A Brief Discussion on the Treatment of Chronic Nephritis with Traditional Chinese Medicine July 1, 1977

A Brief Discussion on the Treatment of Chronic Nephritis with Traditional Chinese Medicine July 1, 1977

For chronic nephritis, Western medicine usually offers few effective treatments, and hormone therapy is often used for the renal type; patients with hypertension or latent types are particularly difficult to treat. Traditional Chinese medicine, however, has many approaches to treating this condition, generally categorized into two types: spleen-kidney yang deficiency and liver-kidney yin deficiency. The former is mainly characterized by edema, while the latter is mainly characterized by hypertension. The former uses Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang as the main formula, while the latter uses Liu Wei Di Huang Tang. In May and June of 1977, I treated two patients with chronic nephritis using these methods, and both cases achieved satisfactory results. Patient Meng Fula, male, 35 years old, worker at the Lanzhou Xinlan Instrument Factory, had suffered from chronic nephritis for over a year, with proteinuria (+++). Western treatment had been ineffective, and the patient appeared pale, had poor appetite, felt weak and sweaty, and had mild generalized edema. I prescribed Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang combined with Bai Mao Gen, Chan Tui, and Yi Mu Cao. After taking five doses, the protein level dropped to ++, and I added Yi Shen Tang from the Shanxi Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (containing Wu Di Tao Hong Yi Dan Yin, Zi Hua Di Ding, Pu Gong Ying, and Ban Lan Gen).

Note: According to the mnemonic, “Wu Di means that there is no Sheng Di Huang in Si Wu Tang.” After taking eight more doses, the protein level dropped to +, and I then added Tan Yin Wan from Xi’an Medical College (containing Gui Fu Jiang Er Shu San Qin), taking another five doses. The protein level further decreased to trace amounts, and the patient’s appetite and spirits improved significantly, allowing him to return to work. Patient Hu Fenhua, female, 28 years old, worker at the Xinhua Printing Factory, had suffered from chronic nephritis for over a year and had been hospitalized at the Second Lanzhou Hospital for three months, with persistent proteinuria (+++). Her blood pressure fluctuated around 170/100 mmHg. After being discharged, she sought treatment from me in the outpatient clinic, stopping all Western medications and receiving traditional Chinese medicine instead. She complained of dizziness, blurred vision, lower back pain, leg weakness, tinnitus, bone-steaming sensations, generalized edema, frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination, with blood pressure reaching 170/110 mmHg. I prescribed Liu Wei Di Huang Tang combined with Qi Ju, Zhi Bai He Jian Ling Tang, Gui, Fu, Chan Tui, Yi Mu Cao, and Su Ye. After taking eight doses, the protein level dropped to +, and after another eight doses, it was reduced to trace amounts.