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The M odulation Effe ct of Chine s e M e dicine s

The M odulation Effe ct of Chine se M e dicine s

According to the concept of immunology, no matter if the immune reaction belongs

to physiological or pathological f actors, all the developing f actors are crucial to
disease f ormation. The basic rule f or curing immune diseases is to shif t the
pathological immune reaction to a normal physiological immune reaction. In TCM, it
is expressed by regulating the yin and yang balance, by applying holistic
approaches to enhance the system's harmony, a method called dual modulation.
Certainly, the immune modulation eff ect of Chinese medicine is extremely
complicated, only a preliminary understanding has been revealed at this moment.
Below are a f ew areas of discovery.

Modern research show s that the majority of individuals suff er f rom s yndrom e s
of de ficie ncy, various degrees of under-f unctioning or a disturbance of their
immune system.(2) Correspondingly, most of the tonifying herbs applied to these
conditions can enhance immune f unction. For example, herbs like Lingzhi, ginseng,
Tang shen, milk vetch root (huang qi), large head artactylodes rhizome (bai zhu),
deer antler and Chinese caterpillar f ungus, Chinese angelica (dang gui) and
Barbary w olf berry f ruit (gou qi zi) enhance the engulf ing activities of monocytes,
promote T- lymph cells' activation, increase the NK cells' activation and specif ic
antibody productions and induce inte rfe ron reactions.(2) Tonif ying herbs that are
blood builders like Barbary w olf berry f ruit (qi zi), f leece f low er root (shou w u),
donkey hide glue, rehmannia root (di huang), Chinese angelica (dang gui) and deer
antler enhance blood production in the bone marrow (immune organ) signif icantly.
They can be used as adjuvant therapy in leucopenia (low level of w hite blood
cells) conditions caused by radio or chemotherapies, or some autoimmune blood
diseases.(2)

Larg e head artactylodes rhizome Chinese ang elica (dang gui) Fleece flower root (shou gui)
(bai zhu) enhances the eng ulfing promotes the NK cells' activation enhances blood production in the
activities of monocytes and promotes and specific antibody production. bone marrow.
T- lymph cells' activation.

In the herbal category f or he at clearing, many herbs promote immune f unction or

the body resistance. Meanw hile, they also inhibit certain adverse immune
reactions that are harmf ul to the body. For example, herbs like Baical skullcap root
(huang qin), honeysuckle f low er (jin yin hua), w ormw ood (qing hao) and
Trichosanthes root (tian hua f en) inhibit hypersensitivity signif icantly.(2) Some of
them also induce the production of interf eron or tum or ne cros is factor.(2)
Enhancement of the pituitary- adrenal cortex can also be done w ith this category
of herbs such as Spreading hydyotis (bai hua she she cao), Ningpo f ogw ort
(xuan shen), Andrographis (chuan xin lian) and Northern ash bark (qin pi).

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Baical skullcap root (huang qin) Honeysuckle flower (jin yin hua) Spreading hydyotis (bai hua she she
inhibits hypersensitivity sig nificantly. induces the production of interferon. cao) enhances the functions of the
pituitary- adrenal cortex.

Besides the benef it of improving the cardiovascular system and dynamic blood
activities, some herbs used f or blood and circulation also possess important
eff ects on immune regulation. Herbs like notoginseng, achyranthes (niu xi), Dan
shen, Szechuan Lovage (Chuan xiong), peach kernel (tao ren) and Argy
w ormw ood leaf (ai ye) increase T-lymph cells and promote specif ic antibody
production.(2) Some other herbs like notoginseng and madder (qian cao) promote
blood production in the bone marrow too.(2)

Dan shen increases T-lymph cells. Szechuan Lovag e (chuan xiong) Peach kernel (tao ren) is commonly
promotes specific antibody used for blood and circulation in
production. TCM .

Main eff ect of herbs in the category f or expelling w ind and relieving s yndrom e s
of e xte rior type , are on the body's immune barriers, such as skin, respiratory
mucosa, or localized body f luids and cell immune f unctioning. For example, some
of them enhance the engulf ing actions of phagocytes, like Divaricate
Saposhnikovia root (f angf eng), cassia tw ig, Perilla leaf (su ye), f resh ginger and
Chinese tororw ax root (chai hu).(2) How ever, some herbs also act directly on the
immune organs.

Fang feng enhances the eng ulfing The main effect of cassia twig is on Chinese tororwax root (chai hu) is
actions of phag ocytes. the body's immune barriers. commonly used for relieving
syndromes of exterior type in TCM .

It is w ell know n that Chinese drugs used f or rheumatism possess signif icant
immune inhibiting eff ects. Herbs used to treat this condition include Oriental vine
stem (qing f eng teng), Tripterygium (lei gong teng) and Northern f angji (Radix
Stephaniae Tetrandrae). Other herbs that inhibit multiple hypersensitivity reactions
are Paniculate Sw allow w ort root (xu chang qing), Slenderstyle Acanthopanax
bark (w u jia pi) and Largeleaf gentian root (qin jiao).(2)

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Northern fang ji has immune Slenderstyle Acanthopanax bark (wu Larg eleaf g eatian root (qin jian) is
inhibiting effects. jia pi) inhibits multiple commonly used for rheumatism in
hypersensitivity reactions TCM .

Chinese herbs that possess anti-cancer eff ects can depress or kill cancer cells
by inducing certain immune actions. Such herbs are natural indigo, Java Brucea
f ruit (ya dan zi), sw eet melon pedicel and Chinese f ir.(2) Some of these herbs
even boost the overall immune f unctions, such as toad venom, Java Brucea f ruit
(ya dan zi), blister beetle (ban mao), natural indigo and sw eet melon pedicel. (2)
Also, some herbs like garlic can help reduce carcinogenic f actors.(2)

Most Chinese medicines are natural substances that remain in their natural f orm
w hen used f or treatment. Af ter being tested and verif ied f or thousand years by
Chinese medicine practitioners, those lef t behind have proven their eff ects.
Scientists have noted multiple eff icacies of these prescriptions w hich have dual
m odulation and adaptive capabilities. How ever, even in the study of immune
modulation, projects f or Chinese medicine are huge and complex, and the current
overall research w ork has not been systematic. Among those single herbs or
f ormulas, it is necessary to carry out more in depth investigations f or f urther
explanation about the mechanism of how these herbal ingredients w ork.

References
1. He Huai-xin & Xi Xiao-xian, TCM Immunology, Beijing: Publishing House of People's Military
Hospital, May 2000.
2. Luo He-sheng, Luo Ding-hui & others, TCM Immunology: Chinese Medicine Pharmacology
and Clinical Practice, Beijing: Joint Publishing House of Beijing Medical College and Beijing
Union Medical College, April 1999.
3. Yu chuan-lin, Ye Tian-xing & others, Modern Medical Immunology, Publishing House of
Shanghai Medical Univ ersity, October 1998.
4. Kou Hua-sheng & Lin Jian-y u, TCM Immunology, Wuhan: Hubei Publishing House of
Science and Technology, June 1990.

Written By:
Wang Li
Prof essor, Beijing Univ ersity of Chinese Medicine

Editors:
Angela Collingwood, MSN, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.
Lawrence Lau, Ph.D., Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.
Rose Tse, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.

Special thanks to Elpidio Talens Juan f or helping with article graphics.

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