The Clinical Study Of The Treatment Of Acne Vulgaris By "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" In Singapore And China

Purpose:Acne vulgaris is a chronic,inflammatory,dermatologic disease of the pilosebaceous follicles,which mostly happens in the pubertal age.The acne skin damages are mainly on the face,the chest and/or the back,in predilection.The clinical presentation of acne can range from a papule to pustule,protuberance,severe cyst, even to the hollow or the proliferative keloid developed.Apparently,acne has a much bigger influence on the sufferers' personal and social life.Currently,the major medical treatments involve antibiotics,estrogen, antitestosterone and retinoid.The antibiotics are effective to the acne initially, however,recrudescence often happens and more or new antibiotics have to be given. The resistance to the antibiotics or side effect on the liver and kidney function may be developed after a long period of taking.Retinoid may influence the growth of the skeleton,with the side effect such as thirstiness,skin dryness,stomach disturbance. Antitestosterone could cause queasiness,inappetence,irregular menses.Furthermore, maladjustment of incretion may become worse after stopping the medicine.Estrogen will cause feminization.Therefore,these medicines are only limited to the clinical appliance.The TCM theory believes that the etiology of acne is mainly due to the blood heat in lung and stomach.The predisposition of the patient is relatively Yang excessive.The irregular diet of too much hot and fatty foods causes the dampness heat developed inside.The heat flows with the blood,and is detained on the breast and face skins.Or due to the lung heat suffocated,the blood heat blocked on the skin causes the acne.Located in the tropical zone,Singapore is hot and humid perennially.Influenced by Indian and Malay's diet culture,Singaporeans have partiality for savory and spicy foods.Therefore,under the working and studying pressure,there are quite some adults and teenagers suffering from acne,who are socially diffident especially due to the face skin damage from acnc.According to the etiology of acne vulgaris, therapeutically,a treatment has been formulated under the study to clear the heat in the lung and stomach,detoxify,dry dampness,and cool blood.A study on its therapeutical effect and the mechanism of action to acne has been conducted through clinical observation.Due to historical reasons,Western medicine has been dominating in Singapore and the TCM and its medicines have been regulated strictly.Recently,TCM are showing its importance,however,there is still not much communication and synergy between the TCM and the Western medicine.Considering TCM reality in Singapore, to facilitate the study,groups of ache patients from both Singapore and China have been selected for clinical observation.Although there are some differences in terms of regions,countries and races,consistent methods could be applied to analyze the ages, state of the illness,diagnosis criteria.Therefore,with the advantages of TCM-confirmed curative effect and lower side effects,the traditional prescription "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" has been selected as the fundamental treatment to the acne patients from both Singapore and China,in the form of both modern granulated and the traditionally decocted dosages clinically.Method:In the study,two groups of ache patients were identified clinically:Treatment group of 38 acne patients and Comparison group of 30 acne patients.The modern granulated and the traditionally decocted "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" were given to the Treatment group and the Comparison group,respectively.The course of the treatment was one month for both of the group.The treatment effects were observed and judged based on "the Classification of the Grade of Acne Vulgaris and the Curative Effect Standard" published in 1997 by the Dermatologic Cosmetology Group of the Chinese Medical Esthetics and Cosmetology Branch.Result:For the selected 68 acne patients,the curative rate and the total effective rate of the Treatment group with the modern granulated "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" is 44.73% and 84.20%,respectively;while the curative rate and the total effective rate of the Comparison group with the traditionally decocted "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" is 53.33%and 86.67%,respectively.Statistical analysis shows that p＞0.05 for the total effective rates comparison,which indicates that statistically,there are no significant difference in the treatment effectiveness between the two treatments.The study results also confirmed that either in the form of the modern granulated dosage or in the form of the traditionally decocted dosage,"Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" gives comparable effective treatment to the acne clinically,regardless for Chinese, Singapore Chinese or other races with different climates and diet cultures.Conclusion:The clinical study confirmed that the traditional prescription of "Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin" is a safe and effective treatment to the acne vulgaris,regardless countries and races with different diet cultures.