Integration Of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Articles

A case report of an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers with integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Diabetes contributes 75–85% of the factors predisposing to foot amputations, usually in association with infection and gangrene. The treatment of foot ulcers is expensive, and the effectiveness of treatment varies. We report herein a case of a diabetic foot ulcer that was treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, with desirable cost-effective results. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapeutic principles include improving the spleen, nourishing yin, regulating qi, and resolving dampness, as well as activating stagnant blood. Western medicine includes wound debridement, skin grafting, and use of insulin, antibiotics, and vasodilators. The patient was treated with a holistic multidisciplinary approach (i.e., a combination of TCM and Western medicine, surgical management, education for diabetic foot care, and psychological counseling). Without this approach, the patient might have ended up with foot amputation and/or sepsis.

Stigma and beliefs of efficacy towards traditional Chinese medicine and Western psychiatric treatment among Chinese-Americans.

In this study we examined community attitudes of efficacy and shame to investigate the factors that may underlie mental health service underutilization among Chinese Americans. We administered an experimental vignette to assess beliefs of efficacy and shame toward using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as opposed to Western health services in a sample of 90 Chinese Americans obtained through a national telephone survey. Contrary to predictions, beliefs of efficacy for treating mental disorders were found to be greater for Western psychiatric services when compared with TCM. As predicted however, Chinese Americans perceived greater community attitudes of shame when accessing Western psychiatric services as opposed to TCM to treat a mental disorder. Furthermore, these differences in community attitudes of shame only occurred among respondents who received a psychiatric condition vignette, but not with respondents who were administered a vignette of a physical disorder. These findings suggest that perceived shame may play an important role in help seeking and that integration of TCM with Western psychiatric care may have implications for reducing shame for Chinese Americans.

Progress in gastrointestinal micro-ecology in integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Progress in gastrointestinal micro-ecology in integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Meeting report for the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine 2006 annual conference: Integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine — Research and clinical applications

Meeting report for the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine 2006 annual conference: Integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine — Research and clinical applications

Use frequency of traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan.

BackgroundUse of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an important category of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has increased substantially in Western countries during the past decade. Use of TCM is also widespread in the Chinese population. However, few informative data have been obtained to date by large-scale investigations of TCM use in the Chinese population. This study was aimed at elucidating the demographics and patterns of TCM use in Taiwan.MethodsWe employed the complete datasets of TCM outpatient reimbursement claims from 1996 to 2001, including the use of Chinese herbal remedies, acupuncture and traumatology manipulative therapy, to analyse use frequencies, the characteristics of TCM users, and the disease categories that were treated by TCM in Taiwan.ResultsAt the end of 2001, 6,142,829 (28.4%) among the 21,653,555 valid beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan had used TCM during the year. However, 13,536,266 subjects (62.5%) had used TCM at least once during the whole 6-year period from 1996 to 2001, with a total of 156,224,266 visits (mean 11.5 visits per user). The mean number of TCM users per annum was 5,733,602, with a mean increment of 1,671,476 (29.2%) of new users yearly. Among TCM users, female was higher than male (female:male = 1.13:1), and the age distribution displayed a peak at around the 30s, followed by the 20s and 40s. Chinese herbal remedies (85.9%) were the most common TCM modality used by this population, followed by acupuncture (11.0%) and traumatology manipulative therapies (3.1%). Private TCM clinics provided most of the TCM care (82.6%), followed by private TCM hospitals (12.0%). The top ten major disease categories for TCM visits were diseases of the respiratory system, musculoskeletal system and connective tissue; symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions; injury and poisoning; diseases of the digestive system, genitourinary system, skin and subcutaneous tissue, nervous system and sense organs, circulatory and endocrine system; nutritional and metabolic diseases; and immunological disorders.ConclusionTCM was popular among the Chinese population in Taiwan during the period studied. More than 60% of all subjects had used TCM during the 6-year interval. TCM was widely used by the Chinese population to treat problems and diseases of major human organ systems recognised by western medicine. This study provides information about the use frequencies of TCM and the disease categories treated by TCM, which should be useful for health policy makers and for those considering the integration of TCM and Western medicine.

