Foreign Body Granuloma Following Hwangryunhaedok-tang Pharmacopuncture for Postherpetic Neuralgia

Abstract

Foreign body granuloma can be caused by endogenous compounds as well as various in- jectable materials. In oriental medicine, pharmacopuncture combining herbal medicine administration and injection is one of the commonly used procedures. Hwangryunhaedok- tang (HHT, a.k.a., Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang in China), an oriental medicinal herb known to produce anti-inf lammatory effects, has been recently made in pharmacopuncture products and commonly used for various disorders. An 88-year-old female presented with multiple tender nodules on the left parietal scalp and forehead. The diagnosis of foreign body granu- loma caused by HHT pharmacopuncture was revealed by more detailed previous treatment history of postherpetic neuralgia and histopathologic examination. Herein, we report a for- eign body granuloma as a delayed adverse reaction caused by non-standard administration of herbal extracts, considered biologically inert.