2. Efficacy Statistics

In the treatment group of 76 cases, 32 achieved near-cure, accounting for 42.1%; 39 improved, accounting for 51.3%; 5 were ineffective, accounting for 6.6%, for a total effective rate of 93.4%. In the control group of 28 cases, 1 achieved near-cure, accounting for 3.5%; 18 improved, accounting for 64.3%; 9 were ineffective, accounting for 32.2%, for a total effective rate of 67.8%. Comparison of recovery before and after treatment is shown in Table 1; comparison of laboratory test indicators before and after treatment is shown in Table 2; comparison of efficacy by syndrome type is shown in Table 3; comparison of efficacy by disease duration is shown in Table 4.

Table 1: Comparison of Symptom Recovery Before and After Treatment in the Treatment Group and Control Group (Cases %)

| Polydipsia | Polyuria | Polyphagia | Fatigue | Emaciation +:=======:+:=======:+:========:+:========:+:========:+:========:+:========:+ Treatment Group | Before Treatment | 69(90. | 70(92. | 53(69. | 76(100)△ | 43(56.6) | | 8)△ | 1)△ | 7) | | n=76 | After Treatment | 12(15.8) | 9(11.8) | 5(6. 6) | 12(15. | 20(26. | | * | | * | 8) * | 3) * Control Group | Before Treatment | 23(82. | 24(85. | 18(75. | 27(96. | 13(46.4) | | 1) | 7) | 1) | 4) | n=28 | After Treatment | 20(71.4) | 19(67. | 15(53.6) | 12(42. | 10(35.7) | | | 8) | | 8) | △：Statistical processing before treatment for both the treatment group and the control group. P>0.05

* ：Statistical processing after treatment for both the treatment group and the control group. Except for the emaciation item, where P<0.05, all other items have P<0.01

△：Statistical processing before treatment for both the treatment group and the control group. P>0.05

* ：Statistical processing after treatment for both the treatment group and the control group. Except for the fasting blood glucose item, where P<0.05, all other items

Overall processing P<0.01

V. Typical Cases

[Case 1] Li ××, female, 52 years old, housewife, first visited in early June 1983. The patient had been found to have positive urinary glucose since 1972, occasionally experiencing dry mouth and frequent urination. She was diagnosed with diabetes at a local hospital and had previously taken Pnenformin, D86o, and other medications, with her condition fluctuating between good and bad. In recent years, her condition had worsened, with fasting urinary glucose often ranging from + to ++++. One month ago, she came for consultation due to an upper respiratory tract infection that exacerbated her condition. The patient presented with intense thirst and excessive drinking, spontaneous sweating and fatigue, palpitations and increased appetite, frequent and copious urination. Physical examination: body temperature 37°C, flushed face, no jaundice of the sclera, no ulcers or suppurative lesions on the skin and mucous membranes, coarse breath sounds in both lungs, no dry or moist rales heard. Heart borders were normal, no murmurs heard in the valve areas, abdomen was flat, liver and spleen were not palpable, and no abnormalities were found in the limbs or spine. Laboratory tests: hemoglobin 14.5 g, red blood cells 5.2 million/mm³, platelets 96,000/mm³, white blood cells 9,000/mm³, neutrophils 76%, lymphocytes 23%, monocytes 1%. Urinary glucose ++++, ketone bodies (-), fasting blood glucose 450 mg/dL, CO₂-CO₃ volume 58, urea nitrogen 16 mg. Western diagnosis: diabetes; TCM diagnosis: pulse was large and forceful, tongue body red, coating yellow and greasy, combined with intense thirst and excessive drinking, spontaneous sweating and fatigue, indicating Yangming Fire Excess. Treatment principle was to clear heat and reduce fire, tonify qi and nourish yin, using modified Renshen Baihu Tang: 30 grams of raw gypsum, 6 grams of zhimu, 10 grams of shanyao, 10 grams of gancao, 10 grams of dangshen, 10 grams of maidong, 10 grams of wuweizi, 6 grams of huanglian, 10 grams of hua fen, decocted in water and taken once daily. After 10 doses, the patient’s symptoms disappeared, her spirit returned to normal, pulse became string-like, tongue body redness decreased, urinary glucose (-), fasting blood glucose 140 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 260 mg/dL. The prescription was then adjusted by removing huanglian and hua fen, adding 10 grams of shengdi, reducing raw gypsum to 20 grams, and continuing for another 30 doses. However, due to a cold, urinary glucose again fluctuated between + and ++, with occasional thirst and frequent urination. Therefore, 6 grams of huanglian and 10 grams of hua fen were added back to the prescription, and raw gypsum was increased to 30 grams. After another 10 doses, the patient’s thirst and frequent urination disappeared again, urinary glucose (-), fasting blood glucose 120 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 190 mg/dL. The patient was advised to regularly take Guifu Bawei Wan, and after two years of follow-up, she was as healthy as anyone else, with urinary glucose (-), fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose all within the normal range.