Commentary — The Proteomics: A New Tool for Chinese Medicine Research

Proteomics technology is based on the vast analytical power for protein/peptide identification and quantification offered by modern mass spectrometry coupled with hyphenated separation techniques such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and micro- or nano-scale multidimensional liquid chromatography. The rapid growth of proteomics field provides an array of new tools for the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with modern technology and systems biology, and is potentially advancing the progress of modernization and internationalization of TCM. Cho, in this issue of the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, highlights the recent application of 2DE-based and bottom-up proteomics in Chinese medicine research, including the exploration of pharmacological mechanisms of the actions of TCM, the facilitation of herb authentication and identification, and the profiling of protein expression following acupuncture treatment in animal models. Recent development in proteomics has provided further refinement on the analysis of proteins posttranslational modifications as well as quantitative comparison of different proteomes, and enabled the study of proteomes of specific diseases or biological processes under clinically relevant conditions. It is conceivable that the application of technologies developed in proteomics, genomics and metabonomics in the clinical practice and basic research of Chinese medicine will eventually lead to the reconciliation and integration of TCM and contemporary medicine. Chinese medicine is fundamentally a highly personalized medicine; perhaps it is time to embrace the arrival of TCM OMICS era in Chinese medicine research.

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine

To experience the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China was 'the chance of a lifetime; thanks to the support of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. The scale and range of TCM available in terms of health care provision, education and research is unique in the world. This holistic integrative medicine is part of Chinese culture. Regulation and training of practitioners has similarities with current structures emerging in the UK in preparation for the statutory regulation for acupuncture and herbal medicine. China's research activity is a critical component of informing the debate on evidence-based practice and now real opportunities for collaboration and dissemination are beginning to emerge.

Philosophical pondering upon merging traditional Chinese medicine into systemic medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the component parts of the international health care system. It has been an inevitable trend to merge traditional Chinese medicine into systemic medicine. Along with the emergence of the concept of systemic disease, the wide dissemination of evidence-based medicine and the establishment of thought pattern of systemic medicine, the exploration emphasis of modern medical science has been transferred from microcosmic or solid structure to macrocosmic unit and system relation. The mainstream development of modern medical science is to integrate different medical systems into a complete system. Therefore, the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is also necessary under this condition.

On the methodology for integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine have their distinctive superiorities, and are mutually complementary in spite of their different systems of theory. The integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine can promote the development of medical science. Over the past 40 years, a number of great achievements have been made in the field of the integration, promoting the development of medicine in China. To sum up in respect of methodology, these achievements are obtained by application of combined analytical and synthetical methods of modern medicine to the research of basic principles, therapeutic methods, prescription and medication of traditional Chinese medicine.

Significance of adaptive response to study of traditional Chinese medicine

Adaptive response is a topic of general interest in medical research. Utilization of adaptive response has become a new treatment strategy for some diseases, the core of which is to stimulate the mechanisms of body internal protection, to improve the adaptive and anti-injury capability, and to maintain the homeostasis of the body. The existence of adaptive response indicates that the body internal protection can be induced and its key mechanism is the inducement of internal protective factors (internal protective proteins). In this article, some connections between adaptive response and the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were discussed, which indicated that adaptive response is much beneficial for explaining some theories of TCM such as correspondence between human and nature, strengthening healthy qi to consolidate constitution, acupuncture theory, adaptogen herbs, and treating disease before its onset, etc. Thus the adaptive response is of great significance for explaining scientifically the connotative meaning of the theories of TCM and for promoting the integration of TCM and western medicine.

Application of genomics and proteomics in study of traditional Chinese medicine

The technique of genomics and proteomics is one of the fastest developments with the farest-reaching consequences in the high and new biotechnology in the world of today. It can be used to screen the target molecules of the action of traditional Chinese medicines, to identify the new effective components from traditional Chinese medicines, and to explore the mechanisms of the effects of traditional Chinese medicines. It meets the shortcomings of the conventional methodology being applied in the current studies of traditional Chinese medicine. Application of the theories and technique of genomics and proteomics in the study of traditional Chinese medicine would be of great significance for opening new research field of traditional Chinese medicine, for facilitating the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern biological science and technology, and for promoting the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Management and prevention of SARS in China.

