Traditional medicine’s understanding of chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment

  1. Principles of CKD classification and treatment in traditional medicine Referring to the “Trial Scheme of Classification of Chronic Primary Glomerular Diseases in Chinese Medicine” adopted at the Second National Symposium on Chinese Medicine and Kidney Diseases (Nanjing Conference) in 1986 and revised at the Twelfth National Symposium on Chinese Medicine and Kidney Diseases (Wuxi Conference) in 1996, the classification of CKD can be divided into the following: primary evidence: spleen and kidney qi deficiency, lung and kidney qi deficiency, liver and kidney yin deficiency, and qi and yin deficiency; the primary evidence: water-dampness, damp-heat, blood-stasis, and dampness. The dialectical evidence of CKD can be divided into: primary evidence, spleen and kidney qi deficiency, lung and kidney qi deficiency, spleen and kidney yang deficiency, liver and kidney yin deficiency, and qi and yin deficiency; and primary evidence, water and dampness, dampness and heat, blood stasis, and dampness and turbidity. In general, the traditional medical understanding of the pathogenesis of CKD/CRF is: the original deficiency and the symptoms are real, and the deficiency is mixed with the real. The principle of treatment should follow the principle of supporting the positive and eliminating the evil, and treating both the symptoms and the root cause. The treatment principle should be based on the principle of supporting the positive and dispelling the evil. In the treatment process, attention should be paid to supporting the positive without loving the evil and dispelling the evil without harming the positive. The key to treating this disease is to correctly handle the relationship between helping the positive and dispelling the evil, and to master the timing and preference of helping the positive and dispelling the evil.  According to the above classification, if CKD/CRF is characterized by deficiency of both qi and yin, the formula can be used to strengthen the spleen, benefit the qi and nourish the yin and nourish the kidney, such as Ginseng Astragalus Dihuang Tang and Da Teng Yuan Decoction. The Chinese patent medicine can be chosen from nephritis rehabilitation tablets, etc. In case of deficiency of spleen and kidney qi, the treatment is to strengthen the spleen and kidney, such as Shui Lu Er Xian Dan and Bao Yuan Tang. For the deficiency of spleen and kidney yang, the treatment is to warm the kidney and promote water, which can be chosen from the Five Ling San, Zhen Wu Tang combined with Five Ling San, Ji Sheng Kidney Qi Tang, etc. Chinese patent medicines can be chosen from Nephrolithian Shu Tablet, Kidney Strengthening Tablet, etc. If the liver and kidney yin deficiency is accompanied by dampness and heat, Zhi Bai Di Huang Tang can be used; if the liver and kidney yin deficiency is accompanied by hyperactivity of liver yang, Qi Ju Di Huang Tang can be used. Yin and Yang are used for both deficiency of kidney yin and kidney yang, such as Jin Kui Kidney Qi Pill, Ji Sheng Kidney Qi Pill and Di Huang Drink.  In recent years, the role of evil realities in CKD/CRF has been gaining more attention. The evil realities mainly include: the evil of dampness and heat, the evil of blood stasis, and the evil of turbidity and toxicity. Correct recognition and elimination of evil realities can have a positive effect on delaying the progression of CKD.  Some scholars believe that the evil of dampness and heat is one of the main causative factors, and it is a difficult problem to treat throughout the disease. For damp-heat evil, on the basis of the above-mentioned identification and use of medicine, rhubarb can be added to open up the internal organs so that the evil has a way out. We can also use formulas such as Cao Xie Fenqing Drink, San Ren Tang, Almond Slippery Stone Tang and Scutellaria Slippery Stone Tang to clear heat and dampness.  In modern medicine, the main pathological changes of CKD are varying degrees of glomerular and tubular sclerosis, obvious atrophy of the glomerulus and fibrosis of the interstitium. According to Chinese medicine, this is a phenomenon of blood stasis, which is the pathological product of the dysfunction of the internal organs. Modern pharmacological research proves that blood-stasis activators can increase renal blood flow, improve renal microcirculation and hypercoagulability, reduce platelet coagulation, thus promoting the repair of damaged tissues, increasing the clinical cure rate and reducing the recurrence rate. For example, salvia, as one of the blood-stasis activators, has been proven in numerous studies to inhibit coagulation and platelet aggregation, activate fibrinolysis, promote fibrin degradation, reduce thrombus formation, regulate immunity, and improve microcirculation. Rhizoma Ligusticum Chuanxiong has a strong anti-platelet agglutination effect and can prevent the formation of immune complexes, and has a significant inhibitory effect on neutrophil release of lysozyme function and chemotaxis. Chuanxiong also inhibits erythrocyte aggregation, reduces platelet adhesion and leukocyte adhesion, thereby improving abnormal blood rheology, reducing the hypercoagulable state of blood, improving renal function microcirculation, and allowing damaged capillaries to be repaired. Therefore, based on the identification of the medicine, the clinical evidence can be added with the formula to activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, such as Dan Shen, Chuanxiong and Panax notoginseng. You can also choose the formula to activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis, such as Blood Mansion and Stasis Removal Soup, Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, etc. The Chinese medicine Panax ginseng capsule can be taken in conjunction with the identification of blood stasis.  The role of turbidity and toxicity in the end stage of chronic kidney disease has always been emphasized. Some scholars believe that the pathological properties of the disease at this time are based on the deficiency and the actuality of the symptoms. To eliminate turbidity means to regulate the middle jiao, harmonize the stomach and lower the qi, dispel dampness and eliminate turbidity. Commonly used are Huanglian Wenzhi Tang, Xiao Hanxia plus Fu Ling Tang, Ping Gastric San and other additions and reductions. It can be used in combination with adult medicines such as Renfukang Capsules to clear heat and diuresis and benefit the kidney to resolve turbidity. Detoxification means opening the door of ghosts, using sweat to vent the coup and open the sweat holes, so that the internal impurity and toxicity will come out from the muscle surface. This is commonly used in Ephedra, forsythia and red bean soup with addition and subtraction. The formula is used to promote the flow of Qi and disperse the knots. It is often used to promote the flow of Qi and blood circulation and activate the blood circulation, such as Blood Mansions and Blood Stasis Soup, Rhubarb V Worm Pill, etc. The famous formula of Jin Kui Yao, Da Huang V Worm Pill, whether used alone or in combination, has the effect of improving kidney function. The detoxification method is a unique treatment method in Chinese medicine. The treatment should be to clear the heat and detoxify the toxin. The treatment should be to clear the heat and detoxify the toxin. Commonly used agents for clearing heat and detoxifying the toxin, such as Huanglian Detoxification Tang with addition and reduction. The medicine Huang Quai capsule also has the effect of clearing damp heat and detoxifying swelling, which can be used according to the situation. In recent years, the treatment of chronic kidney disease stage 3 to 5 is based on the identification and treatment of the evidence, and the application of detoxification and detoxification of specific prescriptions and drugs to promote the excretion of metabolic toxic substances and improve the efficacy. Rhubarb is the main detoxifying drug in the treatment of chronic kidney disease, and its pharmacology has been extensively studied in recent years, which has been proved to slow down the course of chronic kidney disease through various mechanisms. In the case of chronic kidney disease stage 3 to 5, you can also choose kidney failure Ning capsule, urinary toxicity Qing and other adult drugs with spleen and dampness, pass the internal organs to lower turbidity, activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis, etc. Cordyceps preparation Jin Shui Bao capsule and Bai Ling capsule can be used in all stages of CKD as appropriate.