Liang Xue Jie Du Tang (凉血解毒汤) — Cool the Blood and Resolve Toxicity Decoction

Liang Xue Jie Du Tang (Cool the Blood and Resolve Toxicity Decoction) is the primary modern Chinese herbal formula for Blood-Heat pattern psoriasis and inflammatory skin disease. It combines Blood-cooling herbs (Sheng Di Huang, Chi Shao, Mu Dan Pi, Zi Cao) with heat-clearing and toxin-resolving herbs (Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Huang Qin) to address the sharp red, well-defined, actively-spreading skin lesions of Blood-Heat psoriasis. Used systematically in modern Chinese dermatology practice, it is prescribed alongside acupuncture and dietary work as part of a full online Chinese herbal consultation.

On this page

Overview
TCM pattern — Blood-Heat with Fire Toxin
Ingredients
Actions and indications
Dosing
Cautions and contraindications
Related formulas
Treatment at my clinic

1. Overview

Liang Xue Jie Du Tang (凉血解毒汤) is a modern Chinese herbal formula in the Clear Heat / Cool Blood category, developed and standardised for the treatment of Blood-Heat pattern psoriasis in modern Chinese dermatology hospitals. Not a classical Han-dynasty formula, it is a 20th-century composition assembling the best-evidenced Blood-cooling and Fire-Toxin-resolving herbs into a single therapeutic package. I prescribe it as bespoke pharmaceutical-grade granules from Sun Ten in Taiwan at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire, and via online Chinese herbal consultations for patients who cannot attend in person.

2. TCM pattern — Blood-Heat with Fire Toxin

Blood-Heat pattern presents as: sharp, bright red or crimson skin lesions with well-defined edges; actively spreading and new plaques forming; thick silvery scale that flakes off easily; marked warmth on palpation; intense itching worse with heat, alcohol or spicy food; a red tongue with a yellow coat and a slippery rapid pulse. This is the most common pattern of acute and progressive psoriasis vulgaris, particularly early guttate psoriasis and post-streptococcal flare presentations. It is the pattern for which this formula is designed.

3. Ingredients

Sheng Di Huang — Rehmannia glutinosa (fresh) (15–30g) — chief; cools Blood, nourishes Yin, generates fluids; the foundational Blood-cooling herb
Chi Shao — Paeonia lactiflora (red peony) (9–12g) — cools Blood, invigorates Blood, disperses stasis
Mu Dan Pi — Paeonia suffruticosa (9–12g) — cools Blood, disperses Blood stasis; classical partner to Chi Shao for Blood Heat with stasis
Zi Cao — Lithospermum erythrorhizon (gromwell root) (9–15g) — the specific dermatology Blood-Heat herb; particularly targets skin heat and toxin
Jin Yin Hua — Lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) (9–15g) — clears Heat, resolves Fire Toxin
Lian Qiao — Forsythia suspensa (9–15g) — clears Heat, resolves toxicity; partner to Jin Yin Hua for infectious and inflammatory Heat
Huang Qin — Scutellaria baicalensis (6–12g) — clears upper-burner Damp-Heat, dries Dampness

Modifications commonly added by the clinician include Xuan Shen for stronger Yin protection; Tu Fu Ling for Damp-Toxin; and Ku Shen for prominent itching.

4. Actions and indications

Principal actions

Cools Blood and disperses Blood Heat
Clears Fire Toxin and reduces inflammatory skin lesions
Reduces the rapid keratinocyte proliferation of psoriatic plaques
Preserves Yin (prevents Heat from depleting Blood and fluids)

Indications

Blood-Heat pattern psoriasis vulgaris — the primary indication
Acute-onset or progressive psoriasis with actively-spreading plaques
Post-streptococcal guttate psoriasis
Erythrodermic and pustular psoriasis (as adjunct, under specialist supervision)
Other inflammatory Blood-Heat skin conditions — acute eczema, erysipelas, hot urticaria

5. Dosing

As decoction or granule concentrate, 6–12g/day of the granule formulation divided across two daily doses. Duration for psoriasis: 8–12 weeks minimum for the active-treatment phase, followed by a modified maintenance formulation. Response is typically seen from weeks 3–4 with reduced itching and slowed new plaque formation; established plaques thin over weeks 5–12.

6. Cautions and contraindications

Contraindicated in Spleen-Cold and Yang-deficiency patterns (this is a strongly cooling formula)
Contraindicated in pregnancy without practitioner supervision
Not for Blood-Dryness pattern psoriasis (chronic, thick, dry plaques) — use Yang Xue Jie Du Tang for that pattern
Not for Blood-Stasis pattern psoriasis (dark, purple, fixed plaques) — use Tao Hong Si Wu Tang modifications
Do not self-prescribe. Always used within a full TCM diagnosis and prescriber-adjusted formulation
Any concurrent conventional medication should be reviewed with the prescribing herbalist

Yang Xue Jie Du Tang — the Blood-Dryness pattern equivalent
Tao Hong Si Wu Tang — for Blood-Stasis pattern psoriasis
Xiao Feng San — for Wind-Heat itchy psoriasis and eczema
Si Wu Tang — the parent Blood-nourishing formula behind the Si Wu family

8. Treatment at my clinic

I prescribe Liang Xue Jie Du Tang for Blood-Heat pattern psoriasis where the tongue, pulse and skin picture confirm the pattern. I see patients in person at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire, and remotely via online Chinese herbal consultations — a full history, tongue and skin photograph review with delivery of pharmaceutical-grade granules to your door. See the psoriasis page for the broader TCM framework and the prices page for consultation fees.