition characterized by deficiency at the root and excess at the surface. Acute leukemia is more common in children, with sudden onset and short course, featuring fever, oral ulcers, severe anemia, and widespread bleeding. Chronic leukemia develops slowly, initially without specific discomfort, later showing complex symptoms such as fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, dizziness, headache, pale complexion, fever with sweating, abdominal distension or pain, or palpable masses in the neck, armpits, or inguinal regions. Commonly used folk remedies and proven formulas are listed below.
[Formula One]
Raw gypsum 30g, raw rehmannia 15g, indigo naturalis 6g (encapsulated and swallowed, not boiled), coptis 9g, belamcanda 24g, salvia miltiorrhiza and danshen 30g each, sophora flavescens 15g, peony bark and honeysuckle 11g each. Decoct and take once daily.
This formula clears heat and toxins, cools blood, and removes stasis. Suitable for leukemia patients.
[Formula Two]
Coptis and aloe vera 12g each, gentian 9g, indigo naturalis 6g (encapsulated and swallowed), rhubarb 9g, curcuma and radix euphorbia 15g each, bupleurum 6g. Decoct and take once daily.
This formula clears liver fire and promotes blood circulation to resolve stasis. Applicable to leukemic patients with damp-heat pattern.
[Formula Three]
Manis pentadactyla 15g, epilachna 10g, kelp, seaweed, and softshell turtle shell 30g each. Decoct and take once daily.
Applicable to leukemia.
[Formula Four]
Prince’s ginseng and ophiopogon 15g each, schisandra 10g, pinellia 10g, poria 10g, tangerine peel 10g, apricot kernel 10g. Decoct and take once daily.
This formula originates from *Hebei Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 3, 1987. It strengthens qi and nourishes yin, strengthens the spleen and transforms phlegm. Suitable for acute non-lymphocytic leukemia.
[Formula Five]
Gentian, scutellaria, gardenia, poria cocos, angelica, raw rehmannia, bupleurum, poria, alisma 10g each, chicken blood vine and danshen 30g each. Decoct and take once daily.
This formula comes from *Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 4, 1980. It clears damp-heat from the liver and gallbladder. Suitable for acute leukemia with liver-gallbladder damp-heat pattern.
[Formula Six]
Fried rehmannia, poria, astragalus, herba discolor, solanum, radish root, purple root, mountain yam 30g each, yam 15g, cornus, cistanche, morinda root, psoralea, ginseng, ophiopogon, schisandra 10g each, angelica 6g. Decoct and take once daily. Use continuously for 3–4 weeks as one course, rest for one week, then continue.
This formula strengthens qi and yang, detoxifies. Suitable for acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. Originates from *Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine*, Issue 9, 1985.
[Formula Seven]
Angelica, danshen, red peony root 20g each, ligusticum 10g, adenosma 20g, ophiopogon 15g, isatis root 50g, radish root 30g, typhonium 50g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine*, Issue 8, 1988. Functions: nourishes blood, activates blood circulation, clears heat, detoxifies. Suitable for acute leukemia.
[Formula Eight]
Ginseng 20g, ophiopogon 30g, raw rehmannia and white peony root 20g each, jujube seed 25g, schisandra 6g, cornus 30g, coptis 15g, peony bark 30g, herba discolor 25g, white violet 15g, anemarrhena 15g, gypsum 60g, rhinoceros horn powder 5g (dissolved). Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Zhongyuan Medical Journal*, Issue 5, 1989. Functions: nourishes yin, clears heat, cools blood, detoxifies. Suitable for acute monocytic leukemia.
[Formula Nine]
Antelope bone 18g, buffalo horn, herba discolor, banxia, typhonium, typhonium 30g each, scrophularia 15g, purple root, fine-leaved snakegrass 30g each, epilachna 12g, indigo naturalis powder 15g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Strange and Difficult Diseases*, functions: clears heat, cools blood, detoxifies. Suitable for acute granulocytic-lymphocytic leukemia.
[Formula Ten]
Strychnos nux-vomica 0.9g, rhubarb, dodder, banxia, snake herb, herba discolor 30g each. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Cancer-Fighting Chinese Herbal Formulations*, functions: clears heat, detoxifies, fights cancer. Suitable for acute leukemia.