[Case 2] Zhao ×, male, 29 years old, teacher. First visited in early March 1986. The patient had been suffering from diabetes for 5 years, with unsatisfactory results despite multiple treatments. He had taken Yuquan Wan, Pnenformin, Youjiangtang, and even received insulin injections in the hospital, yet his urinary glucose always remained between + and +++. Through a friend’s recommendation, he came to our outpatient clinic. The patient presented with frequent and copious urination, fatigue and spontaneous sweating, dizziness and tinnitus, lower back pain and leg weakness, and aversion to cold. Physical examination: body temperature 36°C, pale face, no ulcers or suppurative infections on the skin and mucous membranes, no abnormalities found in the heart and lungs, liver and spleen not palpable. Laboratory tests: hemoglobin 13 g, red blood cells 4.1 million/mm³, platelets 7.16 million/mm³, white blood cells 11,000/mm³, neutrophils 72%, lymphocytes 28%, urinary glucose ++++, ketone bodies (-), fasting blood glucose 360 mg/dL, blood ketones 3 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 520 mg/dL, urea nitrogen 16 mg/dL. Western diagnosis: diabetes. TCM diagnosis: pulse was deep, string-like and fine, chi pulse weak, tongue body enlarged with tooth marks, coating thin and white, combined with dizziness, lower back pain, spontaneous sweating, and aversion to cold, indicating Kidney Yang Deficiency. Treatment principle was to warm and tonify the kidney yang, using modified Guifu Bawei Wan: 10 grams of shengdi, 6 grams of shanyu, 10 grams of shanyao, 6 grams of danpi, 12 grams of fuling, 10 grams of zexie, 10 grams of rougui, 6 grams of fupian, 10 grams of maidong, 3 grams of wuweizi, 3 grams of huanglian, 10 grams of hua fen, decocted in water and taken once daily. After 10 doses, the patient’s symptoms eased compared to before, urinary glucose dropped to +, fasting blood glucose 140 mg/dL. The prescription was then adjusted by adding 30 grams of huangqi, and after another 30 doses, all symptoms completely subsided, urinary glucose (-), fasting blood glucose 100 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 180 mg/dL. Follow-up until autumn 1989 showed stable condition with no further relapses.

[Case 3] Bai ××, male, 61 years old, worker. First visited in early February 1981. He had been suffering from diabetes for 13 years, recently experiencing emaciation, bone-steaming heat, five-heart vexation, intense thirst and frequent urination, reddish and bitter urine, constipation, and widespread joint pain. He had been hospitalized multiple times, long-term taking Yuquan Wan, Pnenformin, D860, and even receiving insulin injections in the hospital, with the maximum dose reaching 80 units per day (regular insulin). Three months ago, due to blurred vision, an ophthalmological examination revealed bilateral senile cataracts. Physical examination: body temperature 36.8°C, pulse 92 beats per minute, blood pressure 24.0/13.3 kPa (180/100 mmHg), dull complexion, emaciation, halitosis, no ulcers or infectious lesions on the body and skin, coarse breath sounds in both lungs, no dry or moist rales heard, heart borders slightly expanded to the left, P2<A2, A2 hyperactive, a grade II systolic blowing murmur audible in the apex area, abdomen flat, liver and spleen not palpable, no deformities in the limbs or spine. Laboratory tests: hemoglobin 10.2 g, red blood cells 3.52 million/mm³, platelets 120,000/mm³, white blood cells 1,000/mm³, neutrophils 79%, lymphocytes 21%, urinary glucose ++++, ketone bodies weakly positive, fasting blood glucose 490 mg/dL, blood ketones 8 mg, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 580 mg/dL, urea nitrogen 20 mg, CO₂-CO₃ volume 65, blood cholesterol 270 mg, triglycerides 1100 mg, ester protein 1,100 mg, glycerol triester 200 mg, fundus examination showed grade II arteriosclerosis. Western diagnosis: ① diabetes, ② hypertension with arteriosclerosis, ③ bilateral cataracts. TCM diagnosis: tongue body red with little fluid and stasis spots, coating thick and greasy, pulse string-like and rapid, combined with previous symptoms, indicating that the disease has entered the collateral channels, with fire burning up the fluids. Treatment principle was to activate blood circulation and remove stasis, while clearing heat and eliminating steaming. The formula used was modified Huoyu Zengye Tang: 12 grams of shengdi, 10 grams of yuan shen, 10 grams of maidong, 10 grams of chishao, 6 grams of chuan xiong, 3 grams of honghua, 10 grams of jiangxiang, 20 grams of danshen, 6 grams of danpi, 10 grams of ge gen, 6 grams of zhimu, 6 grams of huangbo, 6 grams of cangzhu, 6 grams of huanglian, 10 grams of hua fen, 3 grams of da huang, decocted in water and taken once daily. The patient was a retired worker who took the prescription back to his hometown to use. In September 1983, the patient came for consultation, stating that due to the good therapeutic effect, he had continued to take the prescription regularly, totaling over 200 doses, and all previous symptoms had disappeared, his physical strength had recovered, and he could participate in general labor. Upon examination, urinary glucose (+), fasting blood glucose 100 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 170 mg/dL, triglycerides within normal limits, blood pressure 20.0/12.0 kPa (150/90 mmHg). He was advised to continue taking the prescription, adding one pill of Guifu Bawei Wan each day. In March 1985, a follow-up visit showed that all symptoms had completely subsided, with urinary glucose and blood glucose both within normal ranges.

