§ 3 Ingenious application of the theory of treatment based on syndrome differentiation
The third fundamental root of Anyu is being skillful in handling the basic rule of diagnosis and treatment based on the pathogenesis ascertained by overall analysis of symptoms and signs of the illness and the patient’s condition.
Anyu holds the idea that all living things on the earth are within the biological chain endowed by the nature, and are mutually inter-promoting and inter-restricting to each other. Any inter-promoting organism should be accompanied by another inter-restricting one. If there is a kind of disease, there should be some drug capable of overcoming this disease. The critical juncture lies in the handling of diagnosis and treatment based on the pathogenesis ascertained by overall analysis of symptoms and signs of the illness and the patient’s condition and to prescribe the right remedy for the illness, so as to pull up the disease by the root. On the basis of an overall analysis of the illness and the patient’s condition, another quintessential element of diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine is how to use the principle of mutual inter-promotion and inter-restraint in curing disease. Every disease has its own potential character of five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth). The unity of opposite relation of inter-promotion and inter-restraint also exists between disease and medicine. For example, |
| the stomachache caused by stomach cold may be aggravated by taking cold/cool type drug or raw-cold food, while taking brown sugar-ginger decoction or medicine of warming the middle-energizer type may dispel the coldness and relieve pain. In view of the difference of distinctive diseases, therefore, it is necessary to start with the actual condition of illness and to establish the scheme of prescription directed by the law of interrelation among Yin-Yang and five-elements, so as to restore the balance between Yin and Yang, and thus cure the disease. |
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| To grip the crucial point of illness is no doubt important, but what further required is the ability to eliminate the disease. The miraculous property of Anyu series is its medicinal effect may directly act upon the focus of the disease. Such effect is quite different from that of other medicine, e.g. antalgesic, which will be distributed all over the body, causing the decrease of its effectiveness and the influence on other organs or even the occurrence of undesirable damage to the body. The key for gripping the crucial point is to compose the prescription rigorously, that is, to arrange the composition of “monarch drug, minister drug, assistant drug and guide drug” properly in the sense of their efficiency. Ancient philosophers often likened the prescription designing in disease treatment as country-administration and moral character-cultivation. To promote the stability and advance of the society, the administration of a country should rely on the adequate operation by an efficient organization of “monarch, minister, assistant and guide”. Similarly, the decision of a prescription for disease treatment also depends upon the mutual cooperation of “monarch, minister, assistant and guide drugs”, so as to end the stubborn disease and cure the illness at one stroke. |
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To compose a prescription following the principle of “treatment based on syndrome differentiation”, firstly, the action of “monarch drug” should be thought over. “Monarch drug” is the master component aimed directly at the pathogen or major symptom. “Minister drug” cooperates with the “Monarch drug” to achieve the maximal effectiveness. The function of third component, the “assistant drug”, is to rectify secondary symptoms, or to prevent the possible side effects (such as over-heat, over-cold, toxic, etc.) of “monarch” and “minister” drugs. “Guide drug” is the fourth component acts as a guide, leading the medicinal effect through the meridians and collaterals into the focus of the disease. |
| The traditional Chinese medicine has been offering great contribution to the life and flourish of the Chinese nation. Whereas, owing to the difference of regional and social background, two modes of thought and epistemology have been formed independently between Chinese and western peoples, bringing up two different types of cultural and scientific systems. |
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