[Formula Eleven]
Dog tongue grass, dodder, herba discolor, solanum, crane grass, northern codonopsis 30g each, honeysuckle, danshen 18g each, atractylodes 15g, processed astragalus, angelica, psoralea 12g each. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Cancer-Fighting Chinese Herbal Formulations*, functions: clears heat, detoxifies, supplements qi and nourishes blood. Suitable for acute leukemia.
[Formula Twelve]
Large blue leaf, isatis root, purple root, red peony root, peony bark, rhinoceros horn, centipede, realgar 90g each. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Cancer-Fighting Chinese Herbal Formulations*, functions: cools blood, detoxifies, clears heat. Suitable for acute leukemia.
[Formula Thirteen]
Raw rhubarb, black rehmannia, raw rehmannia, large blue leaf 9g each, trichosanthes root 6g, cicada slough, human urine 4.5g each, powdered peony bark 3g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Cancer-Fighting Chinese Herbal Formulations*, functions: nourishes yin, clears heat, detoxifies. Suitable for acute leukemia.
[Formula Fourteen]
Ginseng 10g, adenosma 30g, codonopsis, raw rehmannia, tianmen winter, ophiopogon 15g each, schisandra 6g, angelica 15g, hangzhou peony 20g, poria, atractylodes, yam 10g each, goji berry 15g, cornus 20g, dragon bone and oyster shell 20g each, fried jujube seed 15g, floating wheat 30g, astragalus 15g, licorice 10g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Traditional Chinese Oncology*, functions: strengthens qi, nourishes blood, strengthens spleen, nourishes heart. Suitable for leukemia with blood deficiency and qi deficiency, heart-spleen deficiency pattern.
[Formula Fifteen]
Raw rehmannia 20g, scrophularia 15g, anemarrhena, tortoise shell 10g each, softshell turtle shell 30g, root of lycium 20g, dandelion 30g, silverleaf falsecassia, large blue leaf 15g each, banxia, herba discolor 30g each, dog tongue grass 15g, female fern 30g, indigo naturalis 3g (prepared separately and dissolved). Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Traditional Chinese Oncology*, functions: nourishes yin, enriches blood, clears heat, detoxifies. Suitable for leukemia with liver-kidney yin deficiency and internal toxin-heat pattern.
[Formula Sixteen]
Adenosma 30g, ginseng 10g (decocted separately and mixed in), danshen 30g, red peony root 15g, angelica tail, calcined manis 10g each, trichosanthes 20g, dried toad 10g, typhonium 15g, curcuma 10g, zizyphus 30g, astragalus 20g, yam 10g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Traditional Chinese Oncology*, functions: strengthens qi, activates blood, resolves phlegm, detoxifies. Suitable for leukemia with qi deficiency, blood stasis, phlegm accumulation, and toxin binding.
[Formula Seventeen]
Rhinoceros horn 4g (or buffalo horn 10g), raw rehmannia, peony bark 20g each, early lotus leaf 30g, female fern 20g, hangzhou white peony 15g, charred blood residue 20g, great and small burnet, crane grass 30g each, charred yam 20g, dandelion 20g, wasp nest 10g, raw astragalus, lotus node 30g each. Decoct and take once daily.
Functions: clears heat, detoxifies, cools blood, stops bleeding. Suitable for leukemia with yin deficiency and blood heat, causing uncontrolled bleeding.
[Formula Eighteen]
Scrophularia 12g, oyster shell 30g, zhejiang贝母 12g, pearl powder 15g, summer枯草, kelp, seaweed 30g each, clear pinellia, raw southern star 12g (boiled first for two hours), trichosanthes, radix euphorbia 15g each, typhonium 20g, banxia 30g, belamcanda 20g, herba discolor 30g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Excellent Remedies for All Diseases*, functions: clears heat, detoxifies, softens hardness, disperses nodules. Suitable for leukemia with heat and phlegm accumulation.
[Formula Nineteen]
Sea floatstone 15g, whole trichosanthes 30–60g, dandelion 15g, old bile star, pericarp of citron, bamboo juice pinellia 10g each, coptis 3–10g, poria cocos 15–30g, human urine 10g, isatis root 15g, lodestone pill 15g (wrapped for decoction). Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Prevention and Treatment of Tumors*, functions: clears phlegm-heat, detoxifies, disperses nodules. Suitable for phlegm-heat type leukemia.
