Lonicera 13

This formula treats accumulation of fire toxin causing damp heat to become lodged in the surface. The traditional concept of fire toxin corresponds to irritant substances in the blood that cause skin inflammation, a type of damp heat. Sophora, phellodendron, scute, and talc clear heat and dry dampness; many of the herbs in the formula clear heat and clean toxin. Lonicera in combination with forsythia removes fire toxin from both the blood and the surface. Arctium, tribulus, and siler are used to dispel wind, which is one of the factors causing the flare-ups of the disease. There are other Seven Forests formulas for treating inflammatory skin disorders; certain herbs are used repeatedly in these formulas. Lonicera 13 has 6 ingredients in common with Forsythia 18 (lonicera, forsythia, scute, siler, phellodendron, licorice), but Forsythia 18 is more suited for acute eczema (e.g., contact dermatitis, or early stage of eczema flare-up) or skin eruptions. Lonicera 13 has 5 herbs in common with Red Peony Tablets (red peony, lonicera, forsythia, taraxacum, licorice), a formula especially suited to red and painful skin disorders due to blood stasis and blood heat; there are 4 ingredients in common with Kochia 13 (siler, tribulus, raw rehmannia, licorice), where Kochia 13 is suited for scaly skin disorders, with herbs for damp-heat and formation of swellings. There are 4 herbs in common with Zaocys Tablets (siler, tribulus, red peony, licorice), which has other ingredients selected to address itching due to wind damp. Lonicera 13, when combined with Zaocys Tablets, produces a therapy similar to a popular patent remedy, "Armadillo Counter Poison Pills," mainly used for dermatitis and eczema.