OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between governor vessel moxibustion combined with warming acupuncture based on the supporting-yang theory and simple warming acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with yang deficiency and cold congelation. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with KOA of yang deficiency and cold congelation were randomized into a combination group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a warming acupuncture group (32 cases, 1 case dropped off). In the warming acupuncture group, warming acupuncture was applied at Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), etc. on the affected side, once a day. On the basis of the treatment in the warming acupuncture group, governor vessel moxibustion was applied in the combination group, once a week. The 14-day treatment was taken as one course, and totally 2 courses with 2-day interval were required in the two groups. The clinical symptom score, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities arthritis index (WOMAC) score were observed before treatment, after treatment and in the follow-up of 12 weeks after treatment; the volume of suprapatellar bursa effusion was detected before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment and in the follow-up in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment and in the follow-up, the scores of clinical symptom, VAS and WOMAC were decreased compared before treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and those in the combination group were lower than the warming acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the volume of suprapatellar bursa effusion was decreased compared before treatment in both groups (P<0.05). After treatment and in the follow-up, the total effective rates were 93.3% (28/30) and 86.7% (26/30) in the combination group, which were superior to 87.1% (27/31) and 74.2% (23/31) in the warming acupuncture group respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Governor vessel moxibustion combined with warming acupuncture can improve the clinical symptoms i.e. pain and dysfunction and reduce the volume of suprapatellar bursa effusion in KOA patients with yang deficiency and cold congelation, its short-term effect and long-term effect are both superior to simple warming acupuncture.
Humans ; Universities ; Yang Deficiency/therapy*

Chinese medicine (CM) theories attach great importance to the interaction between the human body and the environment. From this entry point, based on a great number of related CM literatures and knowledge of modern medicine, this paper investigated the essence of chilliness and cold limbs of yang deficiency syndrome. The differences on cognition and solution to this problem between CM theory and modern medicine theory were also analyzed. Firstly, the close relationship between the CM concepts of yang deficiency, "external cold", and winter was put forward after a review of yang deficiency in CM scripture Huangdi Neijing. Chilliness and cold limbs of yang deficiency patients was believed to be highly similar to the body state of "external cold" of healthy people in winter. Secondly, the state of "external cold" was described as a reduction of body surface blood flow (heat) with references to the adaptability to cold stimulation. Then according to a collection of physiological and pathological factors which may cause such reduction, we proposed that the essence of chilliness and cold limbs of yang deficiency patients may probably be the state of reduction of body surface blood flow (heat) due to some pathological factors already known as heart failure, poor circulation, and thyroid dysfunction. Thirdly, by using the method of "syndrome differentiation through formula effects assessment", this recognition was confirmed because the pharmacological activities of cardiotonic or peripheral vasodilating, or surface temperature increasing were found in a great number of single medicines and prescriptions applied to yang deficiency syndrome in CM.
Cold Temperature ; Energy Metabolism ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Yang Deficiency ; Yin-Yang

OBJECTIVETo compare clinically therapeutic effects of warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture on knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases conformed with the diagnostic criteria of knee osteoarthritis with TCM kidney-yang deficiency and cold syndrome were randomly divided into a warming needle moxibustion group and a simple acupuncture group. Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and others were selected in the two groups. Their therapeutic effects were assessed with joint pain scale, knee osteoarthritis severity index scale and cold syndrome differentiation factors.

RESULTSBoth warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture could alleviate pain of knee osteoarthritis, improve dysfunction of the knee joint, reduce symptoms. The clinically basic cured rate and the total effective rate were 32.1% and 96.4% in the warming needle moxibustion group, which were better than 7.4% and 92.6% in the simple acupuncture group.

CONCLUSIONWarming needle moxibustion is an effective therapy for knee osteoarthritis with kidney-yang deficiency and cold type.

