Practical Internal Medicine of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine 2nd Edition

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Chapter 110

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From Practical Internal Medicine of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine 2nd Edition · Read time 2 min · Updated March 22, 2026

Keywords专著资料, 全文在线浏览, 中西医结合, 第110部分

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Input: Fragrant herbs, thick-bark, sea sandalwood, plantain seeds). Heat-toxin internal infiltration is often associated with severe hepatitis, primarily treated by clearing heat and detoxifying, transforming turbidity and opening up the orifices, using Yin Chen Hao Tang combined with Shen Xi Dan in modified form (Yin Chen, Zhizi, Xijiao, Dahuang, Huangqin, Lianqiao, Jin Yin Hua, Changpu, Yujin, Banlan Gen, Zicao, Shengdi, Xuan Shen, Longdan). Liver Qi stagnation type is commonly seen in non-jaundice hepatitis and some cases of prolonged hepatitis. Treatment focuses on soothing the liver and resolving stagnation, harmonizing the stomach and regulating qi. Chai Hu Shu Gan San in modified form (Chai Hu, Bai Shao, Zhi Ke, Dan Shen, Chao Xiang Fu, Yujin, Fu Ling, Gan Cao) is used. Liver and kidney yin deficiency type is often observed in prolonged or chronic hepatitis, or in patients with early signs of liver cirrhosis; treatment emphasizes nourishing yin and softening the liver. Yidun Jian in modified form (Shashan, Shengdi, Dang Gui, Gou Qi Zi, Jin Ling Zi, Dan Shen, Mai Dong, Bai Shao, Shan Yao, Gu Ya) is employed. During the recovery phase of acute hepatitis and in chronic hepatitis, a common condition is digestive and spleen-stomach dysfunction. Treatment focuses on strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, as well as harmonizing the liver and regulating the stomach. The Shen Ling Zhu Cao Tang with modifications is used (Sha Ren, Mu Xiang, Ji Nei Jin, Fu Ling, Pao Shen, Mai Ya, Dan Shen, Bai Zhu, Gan Cao) (China Practical Medicine, 2006.9).

Ma Yongcai treated 86 cases of chronic type B hepatitis using the Eight Methods for Removing Dampness, achieving significant results in 42 cases, improving in 44 cases, with an overall effective rate of 100%.

