3. Clearing Heat and Detoxifying Method

、Sublingual vascular tortuosity and other manifestations all fall under the category of blood stasis. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a therapeutic principle: "To treat wind, first treat the blood; when the blood flows, the wind will naturally dissipate." Commonly used formulas include Guan Er, Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang, Pei's Da Ding Feng Zhu, as well as Chuan Niu Xi, Chi Shao, Ji Xue Teng, San Qi, and Shui Zhi. Activating blood circulation must be combined with regulating qi; when qi flows, blood flows, and when qi is stagnant, blood becomes stagnant. Therefore, herbs that regulate qi such as Mu Xiang, Xiang Fu, Ke Zi, and Yu Jin are often used in combination. 3. Clearing Heat and Detoxifying Method Wind is an external pathogenic factor of yang nature, which combines with fire and easily leads to upper respiratory tract infections, enlarged tonsils, and pneumonia with wheezing and coughing. Excessive heat can generate wind, leading to convulsions and seizures, while internal liver wind can cause twitching and tremors. Joint swelling and pain, skin erythema, fever and sore throat, elevated white blood cell count, accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, red tongue with yellow greasy coating, and wiry, slippery, and rapid pulse—all these symptoms indicate severe heat toxicity. Therefore, when treating wind, one must first extinguish the fire; once the fire is out, the wind will naturally subside. Pei's Five-Flavor Detoxifying Drink, with modifications, can be used for treatment. 4. Nourishing Yin and Reducing Fire Method Fire easily damages yin and causes blood to move; when yin is deficient, yang becomes excessive. If a patient experiences dry mouth and thirst, flushed face, five-center vexation and heat, irritability, facial erythema, insomnia and frequent dreaming, a red tongue with little coating, then it is necessary to nourish yin and reduce fire, protect stomach qi, and preserve body fluids. The formula used is the Three Herbs Liquid Supplement Decoction (Huzhang, Yin Yang Huo, Tu Si Zi, Xuan Shen, Sheng Di, Mai Dong, Nu Zhen Zi, Chuan Xu Duan, Han Lian Cao), along with Gui Fu Ba Wei Wan, Qi Ju Di Huang Tang, Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, and Shen Qi Wan—these classic formulas can all be modified and adjusted as needed. 5. Strengthening the Body and Consolidating the Root Method The "Plain Questions" states: "Where evil gathers, the qi must be deficient." Strengthening the body and consolidating the root can enhance the body's immunity. Through methods such as strengthening the spleen and kidney, and tonifying blood, satisfactory therapeutic effects can be achieved. Formulas used include the Lanzhou Formula (Sheng Di, Shan Yao, Shan Yu Rou, Ren Shen Xu, Tai Zi Shen, Bei Sha Shen, Lu Dang Shen, Mai Dong, Wu Wei Zi, Gui Zhi, Bai Shao, Sheng Jiang, Da Zao, Zhi Gan Cao, Fu Xiao Mai), the Lan He Three Black Formula (Sheng Di, Shan Yao, Shan Yu Rou, Ren Shen Xu, Tai Zi Shen, Bei Sha Shen, Lu Dang Shen, Black Sesame, Black Goji Berries, Black Mulberry), the Dang Gui Blood-Tonifying Soup, the Gui Pi Soup, the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Soup, the Zi Sheng Pill, the Sheng Yang Yi Wei Soup, and the Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, all of which can be modified and adjusted. 6. Soothing the Liver and Benefiting the Gallbladder Method Wind originates from the liver, and fire also originates from the liver. Wood generates fire, and when liver wood-fire is overly strong, it inevitably overcomes spleen earth, leading to disharmony between the liver and stomach, causing stomach distension and pain or flank distension and pain, dry mouth and bitter taste, yellow urine, constipation, and thick greasy tongue coating. Commonly used formulas for gallbladder and pancreas syndromes include Chai Hu, Zhi Shi, Bai Shao, Gan Cao, Dan Shen, Mu Xiang, Cao Dou Kou, Da Huang, Huang Lian, Yan Hu Suo, Chuan Lian Zi, processed Frankincense, processed Myrrh, dried ginger, honeysuckle, and Forsythia, with modifications. In addition, formulas such as Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Shu Zao Yin Zi, and Shi Zao Tang can also be used with modifications. 