Tong Xiaolin's experience in the treatment of senile pruritus with white mulberry root-bark,Chinese wolfberry root-bark and densefruit pittany root-bark
Professor Tong Xiaolin believes that senile pruritus is often caused by the insufficient yin phase in the elderly,resulting in depression generating internal heat,which in turn burns and scorches the upper jiao to cause lung heat,leading to warm dryness disturbing the skin.In clinical practice,on the basis of nourishing yin and moistening dryness,he uses the Sanpi Zhiyang Formula to clear heat,nourish yin,and relieve itching,which is composed of white mulberry root-bark,Chinese wolfberry root-bark and densefruit pittany root-bark.In the formula,white mulberry root-bark has the effect of clearing lung heat,good at treating floating wind,dryness,and itching,while Chinese wolfberry root-bark is often used in conjunction with white mulberry root-bark to nourish yin and reduce fire,solving the problem of yin deficiency state in elderly patients,and calming the lung qi,removing depression and heat,so that the lung heat is vented and the skin is opened,and densefruit pittany root-bark is good at clearing heat and dampness,dispelling wind and detoxification,acting as the target medicine for treating pruritus.The combination of the three herbs means to deal with both the state and the target of the disease,not only conforming to the pathogenesis characteristics of senile pruritus,but also effectively alleviating the itching symptom.The commonly used clinical dosages of these three herbs are all 15-30 g.