Oncology

TCM Treatment for Liver Diseases

TCM Pathological Mechanism: A Liver-Centered Visceral Function Network In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the "liver" is not merely an anatomical organ, but a comprehensive functional system. The core pathogenesis of liver diseases lies in the dysfunction of the liver system, which triggers systemic pathological changes through the interconnection of viscera.

Its core logical relationships are as follows:

1. The liver governs the free coursing of qi and regulates qi movement: Emotional distress leads to liver qi stagnation, the initial trigger of most liver diseases. Impeded qi movement causes blood stasis (qi stagnation with blood stasis), horizontal invasion of the stomach (liver-stomach disharmony), or fire transformation disturbing the heart.

2. The liver stores blood, being yin in substance and yang in function: The liver stores and regulates blood circulation. Pathologically, impaired blood storage may lead to bleeding; consumption of yin blood causes hyperactivity of liver yang and internal stirring of liver wind.

3. Inter-promotion and inter-restriction between the liver and other viscera: Liver wood overacts on spleen earth: Liver diseases most frequently impair the spleen and stomach, causing poor appetite, abdominal distension, and fatigue.

4. The liver and kidney share a common source: Protracted liver disease inevitably consumes kidney essence, leading to liver-kidney yin deficiency.

5. Hyperactivity of heart and liver fire: Mutual pathological influence between the two organs causes insomnia and irritability.

The onset of liver disease begins with liver qi disharmony, which further generates pathological products such as liver fire, liver wind, and liver blood stasis. It spreads to other viscera through the five-element generation and restriction cycle, resulting in complex systemic disorders.

Common Etiological Factors

Exogenous Contraction of Damp-heat Epidemic Toxin

The primary cause, including infectious hepatitis viruses, which are classified into the TCM categories of "epidemic toxin" and "damp-heat".

Improper Diet

Excessive intake of greasy, sweet, spicy, or broiled food, or excessive alcohol consumption, which generates damp-heat, obstructs the spleen and stomach, and fumigates the liver and gallbladder.

Emotional Internal Injury

Long-term depression and anger most frequently cause liver qi stagnation and impaired coursing, which is the origin of various diseases.

Improper Work and Rest

Overstrain (including staying up late) consumes qi, blood, yin and essence; or excessive inactivity leads to qi stagnation.

Transmission From Other Diseases or Drug Toxin Damage

Chronic diseases consume healthy qi, or improper/overdose of liver-toxic medications cause liver impairment.

Pathogenesis

Healthy Qi Deficiency with Pathogen Invasion, and Qi-Blood Disharmony The pathogenesis of liver diseases can be summarized as follows: when healthy qi is deficient, the body is invaded by damp-heat epidemic toxin, excessive alcohol, greasy/sweet food, etc. These factors generate "dampness, heat, stasis, and toxin", which further damage the liver substance (liver yin and liver blood), leading to imbalance of qi, blood, yin and yang, and obstruction of liver collaterals. This forms a vicious cycle of intermingling "stagnation, stasis, phlegm, toxin, and deficiency", resulting in intractable disease progression and clinical manifestations characterized by intermingling of phlegm and blood stasis.

Five Progressive Stages Of Liver Disease Development

01/

Liver Qi Stagnation Stage: The initial stage of the disease, marked by impeded qi movement. Main manifestations include emotional distress, hypochondriac distending pain, chest tightness and belching, commonly seen in the hepatitis phase.

02/

Liver Stagnation with Spleen Deficiency Stage: Liver disease spreads to the spleen, with concurrent liver stagnation and spleen deficiency. Manifestations include hypochondriac pain, abdominal distension, poor appetite, fatigue, and loose stools.

03/

Liver-Gallbladder Damp-Heat Stage: Intermingling of dampness and heat fumigates the liver and gallbladder. Manifestations include yellowing of the skin and eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea, dark urine, and yellow greasy tongue coating, commonly seen in acute hepatitis or the active phase of chronic hepatitis.

04/

Intermingling of Phlegm and Blood Stasis Stage: Protracted disease invades the collaterals, and qi stagnation leads to blood stasis. Manifestations include dim complexion, stabbing hypochondriac pain, hepatosplenomegaly, and a purple dark tongue with petechiae, corresponding to liver fibrosis and early-to-mid stage liver cirrhosis.

05/

Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency or Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency Stage: The late stage of the disease, where prolonged illness affects the kidney. Manifestations include either yin deficiency (soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, five-center heat, red tongue with little coating) or yang deficiency (aversion to cold and cold limbs, drum-like abdominal distension, lower limb edema), corresponding to end-stage liver cirrhosis or chronic liver failure.

