The clinical efficacy of integrative medicine in treating diabetes can be better understood when compared to traditional classifications of diabetes into upper, middle, and lower eliminations. In practical terms, this theory reflects real conditions more accurately, thus aiding in the preparation of prescriptions with ideal effects. For instance, Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang is used for treating chronic bronchitis (300 cases, 140 successes) at Tianjin Chinese Medicine Hospital. Chronic bronchitis falls under the category of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), where symptoms such as coughing and phlegm are observed.
In a group of 30 patients diagnosed with chronic bronchitis (17 males, 13 females), the oldest patient was 82 years old, and the youngest was 10 years old. Treatment followed TCM syndrome differentiation, primarily using ephedra for wind-heat invading the lung or stagnation heat causing cough, asthma, gas inversion, foot swelling or pain, thick yellow sputum, cold fever, and discomfort. The prescription included ephedra (10g), almonds (10g), gypsum (20g), licorice root (6g). Additional herbs were added based on severity: skullcap (10g), Houttuynia (20g), Anemarrhena (1g), gardenia (15g), melon basket (10g). Shortness of breath was treated with Ghassan skin (10g). Thick yellow phlegm was addressed with Lan Huang (10g), Tinglizi (12g), Dilong (10g). Blood in the sputum required Agrimony (15g), Rhizoma Imperatae (20g).
After treatment, fever disappeared, pulmonary rales significantly reduced, and blood tests returned to normal. Ziming Park lung drugs were then administered for conditioning to consolidate the curative effect. Among the 30 cases treated with Kun capsules, 25 achieved basic control, four showed significant improvement, and one was ineffective.
A typical case involved Wang, a 51-year-old male suffering from intermittent coughing and expectoration for a week, accompanied by wheezing. After examination, he had chronic bronchial inflammation. His temperature was 38.2°C, pulse rate 92/min, respiratory rate 28/min, BP 15.6/10kPa. Auscultation revealed rough lung sounds and wet/dry rales. Laboratory results showed WBC count at 12.6 × 10^9/L, red tongue, yellow fur, and slippery pulse. Western diagnosis: chronic bronchitis; TCM diagnosis: Asthma (phlegm obstructing the lung). The prescribed treatment included ephedra (10g), almond (10g), gypsum (20g), licorice root (6g), skullcap (10g), gardenia (12g), melon wilt (15g), Morus alba (10g), earthworm (10g). After five doses, his cough significantly reduced, expectoration became thinner, and wheezing disappeared. Further adjustments to the prescription led to complete symptom disappearance, with WBC count returning to 8.0 × 10^9/L and X-ray review showing negative findings.
Clinical observations indicate that excessive heat in the lungs causes gas inversion, injuring Tianjin and leading to body heat and asthma. Ephedra was used to vent evil heat while preserving righteous fire, aided by gypsum's cooling properties. This combination effectively addresses thirst and promotes common therapeutic goals.
In another study, 189 pediatric epilepsy cases were observed at Anyang City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Henan Province. Children aged 3 to 13 were classified into observed ranks, including 212 males and 76 females, all with primary carbuncle except Otawara syndrome, Lennox-Castaut syndrome, and acquired epileptic aphasia. Two groups of patients were treated alternately with two prescriptions: ① one thousand ginger (15g) + turmeric (15g) + croton oil (12g), realgar (12g), cinnabar (9g), Chuanxiong (15g) in the morning; ② ginger Pinellia (8g), green play sg (6g), floating sea stone (6g), incense (3g), fried construction song g (2g), Arisaema (2g) in the afternoon. Both prescriptions were finely ground into flour and made into pills weighing about 1g each. Medication was administered accordingly.