7. Other Methods Clinically, there are also methods such as harmonizing Chong and Ren meridians, softening hard masses and dispersing nodules, transforming phlegm and drying dampness, and calming the liver and suppressing yang, which physicians can flexibly apply according to changes in the condition. In addition, Professor Pei Zhengxue believes that the following single herbs can often be used in the modification and treatment of autoimmune diseases: Ma Huang, Chai Hu, Sheng Jiang, Chan Tui, Da Huang, Shang Lu, Mudan Pi, Huang Qin, Ku Shen, Fu Ling, Zhu Ling, Bai Hua She She Cao, Shan Dou Gen, Qing Hao, Qin Jiao, Fang Ji, Wei Ling Xian, Lei Gong Teng, Wu Jia Pi, Cao, Du Huo, Rou Gui, Xi Xin, Fu Zi, Wu Tou, Dan Shen, San Qi, Ru Xiang, Mo Yao, San Leng, E Zhu, Shui Zhi, Mian Chong, Chuan Xiong, Tao Ren, Hong Hua, Niu Xi, Huang Qi, Gan Cao, Yin Yang Huo, Goji Berries, and Si Wu Tang, among others. In summary, Professor Pei Zhengxue has utilized numerous methods of traditional Chinese medicine in treating autoimmune diseases, but all treatments adhere to the fundamental principle of strengthening the body and consolidating the root. On this basis, diagnosis is made according to syndrome differentiation, with adjustments made as needed, allowing early intervention with traditional Chinese medicine and leveraging the rich array of formulas and diagnostic principles left by our ancestors, yielding excellent results. At the same time, he believes that the process of tumor development is also closely related to autoimmune disorders. Most cancer patients experience a drastic decline in immune function at the time of death, sometimes even reaching a state of immune system collapse. In addition, during surgical trauma or acute stress, the patient's immune system is often in a state of disorder or suppression. At such times, timely intervention with traditional Chinese medicine can enhance the patient's own immune function, prevent recurrence, extend disease-free survival (DFS), prolong overall survival (FS), and improve quality of life. Professor Pei Zhengxue is a renowned expert in the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in China. He proposed the sixteen-character guideline of "Western diagnosis, Chinese syndrome differentiation; Chinese medicine as the mainstay, Western medicine as the auxiliary," so in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases, he emphasizes the integration of both systems. He believes that, based on the syndrome differentiation and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine, autoimmune diseases can also be long-term combined with Western medicines such as thymosin, thymopentin, interferon, and interleukins, which can further achieve ideal therapeutic effects. The term "immunity" refers to the ability to avoid disease. The body itself possesses this function, known as immune function. This function arises when antigens enter the body, prompting the body to produce antibodies. When the body produces antibodies, it triggers an immune response, which is a physiological reaction that maintains relative stability within the body's internal environment, enhances resistance to disease, and thus enables the body's immune surveillance function to prevent the proliferation and metastasis of mutated cells. This is a normal immune response. More than two thousand years ago, traditional Chinese medicine already recorded concepts similar to immunity. The "Plain Questions" states: "When true qi follows, spirit remains within; illness cannot arise." "When righteous qi resides within, evil cannot invade." Here, "true qi" and "righteous qi" can dispel pathogenic factors and keep the body free from illness, indicating that the "true qi" and "righteous qi" in traditional Chinese medicine are equivalent to the body's immune system. This system can not only prevent infectious diseases (external causes) but also non-infectious diseases (internal causes). The immune function that prevents infectious diseases (external causes) is akin to wei qi, while the immune function that prevents non-infectious diseases (internal causes) is akin to yuan qi. Both belong to the category of righteous qi (true qi). Regarding the concept of qi, traditional Chinese medicine holds the following views: Congenital qi, heart-kidney qi (yuan qi, original qi), originates from the kidneys and resides in the dantian. Wei qi (turbid qi outside the vessels), Acquired qi, ying qi, Clear qi inside the vessels. "Wei qi warms the flesh, nourishes the skin, strengthens the organs, and controls opening and closing." "When wei qi is balanced, the flesh is relaxed and the skin is smooth, and the organs are well-regulated." It can be seen that wei qi plays a barrier role for the skin and mucous membranes. Once this barrier function weakens, external pathogens invade, and wei qi rises up to fight against them, resulting in illness. The "Plain Questions · Malaria Chapter" states: "Where wei qi resides, if it combines with pathogenic qi, illness occurs." If external pathogens invade the space between the skin and flesh, wei qi can immediately