Treatment of Lupus with Traditional Chinese Herbs
Lupus is an autoimmune disease involving antibodies that attack connective tissue. The disease primarily affects women between the ages of 20-40. In China, lupus is even more prevalent than in the West, affecting about 5 million people. The principal disease form is a systemic one (systemic lupus erythematosis; SLE).
Most cases of lupus are mild; however, in some severe cases, untreated lupus can be fatal as it progresses from attack of skin and joints to internal organs, including lung, heart, and kidneys (with renal disease being the primary concern). Lupus mainly appears as a series of flare-ups, with intervening periods of little or no disease manifestation. Triggers for the flare-ups include emotional distress and ultraviolet light exposure; infections may also serve as triggers.
Modern medical treatment involves immunosuppressive strategies, mainly the use of corticosteroids such as prednisone, which are given during periods of flare-ups, but may also be given persistently for those who have experienced frequent flare-ups. Even with effective treatment, which reduces symptoms and prolongs life, the combination of drug side effects and continued low-level manifestation of the disease can cause serious impairment and premature death.
Herbs that clear heat and toxin, nourish yin (to control heat), or reduce the impact of damp-heat (associated with late-summer weather conditions) were recommended. The herbs and formulas for lupus were based on the treatments for warm diseases. Below are listed some of the common syndromes and their subsequent herbal formulas. Please consult with your Traditional Chinese Medical Doctor or Acupuncturist for a complete and accurate diagnosis to decide the best treatment route for your specific condition.
Differentiation and Treatment of Common Syndromes
1. Domination of Heat-toxin
Main Symptoms and Signs: Sudden onset, high fever, flushed face, fresh red-colored skin rash, purpura dotted over the skin, irritability, thirst, even coma and delirium in severe cases, arthralgia, constipation, scanty and dark urine, deep red tongue with yellow greasy fur, full and rapid or taut and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic Principle: Clearing away pathogenic heat and toxic materials, cooling blood and nourishing yin.
Herbal Formula: Modified Antipyretic and Antitoxic Decoction.
(Composition: dried rehmannia root, red peony root, moutan bark, gypsum, anemarrhena rhizome, scrophularia root, honeysuckle flower, forsythia fruit, arneia or lithosperm toot, ophiopogon root, cogongrass rhizome, buffalo hornpowder – taken after being mixed with the finished formula).
All the above herbs except buffalo horn powder are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
2. Internal Heat due to Yin-Deficiency
Main Symptoms and Signs: Low-graded fever or hectic fever in the afternoon, feverish sensation in the palms and soles. deep red-colored eruption, night sweat, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, aching pain of joints, soreness of waist, baldness, red tongue with thin yellowish fur or mirror-like tongue, thready and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic Principle: Nourishing yin and clearing away pathogenic heat, cooling blood and removing toxic material.
Herbal Formula: Modified Sweet Wormwood and Turtle Shell Decoction in combination with Bolus for Replenishing Vital Essence.
(Composition: sweet wormwood, stellaria root, wolfberry bark, picrorhiza rhizome, dried rehmannia root, scrophularia root, anemarrhena rhizome, phellodendron bark, arisaema tuber, ophiopogon root, fresh-water turtle shell, prepared licorice root)
All the above herbs are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
3. Deficiency of the Spleen-Yang and Kidney-Yang
Main Symptoms and Signs: pale complexion, puffy face, edema of limbs, distension and fullness of abdomen, cold extremities, shortness of breath, disinclination to talk, disturbance of urination, loose stool, pale tongue with whitish moist fur, deep and thready or thready and weak pulse.
Therapeutic Principle: Warming and invigorating the spleen and kidney and activating yang to promote diuresis.
Herbal Formula: Modified Decoction of Two Immortals Drugs combined with Powder of Five herbs with Poria.
(Composition: curculigo rhizome, epimedium, astragalus root, dodder seed, codonopsis root, cinnamon twig, umbellate pore-fungus, poria, water-plantain tuber, white atractylodes rhizome, waxgourd peel, cogongrass rhizome).
All the above herbs are to be decocted in water for oral administration.