5. Metabolic Liver Diseases and Autoimmune Disorders

5. Metabolic Liver Diseases and Autoimmune Disorders Fatty liver, hepatic hemochromatosis, glycogen storage diseases of the liver, congenital non-hemolytic jaundice, systemic lupus erythematosus, and non-specific ulcerative colitis are among the conditions that may be associated with these disorders. Laboratory tests provide some assistance in diagnosis, though most cases require liver biopsy for definitive confirmation.

III. Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Understanding and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (1) Historical Medical Perspectives on Similar Viral Hepatitis Cases Discussions about hepatitis-like conditions and liver cirrhosis can be found in chapters such as “Jaundice,” “Liver Stagnation,” “Flank Pain,” “Accumulation,” and “Distension.” These texts offer detailed descriptions of syndromes, etiologies, pathogenic mechanisms, and treatment approaches, summarized below:

“Those who experience yellowing and redness of the skin while lying down are considered to have jaundice; those with yellowed eyes are also classified as having jaundice.” (Suwen, Chapter on “The State of Health and Meteorological Conditions”) “In the seventh or eighth day of a cold, the body turns yellow—this is called ‘Yangming Jaundice.’” (Shanghan Lun, Yangming Chapter) “When damp heat combine, people suffer from itching.” (Suwen, Chapter on “Six Elements’ Proper Order and Major Principles”) “The disease known as ‘Yellow Family’ arises from dampness.” (Jin Gui Yao Lü, Chapter on ‘Jaundice’) “When epidemics spread across the land, causing jaundice, it is commonly referred to as ‘Plague Jaundice,’ which can claim the lives of many in an instant.” (Shen Shi Zun Sheng Fang, Chapter on ‘Jaundice’) “When there is heat in the spleen and stomach, and the heat becomes more intense, jaundice suddenly appears, accompanied by fullness in the heart and shortness of breath—life can be lost in an instant. Thus, it is often called ‘Rapid Jaundice.’” (Zhu Bing Yuan Hou, Chapter on ‘Rapid Jaundice’) “Jaundice arises from deficiency of spleen and stomach qi, when the body is affected by damp heat, which accumulates in the skin and tissues, leading to jaundice.” (Zheng Zhi Zhuan, Chapter on ‘Damp Heat Disease’) “In damp-heat diseases, if the middle jiao is strong, the illness resides in Yangming; if the middle jiao is weak, the illness resides in Taiyin.” (Wet-Heat Disease Chapter) “Yin jaundice is caused by cold-dampness in the spleen and stomach, which fails to transport qi.” (Lai Zheng, Chapter on ‘Jaundice’) “In Yangming diseases, stagnant heat resides within the body, causing jaundice—and Yin jaundice arises when dampness transforms into cold, with Yin taking the lead in darkness, requiring treatment in the spleen.” (Yin-Yang Jaundice Chapter) “If there is blood stasis causing jaundice, the stool will inevitably turn black, and lumps or distension may appear in the abdomen and flanks; when the pulse is deep or wiry, use Taokou Chengqi Decoction, and once all the black matter is expelled, the condition will improve.” (Zhang Shi Yi Tong, Chapter on ‘Miscellaneous Cases’) “Patients with liver disease often experience pain in the lower ribs.” (Suwen, Chapter on ‘Internal Organs’ and ‘Seasonal Times’) “The liver’s wood element is naturally ascending and dispersing; it does not tolerate stagnation. When stagnation occurs, qi becomes reversed, leading to belching, bloating, vomiting, sudden anger, flank pain, and chest fullness with loss of appetite.” (Lai Zheng, Chapter on ‘Liver Qi’) “When pathogenic factors reside in the liver, a surge of qi rises in the flanks, and dark blood accumulates internally.” (Ling Shu, Chapter on ‘Five Pathogenic Factors’) “There is a distinction between internal injury and external exposure in flank pain.” (Jing Yue Quan Shu, Chapter on ‘Flank Pain’) “Chronic illnesses often cause stagnation in the meridians, where both qi and blood become blocked. Blood accumulation forms solid masses, while qi flows freely without trace.” (Lin Zheng Gong An, Chapter on ‘Flank Pain’) “When damp heat accumulates and fire is added, wind invades externally, causing flank pain. If flank pain persists for a long time without improvement, it may indicate phlegm accumulating into solid masses—these are called ‘liver accumulations,’ which sometimes manifest as fatty liver, occurring occasionally and often due to excess liver qi.” (Zheng Zhi Hui Bu) “Those with visible masses are called ‘accumulations,’ while those without visible masses are called ‘gatherings.’ Accumulations often affect the blood system, whereas gatherings tend to impact the qi system.” (Jing Yue Quan Shu, Chapter on ‘Accumulations’) “The formation of accumulations begins when righteous qi is insufficient, allowing pathogenic qi to take hold. When righteous qi is still strong and pathogenic qi is still shallow, the body can withstand attack; when pathogenic qi is deeper and righteous qi is weaker, the body must endure both attack and replenishment; when pathogenic qi overwhelms the body, righteous qi is depleted, leaving the body vulnerable to further attacks.” (Zhang Shi Yi Tong, Chapter on ‘Accumulations’) “Abdominal distension, with a pale yellowish hue and prominent abdominal muscles.” (Ling Shu, Chapter on ‘Water Distension’) “All tumors, masses, and hard lumps are the root causes of distension—over time, they accumulate, causing the abdomen to grow like a winnowing basket or a jar.” (Yi Men Fa Lü, Chapter on ‘Distension’) “Water toxins accumulate inside the body, causing the abdomen to gradually enlarge, with sounds of movement.” (Zhu Bing Yuan Hou, Chapter on ‘Causes of Disease’) “The three elements—qi, water, and blood—are often interconnected: when qi lags behind blood, blood becomes congested, and when blood becomes congested, water accumulates.” (Yi Que, Chapter on ‘Swelling’)