The specific treatment method involves clearing heat and promoting diuresis: suitable for liver and gallbladder damp-heat syndrome. The formula includes 40g of Yin Chen, 10g of Zhizi, 10g of Dahuang, 10g each of Chai Hu and Longdan Cao, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, 15g of Fu Ling, 18g of Hua Shi, 9g of Ze Xie, and 20g of Pu Gong Ying. Additionally, 10g of Dan Pi is added if the goal is to clear heat, promote diuresis, reduce jaundice, cool the blood, and detoxify while alleviating abdominal distension and poor appetite. For diuresis and transformation of turbidity, the formula uses Yin Chen Wu Ling San combined with Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan in modified form: 40g of Yin Chen, 10g of Zhizi, 9g of Dahuang, 15g of Huo Xiang, 15g of Bai Kou Ren, and 18g of Hua Shi. If the aim is to reduce jaundice through diuresis, add 8g of Cang Zhu, 15g of Pei Lan, 15g of Fu Ling, and 9g of Ze Xie. If the focus is on clearing heat and detoxifying, use 10g each of Huang Qin and Lian Qiao, 15g of Jin Yin Hua, 10g of Dan Pi, and 5g of Gan Cao. For poor appetite, add 12g of Shan Zha, 15g of Shen Qu, and 20g of Mai Ya. To strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness, the formula uses Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang in modified form: 12g of Dang Shen, 10g of Bai Shao, 15g of Fu Ling, 10g of Chen Pi, 10g of Jiang Ban Xia, 10g of Mu Xiang, and 8g of Sha Ren. To strengthen the spleen, promote diuresis, and reduce jaundice, add 30g of Yin Chen, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, and 10g of Chuang Zi. If there is rib pain and abdominal distension, add 15g of Zhi Ke, 9g of Zhi Ke, 10g of Yu He, and 15g of Gua Lou. For nausea and aversion to oil, add 12g of Jiang Zhu Ru, 15g of Chao Shan Zha, 10g of Bai Dou Kou, and 3g of Gan Cao. To warm and transform cold-dampness, the formula uses Yin Chen Shu Fu Tang in modified form: 30g of Yin Chen, 15g of Chao Bai Zhu, 5g of Wu Fu, 5g of Gan Cao. If there is fullness and discomfort in the abdomen, add 10g each of Cang Zhu, Chen Pi, and Zhi Ke, and 15g of Zhi Ke. If nausea and poor appetite are present, add 10g each of Sha Ren and Bai Kou Ren, along with 15g of Huo Xiang. For heavy cold-dampness, add 10g of Qiang Huo, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, 5g of Rou Gui, and 5g of Gan Cao. To soothe the liver and strengthen the spleen to eliminate dampness, the formula uses Chai Hu Shu Gan San in modified form: 10g of Chai Hu, 30g of Yin Chen, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, 15g of Fu Ling, 10g of Zhi Ke, 10g of Chen Pi, 8g each of Chuan Xiong and Mu Xiang, 10g of Dang Shen, 15g of Sheng Bai Zhu, and 5g of Gan Cao. If there is flank pain, add 10g each of Yuan Hu and Chuan Lian Zi, along with 15g of Xiang Yuan and 15g of Fo Shou. For intestinal rumbling and diarrhea, add 10g of Hou Po, 10g of Chuang Zi, 15g of Bai Dou Kou, and 3g of Gan Cao. To warm and transform cold-dampness, the formula uses Yin Chen Shu Fu Tang in modified form: 30g of Yin Chen, 15g of Chao Bai Zhu, 5g of Wu Fu, 5g of Gan Cao. If there is abdominal fullness and discomfort, add 10g each of Cang Zhu, Chen Pi, and Zhi Ke, and 15g of Zhi Ke. If nausea and poor appetite are present, add 10g each of Sha Ren and Bai Kou Ren, along with 15g of Huo Xiang. For severe cold-dampness, add 10g of Qiang Huo, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, 5g of Rou Gui, and 5g of Gan Cao. To soothe the liver and strengthen the spleen to eliminate dampness, the formula uses Dan Zhi Xiao Ya San in modified form: 10g each of Chai Hu and Dang Gui, 15g of Bai Shao and Bai Zhu, 6g of Hong Hua, 3g of Gan Cao. If damp-heat is prominent, add 40g of Yin Chen, 20g of Yi Yi Ren, and 10g of Zhizi; to support the body’s righteous energy and help eliminate evil, add 10g of Sheng Huang Qi and 8g of Ren Shen. The treatment results showed that 42 cases were significantly improved, 44 cases showed improvement, with an overall effective rate of 100%. (Practical Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2009.2) IV. Western Medical Treatment (1) Treatment of Chronic Type B Hepatitis The overarching goal of treating chronic type B hepatitis is to maximize long-term suppression or elimination of HBV, reduce inflammation and necrosis of hepatocytes, and alleviate liver fibrosis, thereby slowing and preventing disease progression, reducing and preventing liver decompensation, liver cirrhosis, HCC, and their complications—thereby improving quality of life and extending survival time. Treatment for chronic type B hepatitis primarily includes antiviral therapy, immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory liver protection, anti-fibrosis therapy, and symptomatic treatment; among these, antiviral therapy is crucial. Whenever indicated and conditions permit, standardized antiviral treatment should be administered.

  1. General Indications for Antiviral Therapy ① HBV-DNA ≥ 10⁵ copies/ml (for HBeAg-negative patients, ≥10⁴ copies/ml); ② ALT ≥ 2 ULN; when using interferon therapy, ALT should be ≤ 10 ULN, and total bilirubin levels should be < 2 ULN; ③ If ALT is < 2 ULN, but liver histology shows Knodell HAI ≥ 4, or ≥ G₂ inflammatory necrosis, patients who meet criteria ① and ② or ③ should undergo antiviral treatment; for those who do not meet the above treatment standards, monitoring of disease progression is essential—when HBV-DNA remains positive and ALT remains abnormal, antiviral treatment should also be considered.

