III. Conclusion

therefore, an elevation in GPT calls for heat-clearing and detoxifying treatments, while increased turbidity requires tonifying and consolidating therapies. In the integrated study of the three systems of hepatitis B, the author consistently uses heat-clearing and detoxifying methods to lower surface antigen ratios and employs tonifying and consolidating methods to turn core antibodies negative. Modern immunology holds that the relationship between antigens and antibodies is mutually reinforcing; thus, the essence of TCM syndrome differentiation for the three systems of hepatitis B should be a combination of deficiency and excess, requiring equal emphasis on tonifying and consolidating as well as heat-clearing and detoxifying in order to effectively treat the disease. 2. Combining Pathogen Perspective with Body Response Perspective Western medicine places great emphasis on the pathogenicity of the causative agent and has achieved remarkable success in this area. Research on pathogenic microorganisms has led to the development of various antibiotics, resulting in exceptionally effective treatment for most infectious diseases. However, sequelae arising from infection—such as deficiency of vital energy, disharmony of qi and blood (including disturbances in the autonomic nervous system, immune system, metabolic system, etc.)—often fail to achieve satisfactory results. TCM, on the other hand, focuses on regulating the body’s response through methods such as “tonifying and consolidating” and “activating blood circulation and resolving stasis,” which generally can effectively regulate systems like the autonomic nervous system, metabolism, and immunity. Take osteomyelitis as an example: during the acute phase, the disease is directly caused by pathogenic bacteria, leading to infection-dominated symptoms; treatment at this stage should prioritize antibiotics, supplemented by TCM heat-clearing and detoxifying agents and blood-activating, stasis-resolving formulas. Once osteomyelitis enters the chronic phase, systemic infection symptoms subside, and the main clinical manifestations become localized bone destruction, compensatory hyperplasia of the cortical bone, non-healing sinus tracts, and purulent discharge. At this point, there is no need to use Western antibiotics; instead, TCM alone—tonifying and consolidating, eliminating phlegm and dispersing nodules, activating blood circulation and resolving stasis—can deliver excellent therapeutic effects. Acute pancreatitis can be treated with TCM to clear the bowels and regulate qi, in conjunction with antibiotics; chronic pancreatitis, however, can be managed solely with TCM to soothe the liver, strengthen the spleen, and clear the bowels and regulate qi. Acute bronchitis responds very well to antibiotic treatment, while chronic bronchitis achieves satisfactory results with TCM—both examples underscore this point. Clinically, there remain many diseases whose causative agents have not yet been identified by modern medicine, or whose agents have been identified but for which no effective inhibitory drugs have been developed. For such conditions, TCM remains the preferred treatment, including hepatitis, nephritis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, and various connective tissue diseases. By regulating the body’s response, TCM provides feedback on the true causative factors of these diseases, thereby achieving therapeutic goals to a certain extent. 3. Combining Holistic and Local Perspectives The holistic and systemic perspective of TCM is a hallmark of its academic system and the essence of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment. However, understanding a disease also requires accurate insight into its site of onset, which can further benefit syndrome differentiation and treatment. Take exterior wind-cold and wind-heat syndromes as examples: traditionally, TCM divides them into two categories, with wind-cold characterized by headache, fever with chills, body pain, sweating or lack thereof, and floating-tight (or slow) pulse; wind-heat, on the other hand, presents with headache, fever with more heat than cold, thirst, body pain, and floating-rapid pulse. While this diagnostic criterion based on a holistic view appropriately reflects the clinical characteristics of wind-cold and wind-heat, beginners often struggle to accurately assess whether the pulse is rapid or slow, whether the patient is thirsty or not, or whether the heat is intense or mild. Moreover, individual differences in nerve type, lifestyle habits, current emotional state, and working conditions can significantly affect the stability of these symptoms. Therefore, although the criteria for distinguishing wind-cold from wind-heat are clear, mastering them is far from easy. From the perspective of integrating TCM and Western medicine, wind-cold is more likely to fall under the category of viral colds, while wind-heat tends to be associated with bacterial infections such as pharyngitis and tonsillitis. Under this premise, people begin to use local redness and swelling of the pharynx and enlargement and pain of the tonsils as one of the diagnostic criteria for wind-heat, making the distinction between the two much clearer—even beginners in TCM can easily grasp it. Another example is gynecological hemorrhage: traditionally, TCM syndrome differentiation often conflates functional uterine bleeding with massive cervical cancer-related hemorrhage, making it impossible to treat them separately. However, if we combine TCM’s traditional holistic diagnosis with Western medicine’s localized internal examination, we can clearly differentiate between the two. This has positive implications for prognosis and treatment. In summary, the integration of holistic and local perspectives is an important component of the clinical approach to integrating TCM and Western medicine, as it makes clinical diagnosis more accurate and thereby significantly improves treatment outcomes. Collectively, over the years

