Author(s)

Lung-Fung Tse¹, Hi-Shan Cheng¹, Chi-Yin Tso¹, Yuk-Wah Hung¹, Leung-Kim Hung², Jing-Zhou Chen², Xue-Lin Zhou^3,4, Chak-Hei Fung^3,4, Ellie Suet-Yee Pang^3,4, King-Fai Cheng^3,4, Chun-Kwok Wong^3,4,5, Ping-Chung Leung^2,3,4*

¹Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
²Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
³Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁴State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁵Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

To observe the safety and effectiveness of a topical herbal agent used to promote fracture healing, a herbal patch containing extracts of three herbs, viz., Flos Carthami, Radix Dipsaci, Rhizoma Rhei and Borneolum Syntheticum (an enhancer) was applied on ten subjects with un-displaced fifth metatarsal fractures. Pain scores, foot and ankle function questionnaires and regional swelling were carefully assessed and recorded. Peripheral blood was taken to measure the inflammation cytokines. Assessment checks were performed biweekly to enforce effective patch application and compliance. The results showed that pain improved after two weeks and fracture sites swelling had 20% reduction in thickness when measured with an ultrasonic tool. Foot and ankle functional scores markedly improved after six weeks. Radiological examinations revealed early perfect fracture unions. The topical herbal patch was effective in promoting fracture healing. It was well tolerated by the fracture patients. Larger randomized controlled trials would be indicated.

Fracture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Topical Agent, Herbal Treatment

Tse, L. , Cheng, H. , Tso, C. , Hung, Y. , Hung, L. , Chen, J. , Zhou, X. , Fung, C. , Pang, E. , Cheng, K. , Wong, C. and Leung, P. (2015) Does Topical Agent Help Fracture Healing? A Pilot Study Using a Herbal Patch. Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 3, 35-39. doi: 10.4236/ojtr.2015.32005.