Literature Analysis and Textual Research on Huaihuasan / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Huaihuasan， first recorded in Puji Benshifang by XU Shu-wei from the Southern Song dynasty， consists of four herbs， namely Sophorae Flos （fried）， Platycladi Cacumen （smashed with pestle and baked）， Schizonepetae Spica， and Aurantii Fructus （cut into pieces after the removal of pulp and then fried yellow with wheat bran）. At present， Huaihuasan and its modified formulas vary in clinical usages and dosages， and the resulting outcomes have been investigated. However， there are few reviews uncovering its historical evolution. On this basis， this review systematically combed and verified the historical evolution， dose conversion between ancient and modern times， efficacy， and indications of Huaihuasan， as well as the origin and processing of the contained herbs. The findings have demonstrated that Huaihuasan is composed of four herbs， with the original plants and medicinal parts basically the same as those recorded in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Sophorae Flos refers to the dried flower and bud of Sophora japonica in family Leguminosae， Platycladi Cacumen the dried branch and leaf of Platycladus orientalis in family Cupressaceae， Schizonepetae Spica the dried flower spike of Schizonepeta tenuifolia in family Labiatae， and Aurantii Fructus the dried immature fruit of Citrus aurantium in family Rutaceae or its cultivated varieties. On account of the efficacy in clearing intestine， stopping bleeding， dispersing wind， and moving Qi， Huaihuasan has been mainly used to treat intestinal diseases such as bloody defecation and perianal abscess. In modern clinical practice， it is mainly applicable to patients with hematochezia and bleeding due to internal hemorrhoid， ulcerative colitis， or anal fissure. It was suggested that the raw medicinal materials should be decocted and processed according to the methods described in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Following the conversion formula of one Qian=4 g， this paper determined the dosages of Sophorae Flos （fried）， Platycladi Cacumen （smashed with pestle and baked）， Schizonepetae Spica， and Aurantii Fructus （cut into pieces after the removal of pulp and then fried yellow with wheat bran） all to be 2 g， with the total dosage being 8 g. Such comprehensive analysis based on ancient books and modern literature has provided a more scientific reference for the clinical application， research， and development of this classical formula.