Diagnosis, Treatment and Control of Influenza A (H1N1) by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

and LI Ning²

(1)

Radiology Department, Capital Medical University Beijing You’an Hospital, Beijing, China, People’s Republic

(2)

Capital Medical University Beijing You’an Hospital, Beijing, China, People’s Republic

Abstract

Influenza A(H1N1) belongs to the school of warm diseases and can be categorized into violence qi, caused by external attack of the six pathogenic evils. The lungs governing defensive qi have correspondence to skin and hair. The external pathogenic evils firstly attack the lungs to cause the stagnant defensive qi. The resulted defensive-exterior symptoms are actually excessive exterior heat syndrome. For cases with vital qi insufficiency, the pathogenic evils fight against defensive qi to cause visceral dysfunctions. The pathogenic evils then transform into heat for further attacks, which may impair nutrient qi to cause the syndrome of dual blaze of qi nutrient aspects. In the advanced stage, the subsided pathogenic evils and the deficient vital qi impair both qi and yin.

15.1 Etiology and Pathogenesis of Influenza A (H1N1) by TCM

Influenza A (H1N1) belongs to the school of warm diseases and can be categorized into violence qi, caused by external attack of the six pathogenic evils. The lungs governing defensive qi have correspondence to skin and hair. The external pathogenic evils firstly attack the lungs to cause the stagnant defensive qi. The resulted defensive-exterior symptoms are actually excessive exterior heat syndrome. For cases with vital qi insufficiency, the pathogenic evils fight against defensive qi to cause visceral dysfunctions. The pathogenic evils then transform into heat for further attacks, which may impair nutrient qi to cause the syndrome of dual blaze of qi nutrient aspects. In the advanced stage, the subsided pathogenic evils and the deficient vital qi impair both qi and yin.

15.2 Syndromes Differentiation by TCM

15.2.1 Features of Syndromes

Influenza A (H1N1) usually shows flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, cough, sore throat, expectoration, general soreness, headache and fatigue. In some cases, diarrhea and/or vomiting occurs. About 10 % cases have no fever and the conditions of some patients may develop rapidly with sudden high fever over 39 °C. Syndromes of pericardial invasion occur, even with yin exhaustion or yang exhaustion, followed by death from syncope and collapse.

15.2.1.1 Syndrome of Wind Heat Invading the Defense

Syndrome of wind heat invading the defense has symptoms of fever and chills or no fever, inflamed throat or throat upset, muscles soreness and fatigue, mild cough, slight red tongue, thin tongue coating or thin greasy tongue coating, and floating pulse.

15.2.1.2 Syndrome of Heat Evil Invading the Lungs

Symptoms include fever, frequent and violent cough, thick yellowish or bloody phlegm, sore throat, thirst, red eyes, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, red or purple tongue, yellow or greasy tongue coating and slippery pulse.

15.2.1.3 Syndromes of Dual Blaze of Qi Nutrient Aspects

Symptoms include high fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest distress, or chest distending pain, irritation, even coma and delirium, thirst, red urine, dry stool, red or purple tongue, yellow tongue coating and thready pulse.

15.2.1.4 Syndrome of Right Qi Deficiency and Evils Subsiding

Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, dry mouth, excessive sweating, poor appetite, red tongue, thin tongue coating, thready and weak pulse.

15.2.2 Key Points for Differentiation

Influenza A (H1N1) develops from pathogenic heat evil invading the defense, which belongs to the syndrome of exterior heat and excess syndrome. Then, the heat evil invades the lungs to impair nutrient qi, followed by pathogenic evils subsiding and the vital qi deficient which consumes and impairs yin.

15.3 Medicinals and Formula in TCM

15.3.1 Formulae for Prevention in TCM

Ingredients

太子参	tài zĭ shēn	10 g	Radix Pseudostellariae
苏叶	sū yè	6 g	Perilla Frutescens
黄芩	huáng qín	10 g	Radix Scutellariae
牛蒡子	níu bàng zĭ	10 g	Fructus Arctii
		or
生黄芪	huáng qí	15 g	Radix Astragali
白术	bái zhú	10 g	Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae
防风	fáng fēng	6 g	Radix Sapshnikoviae

The above two formulae is adapted to patients who have weak constitution and are susceptible to exterior invasions. The decoction should be prepared by boiling with water and oral intake for two times daily, one in morning and the other in evening. A total of 3–5 doses is appropriate for one therapeutic course. And the doses should be considerably decreased for children and the seniors.

Ingredients

大青叶	dà qīng yè	5 g	Folium Isatidis
紫草	zĭ căo	5 g	Radix Lithospermi
生甘草	shēn gān cāo	3 g	Radix Glycyrrhizae

The above formula is adapted to patients with reddish complexion, dry mouth, throat or nose, in favor of cool, slightly dry stool, yellowish urine. The decoction should be prepared by boiling with water, with one dose for each day and oral intake twice a day, one in morning and the other in evening. A total of 3–5 doses is recommended for one therapeutic course. And doses should be considerably reduced for children and the seniors.

Ingredients

桑叶	sāng yè	10 g	Folium Mori
金银花	jīn yīn huā	10 g	Flos Lonicerae
白茅根	bái máo gēn	15 g	Rhizoma Imperatae

The above formula is adapted to patients with sometimes dry nose and mouth, reddish and yellowish urination. The decoction should be prepared with one dose daily by boiling with water and orally intaken twice daily, one in morning and the other in evening. A total of 3–5 doses is appropriate for one therapeutic course. The dose should be considerably reduced for children and the seniors.

Ingredients

苏叶

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