III. Conclusion

Lu Shu Zhu Ju Du Ba Lan Ji Yi This article starts from the different social foundations upon which TCM and Western medicine rely for their development, explores the necessity and inevitability of integrating the two, and thus provides a theoretical basis for the rationality of such integration. Building on this, it elaborates that the clinical essence of integrating TCM and Western medicine lies in ① combining macro and micro perspectives, ② integrating the pathogen

TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System and Its Application in Treating Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases Department of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Xia Yongchao: Ming County Angelica (Mingdanggui) from Gansu Province is renowned both domestically and internationally for its superior quality and outstanding therapeutic efficacy. Angelica has the properties of nourishing blood and promoting blood circulation, and has been widely used by physicians since ancient times, earning the reputation of “nine out of ten prescriptions contain angelica.” Recent pharmacological studies have shown that Mingdanggui possesses analgesic and antispasmodic effects, sedative and calming properties, enhanced tolerance to hypoxia, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions, immune enhancement, hematopoiesis promotion, anticoagulant and anti-aggregation effects (1)(2)(3). Our department’s cardiovascular and cerebrovascular team, after 17–18 years of work, has preliminarily established the “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System” (4), which has demonstrated remarkable therapeutic efficacy, attracted attention from experts both within and outside the province, gained the trust of patients from various regions, and gradually expanded its influence. It has opened up new avenues and fields for treating certain cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as some stubborn and complex conditions. Indication

I. Concept of the “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System”: It involves reusing Mingdanggui (Angelica from Ming County, Gansu Province) to formulate a series of prescriptions for treating certain cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as some difficult and complicated conditions, achieving excellent therapeutic results and forming a self-contained system, hence the name “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System.” The term “Buddha’s Hand” originates from the Buddha’s Hand Powder (angelica and chuanxiong), also known as Xiong Gui Powder, mentioned in the “Taiping Shenghui Fang” as a remedy for difficult childbirth and stillbirth. The “Puji Fang” and “Yizong Jinjian” both discuss this formula, with the “Yizong Jinjian” stating that it can treat various prenatal and postnatal ailments, and its effect is as miraculous as a “Buddha’s Hand.” The “Blood Evidence Theory” claims that this formula can treat stagnation in meridians and internal organs. We take the “Buddha’s Hand Powder” as the foundation and heavily utilize Mingdanggui

Combining the pathogen perspective with the body’s response perspective, and ③ integrating the holistic and local perspectives. The combination of these three elements constitutes the clinical methodology for integrating TCM and Western medicine. It should also be noted here that this integration must involve TCM absorbing the strengths of Western medicine for its own use, rather than Western medicine appropriating TCM’s strengths for its own purposes. In other words, TCM must assimilate Western medicine’s microscopic, pathogen-focused, and localized understanding,

formulating its own prescriptions and creating multiple formulations to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as some difficult and complicated conditions, achieving remarkable therapeutic effects. Therefore, we refer to this class of prescriptions as the “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System Series Formulations.”

II. History of Establishing the “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System”: Under the guidance of veteran TCM doctors such as Dou Boqing, Xi Liangcheng, Zhang Zhongyuan, Wang Jingshan, and others, we engaged in clinical practice and gradually came to appreciate the exceptional therapeutic effects of Mingdanggui. We consciously expanded its therapeutic scope: from 1970 to 1974, we conducted preparatory clinical trials; in 1975, we formulated “Gan Guan No. 1” for treating coronary heart disease, achieving good results; thereafter, we continued research on “Gan Guan No. 2” and “Gan Guan No. 3” (5)(6). Subsequently, we also made progress in researching stroke, various brain diseases, peripheral nervous system disorders, giant cell arteritis and other vascular occlusive diseases, traumatic brain injury, and some miscellaneous internal medicine conditions. Our treatment scope expanded to more than ten diseases, and we formulated over twenty prescriptions, all based on syndrome differentiation and treatment, accumulating more than sixty summaries of experience and academic papers, which were successively published in various journals, some presented and discussed at national academic conferences, receiving high praise from experts, benefiting an increasing number of patients, and attracting more patients from both inside and outside the province. Thus, on May 18, 1987, we announced the preliminary completion of the “TCM Buddha’s Hand Treatment System.” On August 11, 1987, we also disclosed this news at the National Symposium on Emergency TCM held in Changchun by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

By integrating traditional syndrome differentiation and treatment systems, TCM can both preserve its unique characteristics and simultaneously penetrate and advance in step with modern science and technology.

