Ermiao San is a classic and renowned formula, which is composed of two herbs (Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex and Atractylodis Rhizoma). Its main efficacy is to clear heat and dry dampness, and it is commonly used to treat symptoms caused by damp-heat pouring downward, such as damp-heat syndromes, obstruction of tendons and bones, scrotal eczema (dampness and humidity of the scrotum), yellowish and itchy leucorrhea in women, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
In fact, Ermiao San is not only used to treat erysipelas of the lower limbs, vaginitis, pruritus vulvae, eczema, skin diseases, and red, swollen, hot and painful joints. Its most remarkable effect is in treating gout. In the field of gout specialty, basically, traditional Chinese medicine doctors will prescribe Ermiao San, because it takes effect immediately. Adding Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma to Ermiao San has a miraculous effect on treating gout. It can be said that the effect is immediate!
In clinical practice, when encountering patients with gout, I generally prescribe the three herbs for gout: Atractylodis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, and Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma. No matter how high the uric acid level is or how severe the joint pain is, after taking a few doses of this prescription, the symptoms will be greatly relieved. The effect is not slower than that of taking western medicine, and the side effects are very small.
There was a patient with lumbocrural pain. The joints were neither red nor swollen, but it was a bit painful to walk. By observing that the urine was not yellow and the patient was not afraid of cold, it could not be regarded as a damp-heat or cold syndrome.
After inquiring, it was found that the patient ate a lot of seafood usually. Considering that the pain was caused by high uric acid, Ermiao San was used together with Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma. Considering the pain in the tendons and bones, a little Clematidis Radix was added to dispel wind and dredge the collaterals, and Sinomenii Radix was added to enhance the effects of dispelling wind, removing dampness and promoting diuresis. So, there were five herbs in the prescription: 15 grams of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, 15 grams of Atractylodis Rhizoma, 30 grams of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma, 20 grams of Clematidis Radix, and 15 grams of Sinomenii Radix. After taking a few doses, the leg pain disappeared.
There was once a medical case. After a man was treated in many ways after a car accident, his legs still ached, and it was difficult to flex and extend his knees. After a reexamination, it was found that the fracture site was well reduced and recovered, but he still felt pain. When treating it as bone pain and using a lot of traditional Chinese medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, there was no effect.
Later, he found a renowned doctor. The doctor observed that the patient’s tongue coating was particularly yellow and greasy, so there was no doubt that it was damp-heat. Most of the medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis are rather hot in nature. Although the blood stasis was removed, the damp-heat was still there. Immediately, Ermiao San was prescribed. After taking ten doses, the patient recovered completely. This is the wonderful application of Ermiao San, which is simple and practical!
There was also a patient with sciatica. The pain in the waist and buttocks was like an electric shock, extending to the heel. After repeated treatments with medications, there was no effect. As a result, after taking a few doses of Ermiao San, the patient recovered. Because the nerves were affected by the steaming of damp-heat, making the patient feel hot and burning pain, which was very uncomfortable, causing joint pain and nerve pain. After taking Ermiao San, all the symptoms disappeared!
There was a woman suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease. She took a lot of western and traditional Chinese medicines but there was no effect. The condition always recurred. She had a bearing-down pain in the lower abdomen, a large amount of leucorrhea, which was yellow in color and had a bad smell. A large amount of leucorrhea indicated heavy dampness, and the bad smell indicated that dampness transformed into heat. So, it was treated as damp-heat pouring downward of the liver and gallbladder. Simiao San (15 grams of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, 15 grams of Atractylodis Rhizoma, 15 grams of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, and 30 grams of Coicis Semen) was prescribed, and 20 grams of Pulsatillae Radix, 15 grams of Patriniae Herba, 20 grams of Sargentodoxae Caulis, and 30 grams of Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis were especially added.
Why? Because these herbs can eliminate damp-heat and turbid dampness. Sargentodoxae Caulis and Patriniae Herba are essential for treating appendicitis. You can see that they can treat appendicitis with purulent and turbid discharge, which is extremely smelly. Not to mention the turbid and smelly leucorrhea. So, for turbid and smelly leucorrhea, Sargentodoxae Caulis and Patriniae Herba are indispensable. With the addition of Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis and Pulsatillae Radix, it is like treating the turbid and smelly leucorrhea as dysentery.
Pulsatillae Radix is an important herb for treating heat-toxic dysentery. As for Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis, its advantage is that it can clear heat and remove toxicity. What kind of heat can it clear and what kind of toxicity can it remove? It can clear the heat in the channels and collaterals and remove the toxicity in the blood vessels. Why? Because it is the vine of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. Lonicerae Japonicae Flos itself is the best herb for removing toxins. No matter how severe the initial stage of sores and carbuncles is, if 50 to 100 grams of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos is used in a large amount, it can clear the heat toxins. However, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos is most proficient in removing toxins in the upper jiao and clearing heat, while what kind of toxicity can Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis remove? It can remove the toxins all over the body. Because it is a vine and is good at wandering around, it is even more powerful than Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and is most suitable for treating damp toxins in the lower jiao.
When 20 to 30 grams of Patriniae Herba, Sargentodoxae Caulis, Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis, and Pulsatillae Radix are used, together with Simiao San, after taking only seven doses of the medicine, the pain in the lower abdomen disappeared! The amount of leucorrhea decreased and there was no more turbid smell. After taking the medicine for another week, the patient recovered completely and there has been no recurrence for several years.
The above medical cases are only for learning and reference. Please do not prepare and use the medicines without permission!
For patients suffering from gout, damp-heat in the lower jiao, scrotal eczema (dampness and itching of the scrotum), yellowish and excessive leucorrhea, red, swollen, hot and painful joints, and sores and carbuncles with swelling and pain, Ermiao San is worth a try!