Tracing Development of LIU Wansu's Theory of ''Fire-heat Inducing Stroke''
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20252222
- VernacularTitle:刘完素“火热致中”理论发展脉络
- Author:
Xin LAN
1
;
Changxiang LI
1
;
Haojia ZHANG
1
;
Jialin CHENG
1
;
Zijin SUN
1
;
Liyang DONG
1
;
Zilin REN
1
;
Xueqian WANG
1
;
Fafeng CHENG
1
;
Qingguo WANG
1
Author Information
1. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，Beijing 100029，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
LIU Wansu;
theory of fire-heat;
stroke;
fire-heat inducing stroke;
pathogenesis;
syndrome differentiation and treatment
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(8):32-41
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
LIU Wansu， as the foremost of the four great masters of the Jin-Yuan period， established the "theory of fire-heat'' and extended the fire-heat pathogenesis framework to the field of stroke， thereby forming the theory of ''fire-heat inducing stroke''. This achieved a paradigmatic shift in stroke etiology from ''exogenous wind inducing stroke'' to ''fire-heat inducing stroke''. This paper systematically reviews the developmental trajectory of LIU Wansu's ''fire-heat inducing stroke'' theory and explores the social background， academic origins， and core connotations of its theoretical construction. The study found that， based on the ''Nineteen Pathomechanisms'' in the Huangdi's Internal Classic （Huang Di Nei Jing） and combined with clinical practice， LIU Wansu proposed that fire-heat is the fundamental cause of stroke， and that the Six Climatic Factors and the Five Zhi-Emotions can all transform into fire. He further constructed a stratified syndrome differentiation and therapeutic system centered on clearing heat and purging fire， emphasizing differentiated treatment of exterior and interior syndromes， Six Meridians syndrome differentiation， and seasonally adjusted medication. This theory not only resolved the diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas of febrile epidemic diseases during the Jin-Yuan period， but also exerted a profound influence on later physicians such as ZHANG Zihe and ZHU Danxi， thereby promoting the pluralistic development of stroke theory in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Modern pharmacological research provides solid scientific evidence， confirming that the ''fire-heat'' pathological state is highly associated with key mechanisms such as excessive inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， and excitatory amino acid toxicity following cerebral ischemia. Heat-clearing and fire-purging prescriptions and agents， such as Huanglian Jiedu Tang and baicalin， can exert multi-target neuroprotective effects by regulating inflammatory signaling， enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity， and balancing neurotransmitters. This not only verifies the scientific basis of the ''fire-heat inducing stroke'' theory from a modern biological perspective but also provides conclusive evidence for the clinical application of heat-clearing and fire-purging therapy. LIU Wansu's ''fire-heat inducing stroke'' theory represents a major milestone in the historical understanding of stroke pathogenesis， and its academically transitional insights continue to hold core guiding value for the pattern identification and treatment of ischemic stroke today.
