Method for treating malignant pleural effusion

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for treating malignant pleural effusion comprising administering a first herbal medicine composition to a subject in need; wherein the first chinese herbal medicine is an extract of a first mixture comprising Poria, Grifola, Rhizoma Atractylodis, Rhizoma Alismatis, Semen Lepidii, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Herba Ephedrae, Fructus Jujubae, Fructus Crataegi, dried Langan, Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, and Rhizoma Gastrodiae; Ginseng powder; and a second mixture comprising Radix Kansui, Euphorbia pekinensis, Flos Genkwa.

Claims

1. A method for treating malignant pleural effusion comprising: administering a first chinese herbal medicine to a subject in need; wherein the first chinese herbal medicine is an extract of a first mixture comprising Poria, Grifola, Rhizoma Atractylodis, Rhizoma Alismatis, Semen Lepidii, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Herba Ephedrae, Fructus Jujubae, Fructus Crataegi, dried Longan, Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, and Rhizoma Gastrodiae; Ginseng powder; and a second mixture comprising Radix Kansui, Euphorbia pekinensis, Flos Genkwa.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a preparation of the first chinese herbal medicine comprises: providing the first mixture; mixing the first mixture and water to form a third mixture; decocting the third mixture to obtain a crude extract; filtering the crude extract to remove a residue and obtain a liquid extract; and adding the Ginseng powder and the second mixture to the liquid extract in order to obtain the first chinese herbal medicine.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first mixture comprises 6-10 parts by weight of Poria, 6-10 parts by weight of Grifola, 6-10 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis, 13-17 parts by weight of Rhizoma Alismatis, 13-17 parts by weight of Semen Lepidii, 6-10 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 1-5 parts by weight of Herba Ephedrae, 5-10 parts by weight of Fructus Jujubae, 2-6 parts by weight of Fructus Crataegi, 6-10 parts by weight of dried Longan, 2-6 parts by weight of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, and 6-10 parts by weight of Rhizoma Gastrodiae.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the part by weight of the first mixture is 3.75 grams per part.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first mixture comprises 7-9 parts by weight of Poria, 7-9 parts by weight of Grifola, 7-9 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis, 14-16 parts by weight of Rhizoma Alismatis, 14-16 parts by weight of Semen Lepidii, 7-9 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 2-4 parts by weight of Herba Ephedrae, 6-9 parts by weight of Fructus Jujubae, 3-5 parts by weight of Fructus Crataegi, 7-9 parts by weight of dried Longan, 3-5 parts by weight of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, and 7-9 parts by weight of Rhizoma Gastrodiae.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Ginseng powder is 1-5 parts by weight.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the part by weight of the Ginseng powder is 3.75 grams per part.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the Ginseng powder is 2-4 parts by weight.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the second mixture is 0.5-1.5;0.5-1.5:0.5-1.5 (Radix Kansui:Euphorbia pekinensis:Flos Genkwa).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the weight ratio of the second mixture is 0.8-1.2:0.8-1.2;0.8-1.2 (Radix Kansui:Euphorbia pekinensis:Flos Genkwa).

11. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the water is 425-535 parts by weight.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the part by weight of the water is 3.75 gram per part.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second chinese herbal medicine; wherein the second chinese herbal medicine is a powder of a fourth mixture comprising Zhibai Dihuang Decoction, Yeh Gan Ma Hwang Tang, Ginseng, and Velvet Antler.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fourth mixture comprises 0.5-4 parts by weight of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction, 0.1-2 parts by weight of Yeh Gan Ma Hwang Tang, 0.1-2 parts by weight of Ginseng, and 0.05-1.5 parts by weight of Velvet Antler.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the part by weight of the fourth mixture is 3.75 grams per part.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fourth mixture comprises 1-3 parts by weight of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction, 0.5-1.5 parts by weight of Yeh Gan Ma Hwang Tang, 0.5-1.5 parts by weight of Ginseng, and 0.1-1 parts by weight of Velvet Antler.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mixture are powders comprising Radix Kansui, Euphorbia pekinensis, Flos Genkwa.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(1) Ordinal numbers such as first, second, fourth and the like used in the specification and claim for modifying elements of the claim do not mean and represent the claimed elements have any antecedent ordinal number, nor do they represent the order (or order of production) between a claimed element and another claimed element. The ordinal numbers are only used to clearly distinguish certain claimed elements having the same name.

(2) Unless specified otherwise, all technical and scientific terms set forth in the specification and claims of the present invention are defined as follows. The singular term a, an, or the, unless specified otherwise, refers to more than one object. The term or or and used herein, unless specified otherwise, refers to and/or. In addition, the term include or comprise used herein are open ended conjunctions. The preceding paragraphs are merely systematic references and should not be construed as limiting the subject matter of the invention. Unless specified otherwise, the materials used herein are commercially available, and the ways to get materials listed below are merely exemplary.