surround them, leading to local ulcers. As stated in the "Plain Questions · Wind Chapter": "Wind qi enters together with the sun, travels through the meridians and acupoints, spreads between the flesh and muscles, interacts with wei qi, and its path is unfavorable, causing muscle tension and ulcers." The "Spiritual Pivot · Ulcer Chapter" also points out: "When cold pathogens invade the meridians, blood stagnates, blood stagnation leads to blockage, blockage causes wei qi to retreat and unable to return, resulting in pain and swelling. Cold qi transforms into heat, heat prevails and causes tissue decay, decaying tissue turns into pus." These passages illustrate the function of wei qi in resisting external pathogens. Combining this with modern medical understanding, we can conclude that the wei qi in traditional Chinese medicine has similar functions to white blood cells, phagocytes, and lymph nodes in modern medicine. In addition to its defensive function, wei qi also provides warming and protective effects for the body's internal organs and tissues. The "Plain Questions · Arthritis Chapter" states: "Wei qi is the vigorous qi of food and water, its qi is swift and slippery, it cannot enter the vessels, so it circulates within the skin, permeates the spaces between the flesh, diffuses throughout the chest and abdomen, if it goes against the qi, illness occurs; if it follows the qi, healing occurs." The "Spiritual Pivot · Wei Qi Circulation Chapter" says: "It starts in the yin, often enters the kidneys via the Shaoyin meridian, the kidneys send it to the heart, the heart sends it to the lungs, the lungs send it to the liver, the liver sends it to the spleen, and the spleen returns it to the kidneys, completing a cycle." This shows that all five zang organs and six fu organs have wei qi circulating through them, and when pathogenic factors appear, they fight against them. If the pathogenic factors are too strong, wei qi cannot win, which is called "going against the qi" and results in illness; if the pathogenic factors are not strong, wei qi wins, which is called "following the qi" and results in healing. In short, the function of wei qi is comparable to the "anti-infectious immunity" in modern medicine. As for non-infectious immunity, traditional Chinese medicine believes that it is mainly due to the yuan qi within the righteous qi. Yuan qi is the original qi, originating from the congenital kidney qi, divided into two types: yin yuan and yang yuan. It bears the important responsibility of balancing yin and yang in the body. The "Plain Questions" states: "When yin and yang are balanced, the spirit is well-governed; when yin and yang are out of balance, the vital energy is exhausted." This indicates that imbalance between yin and yang is the main internal factor leading to disease. When the body loses its yin-yang balance, it gets sick, and the treatment principle lies in regulating yin and yang, with the kidney being the central regulator. The kidney regulates yin and yang through yin qi and yang qi, that is, through the functions of yin yuan and yang yuan. Modern medicine believes that the stability of the body's immune function is closely linked to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis. The pituitary gland is the main link in the immune response, and through the action of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), it promotes the secretion of adrenal cortical hormones, which are the fundamental substances that suppress and reduce immune responses. At the same time, the pituitary gland also secretes growth hormone, which promotes and increases immune responses. In this way, the body's immune function can achieve relative stability. Of course, the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex system is also influenced by the nervous system, antigen-antibody interactions, and lymphokines. Recent domestic research findings show that the kidney in traditional Chinese medicine is largely equivalent to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex system. Increasing kidney yang means increasing antibodies, which represents enhancing immune function and reducing immune responses; decreasing kidney yin means extending the lifespan of antibodies, which represents reducing immune function and increasing immune responses. According to recent studies, the source of active immune cells in the body is closely related to the kidney in traditional Chinese medicine. Immune-active cells originate from bone marrow stem cells, which can differentiate into various T cells and B cells, serving as the material basis for the body's specific immunity and humoral immunity. The "Plain Questions" statement