VI. Discussion

In this study, 76 cases treated with TCM syndrome differentiation were compared with 28 cases in the Pnenformin control group. Statistical analysis before treatment showed no significant differences in symptoms or any laboratory test indicators, with P>0.05, indicating that the two groups were comparable. After treatment, however, the two groups exhibited different outcomes: whether in terms of overall effective rate or individual indicator effectiveness, the syndrome differentiation group outperformed the control group, with P-values ranging from 0.01 to 0.05, demonstrating the superiority of TCM syndrome differentiation therapy in this study. This superiority was also clearly reflected in various syndrome classifications (Table III) and different age groups (Table IV).

TCM’s understanding of diabetes can be traced back to the "Inner Canon," specifically the "Plain Questions: On Qi Collapse," which proposed the diagnosis of "lung consumption" and described the disease's characteristic as "drinking one, urinating two," considering its prognosis extremely poor—essentially "incurable." The "Synopsis of the Golden Cabinet" first introduced the term "xiaoke" for this disease and, based on the condition, proposed

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Two highly effective prescriptions for treating "xiaoke" are Baihu Jiaren Shen Tang and Jingui Shenqi Wan. The "Qianjin Fang" provides a detailed discussion on the combination of "xiaoke" with infection, emphasizing the use of pollen to treat this condition.

According to "Rumen Shiqin," Zhang Zihé often achieved remarkable results by using large doses of Coptis chinensis to treat "xiaoke." The experience of previous generations has provided important references for the author's treatment of this disease, and the principal formulas for the two types—excessive Yangming heat and kidney Yang deficiency—originated from this. Through long-term clinical practice, the author has found that patients with advanced diabetes complicated by arteriosclerosis often present with blood stasis and internal heat. Using Guanxin II combined with fluid-replenishing herbs yields significant therapeutic effects, thus forming the third type in the author's syndrome differentiation. Although there are still some limitations in applying the above syndrome differentiation method to various types of diabetes based on different syndromes, the clinical efficacy is undoubtedly good.

(“Research on Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,” December 1990)

Experience of Old TCM Physician Pei Shen in Treating Leukemia

Pei Zhengxue

Regarding the treatment of leukemia, some advocate moving beyond the current chemotherapy approach that focuses on inhibiting tumor cells, instead emphasizing the adjustment and promotion of normal cellular functions, fully mobilizing the body's own anti-disease capabilities. This view is quite similar to the traditional Chinese medicine principle of "strengthening the body's vital energy to dispel pathogenic factors." Over the years, Old TCM Physician Pei Shen has applied this principle in treating leukemia and achieved good therapeutic outcomes. The following is a summary of his experience in this area.

I. Pathogenesis and Treatment Principles of Leukemia

Zhu Danxi said: "Blood is generated and transformed in the spleen, governed by the heart, stored in the liver, distributed to the lungs, excreted by the kidneys, and irrigates the entire body." "Blood belongs to yin, and yin is characterized by stillness; only when it remains still and maintains its integrity can it harmonize the five organs, circulate through the six fu organs, and be contained within the blood vessels." When one suffers from leukemia, white blood cells, as a major component of blood, undergo extreme proliferation, indicating that the blood has lost its normal state of "stillness" and "integrity," inevitably leading to disturbances in the qi mechanisms of the organs and functional disorders. Consequently, a series of syndromes such as organ deficiency and excessive pathogenic factors arise.

Old Physician Pei believes that leukemia is fundamentally characterized by deficiency, with excess being the manifestation. In terms of treatment, when pathogenic factors are the primary contradiction, the focus should be on eliminating them while supporting the body's vital energy; conversely, when the body's vital energy is weak, the emphasis should be on strengthening it while also addressing the pathogenic factors. The goal is to attack without harming the vital energy and to tonify without aiding the pathogenic factors, allowing both attacking and tonifying methods to work optimally. Western chemotherapy drugs have strong pathogen-eliminating effects, but they also cause considerable damage to the vital energy. Therefore, when administering Western chemotherapy for acute leukemia, if accompanied by traditional Chinese medicines that support the vital energy, exceptionally satisfactory therapeutic results can be expected. The author has used this method to achieve rapid remission in several cases of leukemia, including one patient with acute leukemia who has remained in remission for 15 years and continues to work healthily to this day (a separate report on this case was published in the fourth issue of “Shaanxi New Medicine” in 1979).

II. Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment of Leukemia