The case fatality was the lowest (3.8%) among 1512 cases with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong Province, China. Rational use of corticosteroid, non-invasive ventilation and the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine may partly have contributed to the lowest fatality figure. There was a close linkage between civet cats and humans in terms of transmission of SARS. Strict control of the wild-animal market may be significant in preventing a new outbreak of SARS this year.

The integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the world's oldest medical systems, having a history of several thousands of years. It is a system of healing based upon the Chinese philosophy of the correspondence between nature and human beings. Its theories refer to yin and yang, the Five Elements, zang-fu, channels-collaterals, qi, blood, body fluid, methods of diagnosis, the differentiation of symptom-complexes, etc. TCM has two main features: a holistic point of view and treatment according to a differentiation of syndromes. The therapeutic methods of TCM involve different approaches, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, tuina bodywork, herbal medicine and qi gong, in order to allow the body to heal itself in a natural way. Western medicine was first introduced into China from the middle of the 17th century. During the first two centuries several different views, related to the future of TCM and the relation between TCM and Western medicine, emerged. Some advocated ‘complete westernization’ of Chinese medicine, others were in favour of keeping it intact, whereas again others recommended the ‘digestion and assimilation of TCM and Western medicine’. Nowadays, more and more people realize that each of the two medical traditions has its own merits and advise that the two systems should benefit from each other's strong points. We offer an argument for integrating Western medicine with TCM. In the 20th century China has maintained and developed three kinds of medical science, that is, TCM, Western medicine, and ‘integrated medicine’. Much has been achieved in clinical, experimental and theoretical research. The development of any science can be furthered by cross-fertilization based on absorption and fusion of whatever useful theory and experience. It is our dream that, in the future, diverse modalities – including TCM, Western medicine and possibly other variants – can work in conjunction with each other as part of a unified team rather than in competition. This integrated approach will ultimately lead to safer, faster and more effective health care.

Study of therapeutic mechanism of acupuncture in treating bronchial asthma

It has been considered by modern medicine that bronchial asthma is a chronic airway allergic inflammation (AAI) which is the major factor that induces reversible airway ventilating disturbance and bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) in asthmatic patients, as well as a correlation between the delayed-phase onset of asthma and AAI is more significant than immediate-phase onset of asthma in its pathogenesis. Anti-inflammatory therapy as a fundamental principle of treatment for bronchial asthma has been brought forward during the interval phase so that a large number of anti-AAI drugs to significantly enhance the curative effect such as inhalant corticoid, disodium cromoglycate, and leukotriene receptors antagonist, etc., has been rapidly developed. Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integration of TCM and western medicine (WM) therapies, including acupuncture, are gradually taken into account by the medical circle as a characteristic in our country for treatment of bronchial asthma. It is worthy of being pointed out that the curative effect of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating asthma is evident, and that its therapeutic mechanism has to a certain extent, been found along with the recent deep-going acupunctural research.

Trends in Nursing Education in China

To explore the current trends and development of nursing education in China. Nursing education in China has developed rapidly in alignment with economic growth of this vast country. Descriptive, using 345 manuscript abstracts from various regions of China, submitted for the 1996 Sino-Hong Kong Educational Conference. Content analysis of manuscript abstracts was done to describe the trends. Codes were determined after several rounds of independent analysis. Development of nursing education in China appears in line with global trends. The preparation of a pragmatic nurse was emphasized by nurse educators who also advocate total patient care and the integration of traditional Chinese medicine in nursing education. Areas seldom mentioned, however, were student-centered approaches to learning, advanced practice, and the evaluation of educational processes and outcomes. Nurse educators in mainland China appear aware of the dynamics and challenges in health care, and the need for preparing a new generation of nurses to face these challenges. Educators in China need to adopt new approaches in teaching and learning to prepare nurses to function in a wide range of health care settings, and to monitor and evaluate educational outcomes.