The clinical experience of professor for anovulatory infertility is introduced from three perspectives of , syndromes and menstrual period in this article. Professor believes that ovulation disorders mainly involves the liver, spleen and kidney, and four syndromes, including spleen-kidney -deficiency syndrome, liver-depression and kidney-deficiency syndrome, phlegm-dampness obstruction syndrome, -stagnation and blood-stasis syndrome are common in clinic. The combination of syndrome differentiation and menstruation differentiation should be adopted in treatment. The syndrome differentiation should be mainly applied. The acupoints for excess syndrome include Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Tianshu (ST 25), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Neiting (ST 44); while the acupoints for deficiency syndrome include Zhongwan (CV 12), Taixi (KI 3), Ganshu (BL 18) and Qimen (LR 14). In auricular acupuncture, kou (CO), wei (CO), pi (CO), neifenmi (CO), sanjiao (CO), dachang (CO) and shenmen (TF) could be selected for excess syndrome, while wei (CO), pi (CO), neifenmi (CO), zigong (TF), pizhixia (AT), shen (CO) and luanchao could be selected for deficiency syndrome. Moxibustion can be added to treat the patients with deficiency syndrome or cold syndrome. The menstruation differentiation could be used as auxiliary method. In the later period of menstruation, strengthening-spleen and promoting-blood method is applied and Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) are selected; in the intermenstrual period, tonifying-kidney and nourishing-, warming- and nourishing- method is applied and Shenshu (BL 23), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Hegu (LI 4) are selected; in the earlier period of menstruation, soothing-liver and tonifying-kidney, promoting- and relieving-depression method is applied and Taichong (LR 3), Qimen (LR 14), Luanchao (Extra), Zigong (EX-CA 1) and Xuehai (SP 10) are selected; during menstruation, Taixi (KI 3), Xuehai (SP 10) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) can be added to nourish kidney, nourish blood, promote blood circulation and regulate menstruation to promote oogenesis. In addition, B-ultrasonography can be used to monitor ovulation and guide intercourse to improve pregnancy rate.
Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; therapy ; Moxibustion ; Pregnancy ; Yang Deficiency

The traditional Chinese medicine Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem., also known as Aralia mandshurica, has the effect of "tonifying Qi and calming the mind, strengthening the essence and tonifying the kidneys, and dispelling wind and invigorating blood circulation". It is used in the treatment of neurasthenia, Yang deficiency and Qi deficiency, kidney Qi deficiency, spleen Yang deficiency, water-dampness stagnation, thirst, and bruises. Aralia elata saponins are the main components for the pharmacological effects. From the perspective of modern pharmacological science, Aralia elata has a wide range of effects, including anti-myocardial ischaemia and alleviation of secondary myocardium ischemic reperfusion injury by regulating ionic homeostasis, anti-tumor activity by inhibiting proliferation, promoting apoptosis and enhancing immunity, hypoglycemia and lipid lowering effects by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, and hepato-protective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory/analgesic effects. The studies on pharmacological mechanisms of Aralia elata will be conducive to its development and application in the future. This article reviews the research progress of Aralia elata domestically and internationally in the last two decades and proposes new directions for further research.
Aralia ; Yang Deficiency ; Apoptosis ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Myocardial Ischemia

The diagnosis and treatment pattern using combination of disease and syndrome, fully developing the advantages of both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) and being widely used clinically, has been constructed in the long history of TCM. Prof. MA Rou, as a hematology specialist of integrative medicine (IM), uses modern medical equipment to diagnose diseases and takes traditional Chinese medical methods to treat diseases. He is loyal to TCM sciences and refers to the advantages of WM. He holds the essence of MDS lies in toxic stasis according to its pathogenic features. He detoxifies and removes stasis using Qinghuang Powder. Meanwhile, according to patients' clinical manifestations, he summarized two common syndrome types, Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome and Gan-Shen yin deficiency syndrome. Better efficacy could be achieved by combining Chinese herbs for tonifying Pi-Shen. In recent years the application of Qinghuang Powder won some achievements in clinical study and experimental study, thus providing scientific reliance for Prof. MA Rou's academic thought on treating MDS.
Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Yang Deficiency ; Yin Deficiency