  2. Antiviral Medications ① Interferon: The sustained response rate to standard interferon therapy is only 10%–47%. Currently, polyethylene glycol interferon (PEG-IFN) α-2a or α-2b are commonly used. International multi-center randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that after 48 weeks of treatment for HBeAg-positive chronic type B hepatitis (87% of patients were Asian), followed by 24 weeks of follow-up, the HBeAg seroconversion rate was 32%; for HBeAg-negative patients (60% were Asian), after 48 weeks of treatment and 24 weeks of follow-up, 43% of patients had HBV DNA < 10⁴ copies/ml, and 42% remained at this level after 48 weeks. PEG-IFN has been approved in China for the treatment of chronic type B hepatitis. ② Nucleoside analogs: Currently, nucleoside analogs used in China for the treatment of hepatitis B include lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, telbivudine, among others. These medications have the advantage of significantly suppressing HBV, but they require long-term medication, and for patients with liver cirrhosis or decompensated liver function, it is especially important not to discontinue treatment lightly. Long-term use can lead to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, and some patients may experience relapse after stopping medication—this is a drawback of nucleoside analogs.

  3. Immunomodulatory Therapy Immunomodulatory therapy is one of the key approaches in treating chronic type B hepatitis, though there is currently a lack of hepatitis-specific immunotherapies. Thymosin α1 can enhance non-specific immune function, has few adverse reactions, and is safe to use. For patients who meet antiviral indications but cannot tolerate or are unwilling to receive interferon or nucleoside analog treatment, thymosin α1 can be used under certain conditions, administered at 11.6mg twice weekly via subcutaneous injection for a course of 6 months.

  4. Anti-inflammatory and Liver Protection Therapy Inflammation and necrosis of the liver, as well as the resulting liver fibrosis, constitute the primary pathological basis for disease progression. Therefore, effectively suppressing liver tissue inflammation may reduce hepatocellular damage and slow the progression of liver fibrosis. Active ingredients such as glycyrrhizic acid preparations and silibinin-based formulations have been clearly identified, exhibiting varying degrees of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protective effects on liver cell membranes and organelles; clinical applications can improve liver biochemical indicators. Compounds like dibutyl ester and bisabolol can also lower serum aminotransferase levels, particularly ALT. Anti-inflammatory and liver protection therapy is only part of comprehensive treatment and cannot replace antiviral therapy. For patients with markedly elevated ALT or those with significant liver tissue inflammation, anti-inflammatory and liver protection medications can be appropriately selected in addition to antiviral treatment. It is not advisable to use multiple anti-inflammatory and liver protection medications simultaneously, as this may increase the burden on the liver and cause adverse effects due to drug interactions.

  5. Anti-fibrosis Therapy: Studies have shown that after antiviral treatment with IFN-like agents, liver tissue pathology reveals reduced fibrosis and even liver cirrhosis. Therefore, antiviral treatment serves as the foundation for anti-fibrosis therapy. Based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical experience, liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis fall under the category of “zheng xu xue yu” syndrome. Consequently, the treatment of liver fibrosis and early-stage liver cirrhosis in chronic type B hepatitis often focuses on tonifying qi, nourishing yin, activating blood circulation to resolve stasis, while also nourishing blood and softening the liver or tonifying liver and kidney. Reports indicate that several traditional Chinese medicine formulas designed by domestic institutions for anti-liver fibrosis have demonstrated certain therapeutic efficacy. In the future, we should conduct large-scale, randomized, double-blind clinical trials in accordance with evidence-based medicine principles, following new drug clinical research management standards (GCP), and place greater emphasis on liver tissue histological examination results to further validate the anti-liver fibrosis efficacy of various traditional Chinese medicine formulas.

