Autoimmune disease refers to illnesses that occur when body tissues are attacked by its own immune system. Common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, scleroderma, vasculitis, thrombocytopenic purpura, Graves’ disease, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and other hard-to-cure diseases. Western medicines for autoimmune diseases include corticosteroids and immunosuppresants. While controlling symptoms quickly, long-term use increases the risk of infection and reduced adrenal function, and can affect the bone marrow. As patients become aware of these side effects, they seek treatment with Chinese herbal medicinals. TCM therapies do more than relieve symptoms; they slow or reverse disease development, and mitigate damage by Western medications. The Chinese approach is to boost vital qi by addressing deficiencies of qi, blood, yin or yang; addressing exogenous pathogenic factors such as heat toxins; and clearing accumulations of phlegm, damp or blood stasis. Professor Zeng Sheng-ping is a renowned specialist in autoimmune disease at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, L.Ac. has been in practice since 1978, and is the author of Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines, The Clinical Desk Reference. In this volume, the authors discuss the etiology and physiology of nine different autoimmune diseases, citing 2 to 4 cases in each study, with detailed analysis of herbal prescriptions used for each case.
General Introduction
Chapter 1 Rheumatoid Arthritis
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I Obstruction of Cold and Dampness
CASE STUDY II Obstruction of Damp-Heat
CASE STUDY III Cold-Heat Complex
CASE STUDY Iv Obstruction of Blood Stasis
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 2 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I Intense Toxic-Heat
CASE STUDY II Toxic Heat Breaking the vessels
CASE STUDY III Obstruction of Toxic Blood Stasis
CASE STUDY Iv Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency
CASE STUDY v Yang Deficiency of Spleen and Kidney
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 3 Scleroderma
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I
CASE STUDY II
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 4 Sjögren’s Syndrome
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I
CASE STUDY II
CASE STUDY III
CASE STUDY Iv
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 5 Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease)
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I
CASE STUDY II
CASE STUDY III
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 6 Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders: Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I Graves’ Disease
CASE STUDY II Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis with Hypothyroid
CASE STUDY III Infiltrative Exophthalmus
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
CASE STUDY IV
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 7 Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I
CASE STUDY II
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 8 Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I Psoriasis
CASE STUDY II Psoriatic Arthritis
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
CASE STUDY III
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS
Chapter 9 Systemic Vasculitis (Including Polyarteritis Nodosa and Behçet’s Syndrome)
COMMON CLINICAL PATTERNS
THERAPEUTICS
CASE STUDY I Intense Toxic Heat
CASE STUDY II Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis with Damp-Heat-Toxin Accumulation
CASE STUDY III Binding of Phlegm and Blood Stasis
DR. JAKE FRATKIN’S COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION
STUDY QUESTIONS
CASE SCENARIOS