[Professor Wei Pin-kang's experience in treating chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting: an analysis of herbal medication].

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the herbal medication by Professor WEI Pin-kang's prescriptions in treating chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

METHODS

On the basis of outpatient and inpatients' medical records concerning CINV from case-database (keywords: chemotherapy and vomiting), data of 143 patients and 143 effective prescriptions were collected. The herbs and those category, nature, flavor and meridian distribution were summarized by frequency method using SPSS 13.0 Software. The couple herbs were analyzed by hierarchical cluster analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 144 herbs were used (2 353 frequencies). Six groups of herbs [ frequency >5%, cumulative relative frequency (CRF) 58.89%] were used frequently as follow: the herbs for regulating qi (17.81%), resolving phlegm (13.51%), invigorating qi (8.07%), relieving food retention (7.44%), calming Gan to stop endogenous wind (7.05%), and warming the interior (5.01%). The most frequently used herbs ( >20 frequencies, CRF 77.31%) had 31 species as follow: the herbs for regulating qi (6 species), calming Gan to stop endogenous wind (4 species), resolving phlegm (3 species), external application (2 species), invigorating qi (2 species), warming the interior (2 species), activating blood and removing blood stasis (2 species), promoting diuresis and resolving dampness (1 species), purgation (1 species), invigorating blood (1 species), relieving exterior syndrome with pungent-warm property (1 species), relieving exterior syndrome with pungent-cool property (1 species), astringent (1 species), resolving dampness with aromatic property (1 species), calming the mind (1 species), eliminating heat and dampness (1 species), relieving food retention (1 species). Frequency of Rhizoma Pinelliae was 127 including Rhizoma Pinelliae (processed with ginger) 83 (65.35%). Frequency of prepared Radix et Rhizoma Rhei was 85 (95.51% of Prea- praed Rhizoma Rhei). These herbs were mostly of warm nature (43.99%). The total frequency of herb-nature was 3 677 and the pungent (34.76%), bitter (32.06%) and sweet herbs (18.22%) were most frequently used (CRF 85.04%). The total frequency of meridian distribution was 6 627 and these herbs were mostly attributed to Pi, Wei, Gan, and Fei meridians (CRF 71.34%). The most frequently used couple-herbs included Rhizoma Pinelliae and Rhizoma Atisaematis, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus and Submature Bitter Orange, Flos Caryophylli and Calyx Kaki, Rhizoma Coptidis and Os Sepiae, Rumulus Ginnamomi and Radix Paeoniae, Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis and Fructus Citri, aloeswood and toad skin, scorpion and centipede, earth worm and Gekko Swinhoana, bupleurum root and curcumae, fossilia ossis mastodi and oyster, large head atractylodes and poria, and so on.

CONCLUSIONS

Professor WEI Pin-kang regarded the therapy of dissolving phlegm and regulating Wei as the fundamental treatment of CINV. He emphasized gastrointestinal metabolic disorders induced by phlegm and stagnation related to chemotherapeutics. He laid equal emphasis on regulating qi, dissolving phlegm, and removing stagnation.