Integration of traditional Chinese medicine with Western medicine - Right or wrong?

The nutrition transition hypothesis poses that as low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) become wealthier and more urbanised, they experience a shift in dietary consumption towards ‘Western’ diets high in sugars, fats, animal-source foods, processed and packaged products. This paper uses panel data covering a period of 23 years to examine how changes in the urban environment relate to food expenditures, dietary diversity and traditional practices (food self-production and sharing) in Indonesia, a country that has experienced rapid economic growth and urbanisation over the last few decades. We first examine trends separately for urban and rural areas, and then use fixed effect models to examine whether change in urban residence is associated with changes in food expenditures, traditional practices, and overall dietary diversity. Results show that, despite some increases in acquisitions of animal-source foods and of packaged and ready-made foods, budget allocations for other food groups has remained constant, and that changes have largely occurred in parallel across urban and rural areas. In turn, traditional diets high in cereal and plant products, as well as traditional food practices continue to be dominant in both rural and urban areas, despite the context of rapid socio-economic change and urbanisation. Fixed effect regression suggests that transition from rural to urban residence is not significantly associated with changes in food expenditures for any of the outcomes examined. On the other hand, there is some evidence that moving specifically to Jakarta is associated with some change towards ‘Western’ food preferences.

Integration of traditional Chinese medicine with Western medicine—Right or wrong?

The presence of a dualistic medical system in most Asian, African and Latin American countries results from specific historical events. In China, traditional medicine and Western medicine exist side by side during the last century. Though Chinese medicine suffered from discrimination which retarded its development for several decades, under the protection and encouragement of New China's policy, it develops steadily and flourishes. Moreover, a new policy of integrating Chinese with Western medicine is a right orientation for development in China. Yet this is not the only way of development for traditional medicine. New achievements in traditional Chinese medicine prove that this new field is worthy of further exploration.

The new Chinese Medical Journal.

Editorial Notes1 May 1973The New Chinese Medical JournalTSUNG O. CHENG, M.D., F.A.C.P.TSUNG O. CHENG, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-78-5-771 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe new Chinese Medical Journal, the official publication of the Chinese Medical Association of the People's Republic of China, finally made its debut in January of 1973. In view of the numerous exciting and new medical developments in China through recent years ( 1 ), including the revolutionary and innovative concept of "barefoot doctors" (2) and the successful integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine (3), this journal's rebirth was long overdue.I visited the People's Republic of China in May of 1972. Among the many striking findings that I came across in talking to medical colleagues and...

A View of Modern Chinese Medicine

As the fifth American, but the first Chinese-born, physician to have visited China in 22 years, I recount what I saw in modern China. Chinese medicine has made great strides in the past two decades, especially in the field of cardiology, which is my main interest. The frequency of coronary artery disease is definitely on the rise. Rheumatic heart disease is still prevalent. All types of congenital heart defects have been successfully repaired by open heart surgery with Chinese-made heart-lung machines. Cardiac surgery, either open or closed, is often performed under acupunctural anesthesia. The latter is a typical example of what can be accomplished through the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine. Today in China the two are combined in teaching, research, development, and patient care and work together in vigorously and effectively serving the health needs of the entire 700 million Chinese.

Some observations on the health services in the People's Republic of China.

The observations on health services presented in this paper were made by the author during a one—month visit to the People's Republic of China in September—October 1971 as the guest of the Chinese Medical Association. The first part of the paper describes the following general principles on which current health services in China appear to be based: emphasis on care in the rural areas; integration of traditional Chinese medicine with western medicine; expanded use of community members in health services; decentralization; educational and status changes for health workers; and an ethic of service and cooperation rather than professional satisfaction and competition. The second part describes current practices in the organization of health services, in hospitals, and in maternal and child care. The overall conclusion is that the Chinese have made incredible progress over the past 22 years and have many lessons for other countries.