By reviewing research contents of patient-reported outcome (PRO) and discussing Chinese medicine (CM) theories related to chronic liver disease (CLD), we have followed international PRO questionnaire development specification, combined CM theories such as uniformed spirit and body, correspondence between human and the universe, yin in property and yang in function of Gan, and seven emotions, and constructed theoretical structure of PRO questionnaire of treating CLD, including four major areas as physiology, psychology, independence, and society and nature. Of them, the physiological field contained six aspects such as blood deficiency, yin deficiency, bleeding, disorder of qi movement, improper transformation and transportation of Pi-Wei, and abnormal biliary excretion. The psychological field contained two aspects: Gan-related emotions and general disease related emotions. The independence field contained two aspects: daily life and study and work. The field of society and nature contains three aspects: social relations, social environment, and natural adaptability.
Humans ; Liver Diseases ; therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yang Deficiency ; Yin Deficiency

From a macro-level analysis of the attributes and pathogenic features of HBV, the main pathogenic factor for chronic liver diseases including viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, the concept of damp-heat insidious pathogen was obtained, according to which, in-depth discussions were undertaken. Adopting syndrome typing of Wei (defense), qi (vital energy), Ying (nutrients), and blood, the pathogens leading to different syndromes as well as new products such as pathological "sputum", "stasis" in the disease process were understood, and then, the pathological "sputum" and "stasis", as the hub, playing a role in chronic lesions of the liver collateral were explained. Finally the pathological "sputum" and "stasis" blend and form cancer toxin. Through a comprehensive understanding of the development of chronic liver diseases, it is clear that damp-heat insidious pathogen, as its initiating factor, always exists in the whole process. We summed up heat clearing, dampness resolving, and detoxification was the principle for treating chronic liver disease.
Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

Starting from the thinking characteristics of TCM in the holistic approach of syndrome and process of syndrome differentiation, the problems in the criteria of syndrome diagnosis was analyzed, combining with the outcome of investigation on macrocosmic diagnosis of syndrome carried on twice by expert group nationwide in China, a concept for designing basic framework of standard for macrocosmic diagnosis of syndrome was advocated in this study. In order to recognize and master fully the standard, the following items would be the contents of the framework: give a standardized term of each syndrome; the basic clinical features of a syndrome; the qualitative parameters which could be used to distinguish the nature of a syndrome, and indexes to be used to judge the affected location of a syndrome during identifying process for a syndrome; the order of pertinent indexes with their given score, and the threshold for quantitative diagnosis. It is considered that the above framework defined the sufficient criteria which is constructed on the bases of the approaches with integrated qualitative and quantitative methods. It may enable the syndrome differentiation to access the real world of a patient to be used appropriately this framework.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo research the distribution characteristics of Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome and syndrome elements of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by analyzing literature in recent 20 years.

METHODSRelevant literature on treating CFS by syndrome differentiation of CM at home were retrieved by computer and manual ways. Database were established by using EpiData 3.1 to conduct frequency analysis of syndrome and syndrome elements.

RESULTSThe most common clinical syndromes were Xin-Pi deficiency syndrome, Gan stagnation Pi deficiency syndrome, Gan-Shen yin deficiency syndrome, Gan qi stagnation syndrome, and Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome. Disease locations were sequenced as Pi, Gan, Shen, and Xin. The clinical pathogenesis of CFS was characterized by deficiency of vital energy, complicated with intermingled excess and deficiency. Asthenia of healthy energy was mainly manifested as qi deficiency, blood deficiency, and yin deficiency, while excess of sthenia was mainly manifested as qi stagnation, phlegm dampness, and static blood.

CONCLUSIONSResearch of CM syndrome starting from syndrome elements can better unify and standardize clinical syndrome differentiation. Results of literature analysis can provide reference for further studies.