Safety and efficacy of Tongkuaixiao ointment in relieving cancer-induced pain: a multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial

A total of 130 patients with moderate to severe cancer-induced pain were randomly divided into a treatment group, who received Tongkuaixiao ointment (TKXO), and a control group, who received a placebo ointment. Both groups additionally received oral opioid analgesics. TKXO was composed of Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis Rhizoma), Wu Yao (Linderae Radix), Jiang Huang (Rhizoma Curcumae), Zi Ran Tong (Pyritum), Bai Jie Zi (Semen Sinapis Albae) and Bing Pian (Borneol). The course of treatment was five days. Compared to the control group, the TKXO group experienced significantly faster and longer-lasting pain-relieving effects, which meant that they required significantly lower doses of morphine. [Dec 2016]