President: Vicki Ratner, M.D. Executive
Director: Debra Slade Editor: Rebecca Chalker
Chinese Herb Study Completed
In August, 1994, Dr. Kristene E. Whitmore, Chair of Urology at
Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, and her partner Dr. David Gordon,
started referring patients to Dr. Ching-Yao Shi for a study using
Chinese herbs to treat IC symptoms. Dr. Shi, w ho studied medicine in
China and is a licensed acupuncturist, worked for six months to
perfect the best formula using twelve different herbs. She then
initiated a long distance treatment program in which patients could
order the herbs by mail. During th e past two and one-half years,
about 500 IC patients have used Dr. Chi's herbal formula. Twenty-five
patients completed the study. "In our study all patients were
diagnosed with IC by a physician and kept daily charts on pain,
frequency, energy level, a nd emotional well-being, Dr. Shi says.
Patients used one tea bag twice a day for six days, skipped one day,
then started the, cycle again. "Depending on the symptoms, it
takes three to four months to reach a maintenance dosage level,"
she notes. On the maintenance dosage, patients drink the tea every
other week, then when symptoms are well under control, they proceed to
long term dosage of one week a month. The herbs in Dr. Shi's formula
include gardenia, licorice, dianthus, poria, rhubarb, rehmannia,
cornus, alisma ginseng, dioscorea, clemmatis armandi polygonum
aviculare, ligstrum, plantago seed, and milettia.
"After the third month, 42% of the patients reported a
decrease in pain, and this is a very significant difference," Dr.
Shi reports. In all, 82% of the patients experienced a decrease in
bladder and pelvic pain after three months. The average (media n)
frequency interval before treatment was 30 minutes to one hour, which
was defined as "high" frequency. After three months, 80% of
the patients had decreased frequency. "We found a positive
correlation between improvement in pain and a decrease in fre quency,"
Dr. Shi says. Eighty-five percent of the study participants also
noticed a return to normal energy levels, and 80% said that they had
lower anxiety levels and less depression. According to Dr. Shi,
"Overall, 52% of the patients now have symptoms that are well
under control, and an additional 24% experienced some improvement.
Four percent showed no improvement."
This study had a very good response rate, and no one dropped
out because of side effects." Dr. Whitmore says. "This is an
excellent therapy to pursue while using other treatments. In some
cases people who improve using the tea can get off of
many medications and can maintain themselves without having to worry
about side effects." For more information about this program,
contact Dr. Shi at 1700 Sansom St., Suite 503, Philadelphia, PA 19103;
phone (215) 751-9833. Outside of P hiladelphia call (800) 558-9833,
or contact the website at www.greenhealing.com.
The ICA does not engage in the proctice of
medicine. it is not a medical authority nor does it clain to have
medical knowledge. In all cases, the ICA reccomends that you consult
your own physician regarding any course of treatment or medication.
Any products or therapies described in the Update should not be
construed as reccommended or endorsed by the ICA.