Preparation Example 1: Preparation of an Extract of the First Mixture

(3) Eight parts by weight of Poria, 8 parts by weight of Grifola, 8 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis, 15 parts by weight of Rhizoma Alismatis, 15 parts by weight of Semen Lepidii, 8 parts by weight of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 3 parts by weight of Herba Ephedrae, 8 parts by weight of Fructus Jujubae, 4 parts by weight of Fructus Crataegi, 8 parts by weight of dried Longan, 4 parts by weight of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, and 8 parts by weight of Rhizoma Gastrodiae were provided with 480 parts by weight of water to form about 120 parts by weight of a crude extract; then filter the crude extract to remove a residue and obtain an extract of a first mixture.

Preparation Example 2: Preparation of a Second Mixture

(4) Radix Kansui, Euphorbia pekinensis and Flos Genkwa were provided, dried, and co-grinded in a weight ratio of about 1:1:1 to produce about 100 grams powder, thereafter, a second mixture was obtained.

Preparation Example 3: Preparation of a First Chinese Herbal Medicine

(5) The extract of the first mixture was provided, and then added with Ginseng powder and the second mixture to obtain the first chinese herbal medicine.

Preparation Example 4: Preparation of a Fourth Mixture

(6) Two parts by weight of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction, 1 parts by weight of Yeh Gan Ma Hwang Tang, 1 parts by weight of Ginseng, and 0.5 parts by weight of Velvet Antler were provided, and then mixed to obtain a fourth mixture.

Embodiment 1

(7) The patient's symptoms in the Embodiment 1 were panting for light intensity activities and dramatic decrease in weight from 44 kg to 38 kg; after examination, it was found that pleural effusion shown in the right lung, and it might be malignant tumor according to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRT) report; after lung aspiration, the patient started to pant within a week.

(8) The treatment for the patient in the present embodiment comprises: on the first day, 1.6 g of the second mixture and 2.8 parts by weight of Ginseng powder were added to the extract of the first mixture and then divided into aliquots for ter in die administration; from day 2, the extract of the first mixture was administered together with 3 parts by weight of Ginseng powder. After two weeks, there was no pleural effusion found according to the X-ray film.

Embodiment 2

(9) The patient in the Embodiment 2 was about 90 years old, and the patient's symptoms were cough, panting for light intensity activities and weak knees (the patient suddenly fell down during a slow-walking); the patient was diagnosed to have a pleural effusion and malignant lung tumor, and relied on oxygen generator to breathe. After lung aspiration, symptoms recurred within a week.

(10) The treatment for the patient in the Embodiment 2 comprises: on the first day, 1.3 g of the second mixture and 3 parts by weight of Ginseng powder were added to an extract of the first mixture, and then divided into aliquots for ter in die administration. From day 2, 3 parts by weight of Ginseng powder was added to the extract of the first mixture, and then divided into aliquots for ter in die administration. After two weeks, there was no pleural effusion shown according to the X-ray film. After consecutive intake of the extract of the first mixture for about 40 days, the patient's symptom of pant was ameliorated significantly; however, the patient still coughed for dozens times and had sleeping difficulties every day, therefore, all of the aforementioned administration was stopped, and 10 g of the fourth mixture was administered to the patient once per day; and the patient barely coughed and slept well after three days.

Embodiment 3

(11) The patient in the Embodiment 3 was 92 years old, and the patient's symptoms were cough, sudden weight loss, and panting for light intensity activities (even lying). The patient was diagnosed to have a pleural effusion in the right lung and malignant lung tumor, and relied on oxygen generator to breathe. After 200 mL fluid was aspired from the lung, the symptoms recurred within a week.

(12) The treatment for the patient in the Embodiment 3 comprises: on the first day, 1.5 g of the second mixture and 3 parts by weight of Ginseng powder were added to an extract of the first mixture, and divided into aliquots for ter in die administration. From day 2, 3.5 parts by weight of Ginseng powder was added to the extract of the first mixture, and then divided into aliquots for ter in die administration. After two weeks, there was no pleural effusion shown according to the X-ray film. After consecutive intake of the first mixture for about 40 days, the patient's symptom of pant was ameliorated significantly, and the patient was able to do light intensity activities; however, the patient still coughed up sputum for dozens times every day, therefore, from day 41, all of the aforementioned administration was stopped, and 10 g of the powder of the fourth mixture was administered to the patient twice per day; on day 43, about 12-15 g of the powder of the fourth mixture was administered to the patient; thereafter, it was found that the patient barely coughed and panted, and did not need to rely on the oxygen generator to breathe.

(13) Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.