[Formula Twenty]
Astragalus 15–30g, cinnamon 3–10g, codonopsis 10–15g, angelica, atractylodes, white peony root 10g each, cooked rehmannia 15g, poria 12g, deer antler 10g, tangerine peel 6g, 5 jujubes, licorice 3g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Prevention and Treatment of Tumors*, functions: strengthens spleen and kidney, supplements qi, invigorates yang. Suitable for yin-deficient leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-One]
Artemisia annua 30g, softshell turtle shell (vinegar stir-fried), silverleaf falsecassia, raw rehmannia, banxia, herba discolor, large blue leaf 30g each, adenosma, peony bark, anemarrhena 20g each, purple root 15g, sparganium, curcuma 10g each, rhinoceros horn powder (dissolved) 5g.
Originates from *Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 1, 1988. Functions: nourishes yin, cools blood, clears heat, detoxifies. Suitable for acute granulocytic leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Two]
Trichosanthes 15g, coptis 10g, clear pinellia 9g, green lodestone 30g (boiled first), frankincense 6g (added last), rhubarb 6g (added last), scutellaria 9g, fritillary bulb 12g, tangerine shell 5g, calamus 10g, sodium bicarbonate 6g (dissolved). Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Fujian Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, functions: clears heat, eliminates phlegm, resolves dampness, opens bowels. Suitable for acute monocytic leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Three]
Herba discolor 50g, indigo naturalis 40g, radix euphorbia, sparganium 2g each, atractylodes 30g, red ginseng 15g, banxia 20g, goji berry 30g, dog spine 25g, danshen 50g, rhubarb, cornus 20g each, catechu 10g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Jilin Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 3, 1981. Functions: activates blood, resolves phlegm, detoxifies, fights cancer. Suitable for acute granulocytic leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Four]
Lüdang ginseng 15g, astragalus 18g, angelica 6g, schisandra 3g, ophiopogon 6g, rhubarb 9g (added last), earthworm 6g, peach kernel, safflower 3g each, sparganium, curcuma 9g each, pearl powder 12g, tangerine shell 6g, ginger 3 slices. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Yunnan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 4, 1980. Functions: strengthens qi and nourishes blood, breaks up stasis, eliminates obstruction. Suitable for chronic granulocytic leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Five]
Sparganium, curcuma, five lingzhi, big white, dragon bone, oyster shell, sea floatstone 15g each, costus root 18g, water hyacinth seed, clam shell 30g each, sanqi 12g, sapanwood 10g, realgar 9g, cornus 6g. Decoct and take once daily.
Originates from *Sichuan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Issue 4, 1989. Functions: activates blood, breaks up stasis, softens hardness, eliminates accumulation, resolves dampness, detoxifies. Suitable for chronic granulocytic leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Six]
Centipede, whole scorpion, silkworm pupa, earthworm in equal parts. Grind into fine powder. Take 0.3–1.0g per dose, typically 0.7g, three times daily.
Originates from *Cancer-Fighting Chinese Herbal Formulations*, functions: extinguishes wind, activates blood. Suitable for leukemia.
[Formula Twenty-Seven]
Chinese goldenseal 9g, coptis 6g, dandelion, dandelion, honeysuckle 15g each, soapberry spine, mirabilite 9g each, rhubarb, prepared myrrh and frankincense 6g each, camphor wood 15g, boric acid powder 3g, borax 9g, calcined calamine 15g. Decoct herbs into 50ml water, apply warm compress with gauze, three times daily.
This is a famous formula by renowned TCM physician Qin Liangfu from Shanghai. Functions: clears heat, detoxifies, dispels stasis, relieves pain, reduces swelling, disperses nodules, constricts and prevents infection. Suitable for perianal abscess secondary to leukemia.
Perianal abscess has three stages: (1) Early stage: mild skin redness, warmth, slight pain—apply this decoction as warm compress alone. (2) Middle stage: hard lump around anus, no fluctuation, redness, pain, or mild erosion with shallow ulceration—remove mirabilite, apply decoction compress, sprinkle a little wound-healing powder or moon-white pearl powder on ulcer. (3) Late stage: swollen, painful abscess with fluctuation or rupture, deep ulcer, extensive necrotic tissue, heavy purulent discharge—first insert nine-one dan medicated thread or gauze soaked in nine-one dan powder into the ruptured wound, then apply compress locally three times daily. Once necrotic tissue falls off and exudate decreases, switch to sprinkle wound-healing powder or moon-white pearl powder on compress, apply 2–3 times daily until healed. Combining external treatment with internal decoctions based on syndrome differentiation yields better results.
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