Our Hospital's Unique Therapeutic Approach

Sequential Four-Therapy Regimen of "Clearing, Draining, Soothing, and Tonifying" Based on an in-depth understanding of the above progression rules of liver diseases, our hospital has summarized and refined a diagnosis and treatment system centered on the four core therapies: "Clearing, Draining, Soothing, and Tonifying", emphasizing stage-based treatment and dynamic adjustment.

Clearing Therapy

Clearing Heat and Detoxification Theoretical Basis: Targets the core pathogenic factor of "damp-heat epidemic toxin". During the active phase of liver disease, blazing toxin is the key contradiction. "Clearing" uses bitter-cold or sweet-cold herbs (such as Virgate Wormwood Herb, Cape Jasmine Fruit, Dandelion, Giant Knotweed Rhizome) to directly eliminate heat toxin and damp toxin, control inflammatory activity, which is similar to "extinguishing fire and reducing inflammation" for the liver.

Draining Therapy

Draining Dampness and Resolving Turbidity Theoretical Basis: Dampness is sticky and stagnant, a key factor for the intractability of liver diseases. "Draining" uses methods such as bland percolation to drain dampness (e.g., Poria, Oriental Waterplantain Rhizome) and aromatic resolving of dampness (e.g., Wrinkled Gianthyssop Herb, Eupatorium Herb) to eliminate dampness through urination. In synergy with Clearing Therapy, it significantly improves symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal distension, and thick greasy tongue coating, creating a "dry and clean" internal environment for the liver.

Soothing Therapy

Soothing the Liver to Relieve Stagnation, and Activating Blood to Unblock Collaterals Theoretical Basis: Closely aligns with the physiological characteristic of "the liver governs free coursing". Liver disease is inevitably accompanied by stagnation, and protracted disease inevitably causes stasis. "Soothing" has two core meanings: first, using herbs such as Chinese Thorowax Root, Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome, and Turmeric Root-Tuber to regulate liver qi, emotion and qi movement; second, using Danshen Root, Peach Seed, and Sanchi to unblock liver collaterals, improve liver microcirculation, and resist liver fibrosis. This therapy runs through the entire treatment process and is the key to breaking the vicious cycle of "stagnation-stasis".

Tonifying Therapy: Tonifying the Liver, Spleen and Kidney

Theoretical Basis: Follows the TCM principles of "protracted disease inevitably leads to deficiency" and "treating disease by addressing its root cause". In the late or remission stage of the disease, or in patients with constitutional deficiency, healthy qi deficiency becomes the main contradiction. "Tonifying" is not a single tonic, but flexible application according to the visceral deficiency condition:

Tonifying liver substance

Using Chinese Angelica, White Peony Root, and Barbary Wolfberry Fruit to nourish liver yin and liver blood.

Reinforcing spleen earth

Using Milkvetch Root, Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome, and Pilose Asiabell Root to invigorate the spleen and replenish qi, reinforcing the earth to nourish the wood.

Tonifying kidney essence

Using Glossy Privet Fruit, Yerbadetajo Herb, and Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit to enrich water to nourish wood.

The application of Tonifying Therapy aims to support healthy qi, repair damaged hepatocytes, regulate immune function, and improve disease resistance and repair capacity.

Summary

The four therapies of "Clearing, Draining, Soothing, and Tonifying" are not used in isolation, but a dynamic treatment strategy with organic combination. Usually, in the active phase of the disease, "Clearing and Draining" are the main therapies, supplemented by "Soothing and Tonifying"; in the remission or chronic phase, "Soothing and Tonifying" are the main therapies, combined with "Clearing and Draining" to eliminate residual pathogenic factors. Through the flexible compatibility and sequential application of these four therapies, we achieve the goal of "eliminating pathogenic factors without damaging healthy qi, and reinforcing healthy qi without retaining pathogenic factors". We comprehensively realize the combined curative effects of anti-virus, anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, immune regulation, and overall function recovery, which is the core advantage of our hospital's TCM treatment for liver diseases.

Through MDT multidisciplinary consultation, we adopt individualized integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment methods, including oral Chinese herbal decoction, Chinese herbal granules, acupoint sticking therapy with Chinese herbal hot compress, as well as appropriate TCM techniques such as acupuncture and moxibustion, infrared therapy, and foot bath, plus hepatocyte growth factor therapy, splenectomy and other treatments to better correct complications and improve the long-term prognosis of patients.

Precautions During Liver Disease Treatment

Maintain a regular diet and daily routine, protect against cold and keep warm, keep a relaxed mood. The diet should be mainly soft and liquid food, with small and frequent meals, and maintain unobstructed bowel movements. Conduct regular examinations, take medication regularly and in a standardized manner, and do not stop or reduce the dosage without medical advice.

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