Table 5 Most common Chinese herbs and formula prescribed for patients with hepatitis C

Dan-shen

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

H & E: Activate blood and resolve stasis

anti-fibrosis, antihepatocarcinoma, anti-diabetic, lipid-lowering

59252

2.5

10.1

Yan-hu-suo

Corydalis yanhusuo

H & E: Activate blood, promote flow of qi, and alleviate pain

Also used in peptic ulcer

41875

3

7.1

Huang-qin

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

H: Clear heat and drain fire

Anti-inflammation

35273

2.2

8.1

Yin-chen-hao

Artemisia capillaris Thunb

H: Excrete dampness and alleviate jaundice

Anti-fibrosis

33357

2.4

10.1

Da-huang

Rheum officinale Baill

E: Clear heat and drain fire

Anti-tumor

32110

1.1

7.9

Huang-qi

Astragalus membranaceus

H&E: Qi-tonifying/ restore energy

Anti-cancer

30086

2.1

8.8

Bei-mu

Fritillariae thunbergii Bulbus

E: Clear heat and resolve phlegm

Also used in peptic ulcer and asthma

29404

2.7

7.1

Ge-gen

Pueraria thomsonii Benth

E: Release exterior and cure heat

Also used in ischemic heart disease

29143

2

7.4

Ye-jiao-teng

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.

E: Nourish heart and induce tranquilization

Also used in menopausal syndrome

28559

3.3

8.7

Hai-piao-xiao

Sepiella maindronide Rochebrune

E: Restrain acidity and alleviate pain

27940

2.5

8.4

Formulae

Also used in peptic ulcer

Jia-wei-xiao-yao-san

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Angelica sinensis, Atractylodes macrocephala, Bupleurum chinense, Gardenia jasminoides, Mentha haplocalyx, Paeonia lactiflora, Paeonia suffruticosa, Poria cocos, Zingiber officinale

H & E: Harmonize liver and release spleen;

Also used in thyroid disorders

88124

7.5

9.3

Xiao-chai-hu-tang

Bupleurum chinense, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino, Panax ginseng C.A. Mey, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Zingiber officinale, Zizyphus jujuba

H: Regulate exterior and interior Qi activity by balancing between yin and yang;

Antihepatocarcinoma

39837

6.7

7.9

Long-dan-xie-gan-tang

Gentiana scabra Bge, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Alisma orientalis, Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne., Plantago asiatica L., Angelica sinensis, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaert.) Libosch., Bupleurum chinense, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

H: Purge fire in the liver and gallbladder, clear away damp-heat in the lower burner;

Antiinflammation

36293

11.3

7.9

Shu-jing-huo-xue-tang

Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaert.) Libosch, Atractylodes lancea, Achyranthes bidentata Blume, Citrus tangerina pericarpium, Citrus reticulata Blanco, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Clematis chinensis Osbeck, Ligusticum striatum DC., Stephania tetrandra S. Moore, Notopterygium incisum, Angelica dahurica (Fisch. ex Hoffm.) Benth, Gentiana scabra Bge, Poria cocos, Zingiber officinale Rosc.,

E: Relax the channels and activate blood;

Also used in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

32646

10.3

6.9

Xiang-sha-liu-jun-zi-tang

Aquilaria sinensis, Amomum villosum Lour, Citrus reticulata Blanco, Pinellia ternata (Thunb.), Panax ginseng C.A. Mey, Poria cocos, Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

E: Tonify and replenish qi

Also used in functional dyspepsia and post-surgery colon cancer patients

28381

7.1

8.3

Gan-lu-yin

Rehmannia glutinosa, Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr., Liriope spicata (Thunb.) Lour., Dendrobium nobile Lindl., Artemisia capillaris Thunb, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Citrus aurantium L., Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch,

H& E: Clear heat and nourish yin;

Also used in Sicca syndrome

27563

6.1

7.6

Xue-fu-zhu-yu-tang

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Ligusticum chuanxiong hort, Paeonia anomala L., Prunus persica (L.), Batsch, Carthamus tinctorius L., Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaert.) Libosch, Citrus aurantium L., Bupleurum chinense DC., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC., Achyranthes bidentata Blume,

E: Promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis

Also used in ischemic heart disease and hyperlipidemia.

27493

6.6

8.1

Du-huo-ji-sheng-tang

Angelica pubescens Maxim, Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, Achyranthes bidentata Blume, Asarum heterotropoides F. Schmidt, Gentiana macrophylla Pall, Poria cocos, Cinnamomum cassia Presl, Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk, Ligusticum striatum DC., Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora Pall.

E: Reinforce the liver and kidney and tonify qi and blood;

Also used in fracture, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

27388

11.1

8.2

Suan- zao-ren-tang

Ligusticum striatum DC., Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge

E: Nourish blood to tranquilize the mind;

Also used in insomnia and depression

26417

8

7.5

Ping-wei-san

Citrus reticulata Blanco, Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.), Magnolia officinalis Rehd, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch

E: Activate the flow of Qi and regulate the stomach

Also used in leukemia patients

26083

7.2

7.6