① Engels: “Dialectics of Nature,” People’s Publishing House, 1971 edition, page 80. Point 「

Expert Lecture: Advances in Research on Hepatitis B Jiaguan Si Guo Gansu Provincial Institute of New Medicine Chief Physician Pei Zhengxue 2 Since the discovery of the hepatitis B virus in the 1960s, the incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B have garnered widespread global attention. Starting in the 1970s, Chinese scholars conducted extensive epidemiological surveys and research nationwide, confirming that hepatitis B is indeed a very serious epidemic in China. Based on varying figures reported from different regions, the current prevalence of hepatitis B in China is estimated to be between 5% and 25%. In light of this, further understanding of research advances on hepatitis B is essential for every medical professional. I. Naming of the Hepatitis B Virus Appreciation

In 1963, American scholar Blumberg and others discovered the “Australian antigen.” In 1968, Japanese scholar Okochi and others confirmed the relationship between the “Australian antigen” and blood transfusions as well as hepatitis. Subsequently, many scholars proved that the “Australian antigen” is not a nonspecific byproduct of liver cell damage, but rather a pathogenic factor with viral characteristics. In 1970, the Fourth International Conference on Liver Diseases passed a resolution officially naming the “Australian antigen” as the “Hepatitis Associated Antigen” (HAA). In September 1972, at a United Nations conference on viral hepatitis, the name “Associated Antigen” was abolished and replaced with “Hepatitis B Antigen” (HBAg). In 1973, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ conference on viral hepatitis separately proposed names such as “Hepatitis B Surface Antigen” (HBsAg) and “Hepatitis B Core Antigen” (HBcAg). The Hepatitis B Antigen is also referred to as the Hepatitis B Virus, abbreviated as HBV. Many scholars have proven that HBsAg is found only in the cytoplasm of liver cells; in fact, it is the outer shell protein of the Hepatitis B Virus, hence the name “Hepatitis B Surface Antigen.” Additionally, the Hepatitis B Core Antigen exists in the nucleus of liver cells. In 1977, the United Nations Expert Committee on Viral Hepatitis officially announced the names of Hepatitis B antigens and antibodies, along with their respective treatments.

Writing methods: HBsAg—Surface Antigen; HBcAg—Core Antigen; HBeAg—e Antigen; Anti-HBs—Surface Antibody; Anti-HBc—Core Antibody; Anti-HBe—e Antibody. Later, the person

H peopleII. Pathological Characteristics of the Hepatitis B VirusLarge

In 1970, Zai En and others used electron microscopy to observe the serum of hepatitis B patients and found that nearly all samples contained small spherical particles about 22 nanometers in diameter, as well as larger spherical particles approximately 42 nanometers in diameter. Subsequent research by many scholars proved that the smaller particles are redundant viral envelopes, precisely the Australian antigen discovered by American scholar Blumberg back then, later named the Hepatitis B Surface Antigen; the larger particles, meanwhile, represent the complete Hepatitis B Virus. At that time, because people had not yet recognized the pathogenic nature of these particles, they were referred to as Zai En particles. Later, researchers also discovered that the core antigen resides in the nucleus of liver cells, while the surface antigen is located in the cytoplasm. In the mid-1970s, Hirshm-

an proposed a hypothesis about the replication of the Hepatitis B Virus: he believed that after the virus invades the cytoplasm of liver cells, it loses its outer shell, at which point the circular DNA of the viral particle begins to expand, especially after entering the nucleus, where the host’s DNA also participates in the replication process, forming the core. The host DNA embedded in the viral core rapidly transforms into circular DNA and produces DNA polymerase, thus forming the core antigen. Meanwhile, the outer shell protein synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum of the liver cell cytoplasm (i.e., the surface antigen) can combine with the core antigen to form a complete pathogenic particle, which then leaves the cell. Storage 200

1. Surface Antigen and Its Antibodies Determined Heart

Generally, the surface antigen appears in the patient’s serum before the onset of hepatitis symptoms or abnormal biochemical indicators; in some cases, it can even be detected three months before the disease manifests, though in rare instances it may only be detected after the onset. Most acute hepatitis B patients exhibit a 100% positive rate for surface antigen at the time of onset, dropping to around 25% after three months, and further declining to about 6.4% after twelve months. This demonstrates that the surface antigen in acute hepatitis B is transient; if the surface antigen remains positive for several years, it suggests that the patient is no longer in the acute phase and may have progressed to chronic active hepatitis or chronic persistent hepatitis. The ratio of surface antigen is usually not strongly correlated with the severity of the disease, nor with the level of transaminases,

therefore, some patients show no symptoms and have normal transaminase levels, yet their surface antigen remains persistently positive, even at high levels. Previously, such patients were considered healthy carriers of the virus, but recent extensive data indicate that a portion of them actually suffer varying degrees of liver damage. Thus, whether the label “healthy carrier” is truly appropriate still warrants further investigation. For patients newly infected with hepatitis B, surface antibody is rarely detected alongside a positive surface antigen; once the antibody turns positive, however,

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