  6. Other Treatments: In recent years, research on cytokines such as interferon (IFN), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK cells) has made significant progress. These proteins, which possess diverse biological functions, are believed to coordinate bodily functions and play important roles in resisting infection, combating tumors, addressing immune deficiencies, and managing autoimmune diseases. Further research into these areas remains worthwhile. Intravenous high-nutrition therapies for hepatitis, drainage and reinfusion of ascites in liver cirrhosis, surgical treatments for portal hypertension, as well as artificial liver and liver transplantation—though these therapies sometimes provide symptomatic relief, they often fail to achieve long-term therapeutic effects because pathogenetic treatment has not been fundamentally resolved. Additionally, the traditional Chinese medicine compound berberine (oxyhydroxycamptothecin) was extracted from the medicinal herb Berberis aristata by Chinese scholars and has been developed into intravenous, intramuscular, and oral formulations. Clinical studies in China have shown that this drug improves liver biochemical indicators and exhibits certain anti-HBV effects. However, its precise anti-HBV efficacy still requires further expansion of case numbers and rigorous multi-center randomized controlled clinical trials to verify its effectiveness.

  7. General Care for Hepatitis ① Rest: Acute hepatitis requires local isolation and rest; chronic hepatitis should be adequately rested, combining movement and rest after improvement, and avoiding overexertion during the recovery period. Carriers of the virus need regular follow-up visits and do not require complete rest. ② Diet: Acute hepatitis benefits from easily digestible, vitamin-rich, light diets; when nausea and vomiting occur or when calorie intake is insufficient, glucose supplementation is recommended. Chronic hepatitis should adopt a high-protein diet, consuming moderate amounts to prevent fatty liver; alcohol consumption is prohibited for hepatitis patients.

(2) Treatment of Hepatitis C (1) The goal of antiviral treatment for hepatitis C is to eliminate or sustainably suppress the presence of HCV in the body, thereby improving or alleviating liver damage, halting progression toward liver cirrhosis, liver failure, or HCC, and enhancing patients’ quality of life.

(2) Effective antiviral medications: Interferon-α (IFN-α) is an effective drug against HCV, including standard IFNα, combination IFN, and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified IFNα (PEG-IFNα). The combination of PEG-IFNα and ribavirin is currently the most effective antiviral treatment regimen; followed by standard IFNα or combination IFN with ribavirin, both of which outperform single-use IFNα. Recent international clinical trial results show that when PEG-IFNα-2a (180μg) or PEG-IFNα-2b (1.5μg/kg) are administered once weekly via subcutaneous injection in combination with oral ribavirin for 48 weeks, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate can reach 54%–56%; the SVR rate for standard IFNα (3MU) administered via intramuscular injection three times a week in combination with ribavirin for 48 weeks was slightly lower, at 44%–47%; the SVR rates for single-use PEG-IFNα-2a or standard IFNα after 48 weeks were only 25%–39% and 12%–19%, respectively. Therefore, whenever there are no contraindications to ribavirin, combination therapy should be adopted.

(3) Treatment of Other Types of Hepatitis Other types of hepatitis, being localized infections, generally do not develop into chronic conditions. Aside from providing general care—such as isolating patients from others during acute hepatitis and allowing them to rest appropriately; for chronic hepatitis, adequate rest is recommended, combining movement and rest after improvement, and avoiding overexertion during the recovery period—patients should eat easily digestible, vitamin-rich, light meals. When nausea and vomiting occur or when calorie intake is insufficient, glucose supplementation is advised. Carriers of the virus need regular follow-up visits and do not require complete rest. Drug treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic treatment; active ingredients such as glycyrrhizic acid preparations and silibinin-based formulations have been clearly identified, exhibiting varying degrees of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protective effects on liver cell membranes and organelles; clinical applications can improve liver biochemical indicators. Compounds like dibutyl ester and bisabolol can also lower serum aminotransferase levels, particularly ALT. Except for particularly severe cases of hepatitis, most patients can recover within a short period of time.

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