Based on personal experience and understanding in clinical practice, the author summarized the valuable experience of Professor ZHAO Rong-lai on how to treat reflux esophagitis in TCM. The key pathogenesis of reflux esophagitis was due to the abnormal ascending and descending of spleen and stomach. It was mostly caused by chest yang obstruction, qistasis in diaphragm, failure of descending of diaphragm qi and upward rush of stomach qi. The most important treatment principles were dissipating and activating diaphragm qi, mediating ascending and descending of qi. Other methods such as activating qi, promoting blood circulation, resolving phlegm, relieving depression and moistening dryness can also be used according to the process of the disease.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of modified Danshen Yin on primary achalasia. Methods The 42 achalasia patients were randomized into two groups. The treatment group, 24 cases, was treated by modified Danshen Yin and the control group, 18 cases, by Nifedipine, for one week. The symptom scores of dysphagia, retrosternal pain and food regurgitation and the improvement of X-ray image were taken to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Results After treatment, both groups had improvement in the symptom scores, but the improvement of treatment group in dysphagia and food regurgitation was more significant. There was a significant difference of both groups in retrosternal pain before and after treatment (P