[Centipede and Poria Capsules]

I. Explanation of the formula

  1. Composition and origin: the prescription for Centipede and Poria Capsules derives from the Guizhi Fuling Pill formula in Zhang Zhongjing’s Essentials from the Golden Cabinet of the Han dynasty. It was adapted in Tihu Notes and refined from traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients such as centipede, poria, notoginseng, angelica dahurica, and isatis root.

  2. Formula analysis Chief ingredients: centipede, poria

Centipede: extinguishes wind, relieves convulsions, disperses stasis, and resolves toxins

Poria: promotes urination and drains dampness, strengthens the spleen, boosts qi, and calms the spirit

Deputy and assistant ingredients: notoginseng, angelica dahurica, isatis root

Notoginseng is warm in nature and sweet in flavor, and can strengthen and improve coronary microcirculation as well as dilate blood vessels.

Angelica dahurica is warm in nature and pungent in flavor, and can dispel wind, release the exterior, scatter cold and dryness, reduce swelling, and discharge pus.

Isatis root is cold in nature and bitter in flavor. It can clear toxins, cool the blood, benefit the throat, and reduce swelling.

II. Indications

Centipede and Poria Capsules chiefly treat blood stasis, immune decline, respiratory failure, and radiation-induced tumors; they are especially used for the above symptoms when caused by viral infection, microwave weapons, or radiation sickness, whose mechanism is understood as retained stagnant blood and obstruction of the channels by qi stagnation. Main diagnostic indications include:

  1. Blood clots or nodules, arterial embolism;
  2. Stabbing pain in the liver;
  3. Immune damage;
  4. Difficulty breathing, shock;
  5. Tumor mutation.

III. Pharmacological effects of the individual ingredients in Centipede and Poria Capsules

  1. Pharmacological effects of centipede: softens hard masses and neutralizes toxins; has effects in controlling onset and improving symptoms of cancers such as gastric cancer, liver cancer, and skin cancer.

  2. Pharmacological effects of poria: diuretic; antibacterial; antitumor; sedative; immunity-enhancing.

  3. Pharmacological effects of notoginseng: acts as an immunomodulator, capable of returning excessively high or low immune responses to normal without interfering with the body’s normal immune response; also protects the liver.

  4. Pharmacological effects of angelica dahurica: in small doses, angelica dahurica toxins can excite the respiratory center, vasomotor center, vagus nerve, and spinal nerves, leading to increased respiration, elevated blood pressure, slowed pulse, and exaggerated reflexes, and can also increase salivation or cause vomiting. In large doses it may cause convulsions followed by total paralysis. Angelica dahurica inhibits dysentery bacilli, Proteus, typhoid bacilli, paratyphoid bacilli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and others.

  5. Pharmacological effects of isatis root: used for febrile eruptions, erysipelas, and related conditions; effective against viral infection.

IV. Pharmacological effects of Centipede and Poria Capsules

  1. Improves hemorheological indicators;

  2. Inhibits platelet aggregation, increases fibrinolytic enzyme activity, and accelerates thrombus dissolution;

  3. Improves microcirculation;

  4. Exerts antibacterial and bactericidal effects;

  5. Has anti-inflammatory effects, with clear inhibitory action on acute, chronic, and autoimmune inflammation alike, and can inhibit granulation tissue and adhesion formation;

  6. Regulates immunity, enhances cellular immune function, and suppresses autoimmunity;

  7. Provides analgesic and sedative effects and can raise beta-endorphin levels;

  8. Has antitumor effects.

V. Notes on treatment

  1. When taken internally in large quantities, such as more than ten capsules at one time, this medicine often causes reddish-brown plaques over the whole body. These plaques are larger than tennis balls, blanch under pressure, and are most commonly seen on the chest and abdomen. They may disappear on their own two or three days after the drug is stopped. The mechanism remains unclear, and may be due to the toxic action of hemolytic proteins.

  2. When preparing the medicine, the centipede need not have its head and legs removed, as doing so instead weakens the efficacy.

  3. In emergencies, the above five medicinal ingredients may be prepared independently in the ratio 0.5:2:0.3:0.2:1 (in liang) and simmered over a low flame in a small pot.