Traditional Chinese Medicine in Multiple Sclerosis: Theory and Practice

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease with complex etiology and pathophysiology. Approved drugs for MS treatment are only partly effective, and some of them show obvious side effects and resistance. In this review, we will discuss the philosophy and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a complementary and alternative therapy for MS treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide novel insights and directions for MS management. TCM is an empirical medical system which has established its own unique method of diagnosis and therapy for over thousands of years. The concept of holism and yin-yang balance are its core theories. From TCM perspective, syndrome differentiation, deficiency tonification, stasis removal, and detoxication are the four main principles of MS treatment. Clinical trials have shown that TCM is effective to alleviate symptoms, prevent recurrence, and delay disease progression in MS patients. Experimental evidences also have confirmed the effect of TCM in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which is in the multitarget and multicomponent pattern. TCM maximize therapeutic efficacy by facilitating synergistic actions, exhibiting various biological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, immune-regulatory, and neuro-protective effects in MS and EAE. Treatment with TCM alone or combined with western medicine can greatly improve the body’s resistance and reduce side effects of the treatment. Integrating TCM with Western medicine have great promise for inspiring new ideas and therapies for prevention and treatment of MS. The appropriate combination can improve efficacy, reduce toxicity, and make the best benefits in MS patients.