The following is an excerpt from an article written by one of the field’s leading researchers and herbal manufacturers. I have been to many of Dr. Chen’s workshops and have found his information on herb-drug side effects and herbal alternatives to drugs invaluable. I have prescribed many of his formulas to my patients with excellent results. I even witnessed one of his formulas clear MERSA (antibiotic resistant staph) after two rounds of antibiotics. I highly value Dr. Chen’s insights and it is in this spirit that I share some of his teachings with you.
TCM and Infectious Disease
by Dr. John Chen, Ph.D., Pharm.D., O.M.D., L.Ac.
INTRODUCTION
In traditional Chinese medicine, the first reference to infectious disease appeared in Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic) compiled in the first or second century CE. This text discussed the presence of re bing (hot disease), which according to our understanding today, refers to the various types of infectious disease.1 The understanding of infectious disease progressed further during the Ming and Qing dynasties as many people in
Southern China suffered and died from a variety of feverish conditions. Many doctors recognized that these patterns of illness were significantly different from shang han(cold damage) patterns and therefore, must be diagnosed and treated differently. Wu You-Xing,2 Ye Gui,3 and Wu Tang,4 three of the most influential doctors during that era, collectively contributed to a new school of thought, namely wen bing (warm disease). According to this new theory, warm and hot disease plagued everyone, starting “from one person to the entire household, from one household to the entire street, and from one street to the entire village.” When affected, the disease first affects the exterior of the body, and progress to the interior, following the patterns of wei (defensive), qi (energy), ying (nutritive) and xue (blood) levels.5 Furthermore, it was observed that the cause of the warm and hot disease has “no sound nor smell, and no shape nor shadow.” In addition, it was noted that the warm and hot disease may be transmitted from one person to another via “heaven (air borne)” or “earth (direct contact),” and affect weak, deficient individuals (i.e., those with low immunity).6 Lastly, many of the bitter and cold herbs and formulas used to treat these warm and hot disease are recognized today to have remarkable antibiotic effects.7 These observations were made and published approximately 200 years before the discovery of bacteria and other micro-organisms. Wen bing (warm disease) theories accurately described the origins and transmission of epidemic disease, and the importance of the immune system in relationship to the pathogens. Wen bing (warm disease) theories revolutionized and significantly influenced the theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine, changes that persist even today.
PREVENTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE One of the fundamental concepts in traditional Chinese medicine is that “superior medicine prevents disease, and inferior medicine treats disease.”8 Prevention of infectious disease is certainly no exception since bacteria and virus tend to adversely affect those who have weakened or compromised immune systems.
TREATMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Traditional Chinese medicine considers infectious disease as wen bing (warm disease) and treats it with heat-clearing herbs. Many of these herbs are confirmed to have remarkable antibiotic effects, including antibacterial and antiviral effects.
SUMMARY
In Western medicine, the discovery of antibiotic drugs is one of the major breakthroughs in modern medicine. It enables doctors to effectively treat many different types of infections. Unfortunately, decades of abuse and misuse have led to growing problems of bacterial mutation and resistance. At this moment, many of these “super bugs” can only be treated with the newest and most potent antibiotic drugs, and unfortunately, many of them have potent side effects as well. Due to the number of antibiotic drugs, and the various species of micro-organisms, it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the benefits and risks of each individual drug. As a category, antibiotic drugs are extremely effective against most types of bacterial infections. The key points are to select the correct antibiotic drug with least potential side effects, and make sure that the patient finishes the entire course of therapy. In traditional Chinese medicine, herbs and herbal formulas are also extremely effective for treatment of various infections. In fact, most modern pharmaceutical drugs were originally derived from natural sources, including penicillin (the oldest antibiotic drug) and gentimicin (one of the most potent). One of the main benefits of using herbs is their wide spectrum of antibiotic effect, with indications for both bacterial and viral infections. Furthermore, most of these herbs are extremely safe, and do not have the same harsh side effects as drugs. Therefore, when treating patients with bacterial or viral infections, it may be beneficial to use herbs with confirmed antibacterial and antiviral effects. In summary, both drugs and herbs are effective to treat mild to moderate cases of bacterial infections. However, because drugs are more immediately potent and can be prescribed with more laboratory precision (via cultures and sensitivity tests), they are more appropriate for life-threatening infections, such as meningitis or encephalitis, or mutant strains of bacteria, such as beta-lactam-resistant Staphylococcus aureusand methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA). On the other hand, use of herbs is far more effective than drugs for treating certain vital infections, such as the common cold and influenza, as drugs are essentially ineffective for these conditions. Most importantly, herbs are much gentler to the body and safer than drugs. In other words, herbs treat infections without damaging the patient’s underlying constitution. This allows the patient to recover faster, and become more resistant to secondary or re-current infections.
About the Author:
John K. Chen, L.Ac., Pharm.D., O.M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. John Chen is a recognized authority in both western pharmacology and Chinese Herbal Medicine. He teaches at the USC School of Pharmacy, Emperor’s College, Yo San University of TCM, OCOM, Five Branches, AOMA and ACTCM. Dr. Chen’s most recent published work is Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology (2003, AOM Press) and Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications (2008, AOM Press) for which he was the lead author.