that "the kidney generates bone marrow" indicates that the kidney is related to the generation of immune-active cells. The "Spiritual Pivot" mentions "wei qi comes from the lower jiao," meaning that wei qi originates from the middle jiao—the spleen and stomach's food and water—and must undergo transformation in the kidney before becoming a substance with defensive functions. If we consider that wei qi, to some extent, refers to white blood cells, lymphocytes, phagocytes, and other reticular endothelial cells, then the assertion that "wei qi comes from the lower jiao" does indeed have a certain scientific basis. In summary, the body's immune function is collectively referred to as righteous qi (true qi), which includes wei qi and yuan qi. Wei qi is responsible for managing opening and closing, originates from food and water, comes from the spleen and stomach, circulates outside the vessels, is robust and tough, and has the characteristics of defending the body surface and resisting external pathogens, equivalent to the anti-infectious immunity in modern medicine. Yuan qi is divided into yin yuan and yang yuan, originates from the kidneys, resides in the dantian, and serves as the overall manager of yin and yang in the human body, representing the innate foundation. From the perspective of modern medicine, it is equivalent to the hypothalamus-pituitary system. Wei qi has the functions of white blood cells, phagocytes, lymph nodes, and the reticular endothelial system, while yuan qi represents the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system. Both are biochemically related to bone marrow stem cells, equivalent to the kidney in modern medicine. Therefore, the "Plain Questions" assertion that "the kidney generates bone marrow" is credible. In recent years, with the development of biochemistry and immunology, it has been discovered that there are five types of immunoglobulins in the human body: IgA, IgG, IgD, IgE, and IgM. IgG is the typical precipitating antibody, formed by plasma cells and entering the bloodstream. It is the main component of humoral antibodies in serum, accounting for about 80% of adult serum antibodies, and is active against various viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, toxins, and more. From an immunological perspective, when the body is stimulated by antigenic substances, an immune response may occur. The immune response is a physiological reaction that maintains the relative stability of the body's internal environment, enhances resistance to disease, defends against pathogen invasion, and enables the body's immune surveillance function. This is a normal immune response, which can only be realized when the body's righteous qi is strong and yin and yang are balanced; otherwise, abnormal reactions may occur, namely, dysfunction of the body's immune function. Such abnormal immune responses can manifest in two ways: ① hyperreaction, presenting as autoimmune diseases; ② hyporeaction, manifesting as loss of resistance and recurrent illness. It can be seen that only abnormal immune responses can cause disease. Hyporeactions are often caused by weak righteous qi and low reactivity of the body; hyperreactions are often caused by strong pathogenic factors and increased pathogenicity. Treatment for the former focuses on strengthening the body, while treatment for the latter focuses on eliminating pathogenic factors. In addition, there are cases where immune response is dysregulated, requiring a combination of strengthening and eliminating pathogenic factors—a method of simultaneous attack and reinforcement. Experiments have shown that many herbal medicines used for strengthening the body have the function of increasing and promoting immunity, enhancing the body's resistance to disease, especially polysaccharide plants, which can enhance the function of the reticular endothelial system, such as ginseng, wu wei zi, lingzhi, dang shen, huang qi, sha shen, yu zhu, mai dong, he shou wu, sheng di, nu zhen zi, goji berries, and fu ling—all contain bioactive polysaccharides, known as immune-enhancing herbs, capable of mobilizing the body's immunity. Traditional Chinese medicine's kidney-tonifying methods can enhance the body's immunity, improve the body's immune status, and regulate the body's immune function to maintain relative stability. Some people have tested the immune response level of patients with kidney yang deficiency using the rose bud test, finding that the T-cell ratio was very low, but after administering kidney-tonifying herbs, the T-cell ratio gradually increased, and clinical symptoms also improved accordingly. Others have measured the lgA content in the sputum of