Chinese Herbal Medicine treats Autoimmune Diseases

Case 1

Integrative Medicine treat mixed connective tissue disease

A 23-year-old woman was admitted to clinic on May 5, 1997, because of joints pain around all body for over three years, skin and eyes dry, thirst and wants to drink cooled water, almost joints sour and tip of fingers’ color change to purple and whit when the weather become to cold, loss hair. Her skin on arms are dry and peeled off.  She used to treat by acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, the symptoms were reduced but that never goes away. Recent years, she has had sense of oppress in her chest, and difficult to breath, asthma attack when she walk or go up stairs, those symptoms are gradually getting worse, but nothing could help. During 12/03-12/18/1996, she had had a high fever and went to Johns Hopkins Hospital was diagnosed as mixed connective tissue disease, pulmonary hypertension, scleroderma.

On physical Examination: red face with several rashes, harder than normal skin. The color of fingers is purple and pale, press it could change color. Peel skin on arms, scratch track on back and limbs’ skin.

Blood pressure was 123/86, heart rate 110, lungs sound clear, weight 117 pounds, had no edema.

Reference Tests:

06/27/97 University Maryland Clinic Center:

Total Protein 10.3(6.3-8.2)MG/DL  

Albumin 4.2(3.5-5.0)MG/DL               Globulin 6.1(1.8-3.7) MG/DL

ALT 65 (9-52) U/L                              AST 54(14-36)U/L

LDH 672 (313-618) U/L

On February 11,1998, her right heart catheterization and vasodilator trial, her baseline pulmonary arterial pressure was 66/24 mmHg with a mean of 38 mmHg. She had a CVP of 9 mmHg and a wedge of 7 mmHg. Her cardiac output was 3.2 L/min. In response to vasodilator trial with nitric oxide and subsequently prostacyclin, she had no significant change in either pulmonary arterial pressure or cardiac output. (Dr. Sean P. Gaine, MD/ University of Maryland School of Medicine)

Medications:

1. Western medicine: prostacyclin at 1 ng/kg/minit had had increased during first year (latter 3 years has no any changes) , Plaquenil 400 mg q day, Cumadin 2.5 mg q day(3/18/1998 increase to 5 mg), and artificial tears. Prednisone 0-  15 mg.

2. Chinese Herbal medicine:

Shendi 12 Chishao 10 Baishao 10 Taoren 6 Huanghua 6 Xiakucao 10 Dangkuiwei 10 Luzenzi 10 Hangliangcao 10 Zicao 12 Dangpi 10 Tufulin 20 Zhimuo 10 Shigao 20 (cook first) ( change to Shuinujiao)

Results

Four years letter, Ms. Gong has had not any pain in joints, no feeling of pressure in the chest, no eyes itch. On physical examination shows that face skin is smooth, no peel skin on both arms. Blood pressure 110/80mmHg, heart rate 85, heart sounds unremarkable. Lungs sound clear. No edema.

On 4/17/01, The Johns Hopkins Bayviw Medial Center:

AST 20 (0-30) U/L, ALT 19 (0-30) IU/L AKP 53 (30-120) IU/L. On 11/06/2000: Tot.Prot. 9.1(6.3-8.5) G/DL, Albumin: 4.2 (3.7-5.2)G/DL, Glubulin: 4.9 (1.4-4.5) G/DL, A/G ratio: 0.9 (0.9-2.6).

On June 11, 2001, her right heart catheterization, pulmonary hypertension: absent, baseline: 1.2.  (Dr. John J. Warner, MD/ DUMC)

On 08/22/01, her sonographer shows: Normal left ventricular systolic function. Normal RVSP estimate. ( S. Ganesh, MD/ John Hopkins Bayview Medicine Center)

Differential Treatment

 Ms. Yan Gong has had received regular treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital and University of Maryland, the treatment plan is same with other patients that has same diseases they have. But the difference is Yan also receiving Chinese herbal medicine as her alternative treatment. Finally, she get success in clinical trial, she has be taken off Prostacyclin on July 12, 2001, even the medication, prostacyclin has had no increase for three years, but her lungs still work well.  We discuss the case and realized that may Chinese herbal medicine in this case has the function as below:

1.      The formula of Chinese herbal medicine may have inhibiting immune function, just like corticosteroid, but has not side affects like corticosteroid.

2.      May the herbal medicine adjusting immune system function and prevent organs of target has be attacked by messed immune system.

3.      May Chinese herbal medicine has function of clearing complex.

4.      Chinese herbal medicines helps cirrhosis, at same time helped pulmonary fibrosis and reduce the pulmonary hypertension.

5.      The case shows Chinese medicine treat the disease is not just address the single symptoms, take care whole body system. 

Ms. Gong’s clinical symptoms are stable but her IgG, IgA still beyond to normal. Any reason like cold, infection, etc. will cause the disease happen during the clinical trail we realized it. At the same time we prescript the herbal medicine to stop inducing the extend diseases happen.