Aging
Aging
Related Health Condition
Aging
Introduction
Aging is a sign of degeneration in an organism's structure,
metabolism, and physiological function. It is a physiological
phenomenon of the human body that occurs naturally as it enters the
middle age. Clinically, aging is often associated with symptoms
such as slow thinking, dried skin, slowed movements, decreased
memory capacity, forgetfulness, and unstable moods, etc. In
traditional Chinese medicine, aging is considered a deficiency
syndrome, and more specifically, a kidney deficiency syndrome.
Etiology/Pathogenesis
Aging is affected by many factors. Hereditary factors, diet,
workplace-related stress, and the surrounding environment all play
a role in the aging process. These adverse factors can cause
disturbance to the functions of visceral organs, lead to qi and
blood irregularities, and upset the balance between yin and yang.
Long-term exposure to these factors can weaken the kidney-qi, which
in turn leads to upset balances. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese
medicine considers the kidney as where life springs from, and as
one grows older, the kidney-qi becomes gradually impaired, and the
functions of visceral organs begin to decline. Hence, the
organism's aging process.(1)
Primary Treatments with Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Ingredients: Shu Di Huang (Processed Rehmannia), Shan Zhu Yu
(Cornus), Shan Yao (Dioscorea), Ze Xie (Alisma), Fu Ling (Hoelen),
Mu Dan Pi (Moutan)
Clinical Application:
Diabetes: A study treated 53 cases of diabetes with a variation
of this formula (one dose daily; treated for 20 days), and reported
that the treatment was significantly effective in 46 cases,
effective in 5 cases, and with no response in 2 cases.(2) Another
study treated 65 cases of noninsulin-dependent diabetes with a
variation of this formula. Of the 65 cases, 16 had a blood sugar
content of 7.7-8.33mmol/L, 34 of 8.34-13.88mmol/L, and 15 greater
than 13.88mmol/L. The patients were treated with one dose daily
(water decoction taken orally five times a day), and the results
were as follows: the treatment was significantly effective in 30
cases, effective in 28 cases, and with no response in 7
cases.(3)
Nephritis: A study reported of resolving 16 cases of nephritis
with this a treatment based on this formula (with two additional
ingredients, Ye Mu Cao and Ban Bian Lian, added to the formula). Of
the 16 cases, 10 were of chronic and 4 of acute nephritis, with the
remaining 2 of latent nephritis.(4)
Kidney and ureter stone: Of 32 cases of urinary system stones
treated with a variation of this formula (one dose daily in water
decoction), one study reported, 30 cases passed the stone(s), with
only 2 cases with no response.(5)
Hyperthyroidism: A study treated 31 cases of hyperthyroidism
with a variation of this formula. Of the 31 cases, 28 manifested a
diffue goiter, 15 cases a vascular murmur, 13 an exorbitism, 29 a
significant weight loss, 28 an abnormal heart rate (higher than
normal), and all cases had a higher-than-normal iodine uptake rate.
After a treatment of between 15 and 20 doses, most cases
experienced a significant improvement in the symptoms, with the
iodine uptake rate significantly lowered and returned to normal,
and the vascular murmur significantly decreased or
disappeared.(6)
Tumor and cancer: One study reported of treating 102 cases of
various malignant tumors with this formula. Since day one of their
concurrent chemotherapy, all cases started taking the formula
orally, three times daily, each time 10ml. A treatment for 20
consecutive days was found to have enhanced the effect of, and
lessened the side effects of, the concurrent chemotherapy.(7)
Another study reported of using a variation of this formula to
treat 48 cases of thyroid adenocarcinoma with satisfactory results.
Arrived at by adding with Mu Li, Xia Ku Cao, and Bei Mu (Zhe) to
the basic formula, the variation was administered to patients in a
water decoction one dose daily (taken twice as first and second
decoctions) for one to two months. The results are as follows: 26
cases significantly improved, 21 cases improved, and one case with
no response, tallying an overall effective rate of 98%.(8)
Other Treatments with Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Tong Bu I
Zhou, et al. randomly divided up a group of 56 aged patients to
study the effects of aging with a formula called Tong Bu I (the
ingredients of the formula include Ren Shen Ye, Rou Cong Rong, He
Shou Wu, Zhi Shi, processed Da Huang, etc.). The results showed
that the formula can improve various aging symptoms, regulate the
immune and the endocrine systems, cleanse free radicals, and
regulate E. coli. Compared with Tong Bu II (Ren Sheng Ye, Rou Cong
Rong, He Shou Wu, etc.), the difference in effectiveness was
significant (P