chronic bronchitis patients from the perspective of humoral immunity, discovering that after taking kidney-tonifying drugs such as rabbit fetal tablets, the lgA content in the patients' sputum tended to increase. Through rose bud tests conducted on 20 patients with chronic bronchitis of the kidney-deficiency type, it was found that the T-cell ratio was generally lower than normal. The Chengdu Military Region Outpatient Clinic also conducted skin sensitivity tests (SK-SD) on 100 patients with chronic bronchitis to examine their cellular immune status, finding that 70% were negative; at the same time, 40 healthy individuals were used as controls, with over 80% showing negative reactions. In treatment, the Chengdu Military Region Outpatient Clinic adopted the theory that "for those with phlegm and fluid accumulation, warm medicines should be used," employing warm kidney-yang tonifying drugs and applying them directly to the navel, achieving obvious therapeutic effects. The Shanghai Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine's oncology group used crude fetal alpha-fetoprotein as an antigen to induce an immune response in rabbits, discovering that yang-tonifying drugs could accelerate the formation of this antibody, while yin-tonifying drugs could extend the duration of its existence. The First Shanghai Medical College, in its practice of preventing and treating chronic tracheitis, found that after kidney-tonifying treatment, the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system in patients with kidney yang deficiency, as well as the serum immunoglobulin levels (lgA, IgM), both improved. In addition, yin-tonifying drugs can counteract the side effects of hormones. It was also pointed out that kidney-tonifying, regulating yin and yang, has regulatory effects on endocrine and immune functions. Therefore, using methods to tonify yin and yang can regulate immune responses that are either too high or too low. All of the above demonstrates that traditional Chinese medicine's strengthening therapy can enhance the function of the reticular endothelial system and boost the body's immunity, particularly excelling over Western medicine in enhancing non-specific immunity, and possessing valuable potential for further exploration. Traditional Chinese medicine's elimination of pathogenic factors can effectively control immune functions, especially blood-activating and stasis-resolving, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying drugs, which can often suppress immune responses, and can thus be regarded as immune-suppressing agents in traditional Chinese medicine. The autoimmune diseases treated by blood-activating and stasis-resolving, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying drugs, are usually cases of hyperimmune responses that urgently need suppression. Western medicine can use drugs such as 6-mercaptopurine and cyclophosphamide for this purpose. Common diseases in this category include acute and chronic nephritis, acute and chronic hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, and others. The onset of these diseases is due to the body's own internal antigen-antibody reactions, at which point the body's immune system loses the ability to distinguish between self and non-self substances. There are also experimental observations showing that blood-activating and stasis-resolving, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying drugs can reduce the degree of allergic reactions caused by horse serum sensitization in the knee joint cavity of guinea pigs, indicating that these drugs can suppress pathological damage caused by immune responses. Shanxi Medical College achieved relatively ideal therapeutic effects in treating chronic nephritis using blood-activating and stasis-resolving, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying drugs, with the mechanism being the suppression of immune responses. Some people have used the thymus atrophy test to observe the effects of shan dou gen, bai hua she she cao, da qing ye, and other herbs on immune responses, finding that these drugs all have a certain promoting effect on the atrophy of the thymus in young mice, indicating that these drugs can suppress immune responses. Physiological and Pathological Aspects Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also known as systemic or disseminated lupus erythematosus, is an autoimmune disease that affects multiple systems and organs. The etiology of SLE remains unclear to this day; it is generally believed to be a complex syndrome caused by various different pathogenic factors, rather than an independent disease. The main histological changes in SLE have two characteristics: