Aging

Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Ingredients: Shu Di Huang (Processed Rehmannia), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus), Shan Yao (Dioscorea), Ze Xie (Alisma), Fu Ling (Hoelen), Mu Dan Pi (Moutan)

Clinical Application:
Diabetes: A study treated 53 cases of diabetes with a variation of this formula (one dose daily; treated for 20 days), and reported that the treatment was significantly effective in 46 cases, effective in 5 cases, and with no response in 2 cases.(2) Another study treated 65 cases of noninsulin-dependent diabetes with a variation of this formula. Of the 65 cases, 16 had a blood sugar content of 7.7-8.33mmol/L, 34 of 8.34-13.88mmol/L, and 15 greater than 13.88mmol/L. The patients were treated with one dose daily (water decoction taken orally five times a day), and the results were as follows: the treatment was significantly effective in 30 cases, effective in 28 cases, and with no response in 7 cases.(3)

Nephritis: A study reported of resolving 16 cases of nephritis with this a treatment based on this formula (with two additional ingredients, Ye Mu Cao and Ban Bian Lian, added to the formula). Of the 16 cases, 10 were of chronic and 4 of acute nephritis, with the remaining 2 of latent nephritis.(4)

Kidney and ureter stone: Of 32 cases of urinary system stones treated with a variation of this formula (one dose daily in water decoction), one study reported, 30 cases passed the stone(s), with only 2 cases with no response.(5)

Hyperthyroidism: A study treated 31 cases of hyperthyroidism with a variation of this formula. Of the 31 cases, 28 manifested a diffue goiter, 15 cases a vascular murmur, 13 an exorbitism, 29 a significant weight loss, 28 an abnormal heart rate (higher than normal), and all cases had a higher-than-normal iodine uptake rate. After a treatment of between 15 and 20 doses, most cases experienced a significant improvement in the symptoms, with the iodine uptake rate significantly lowered and returned to normal, and the vascular murmur significantly decreased or disappeared.(6)

Tumor and cancer: One study reported of treating 102 cases of various malignant tumors with this formula. Since day one of their concurrent chemotherapy, all cases started taking the formula orally, three times daily, each time 10ml. A treatment for 20 consecutive days was found to have enhanced the effect of, and lessened the side effects of, the concurrent chemotherapy.(7) Another study reported of using a variation of this formula to treat 48 cases of thyroid adenocarcinoma with satisfactory results. Arrived at by adding with Mu Li, Xia Ku Cao, and Bei Mu (Zhe) to the basic formula, the variation was administered to patients in a water decoction one dose daily (taken twice as first and second decoctions) for one to two months. The results are as follows: 26 cases significantly improved, 21 cases improved, and one case with no response, tallying an overall effective rate of 98%.(8)

Tong Bu I
Zhou, et al. randomly divided up a group of 56 aged patients to study the effects of aging with a formula called Tong Bu I (the ingredients of the formula include Ren Shen Ye, Rou Cong Rong, He Shou Wu, Zhi Shi, processed Da Huang, etc.). The results showed that the formula can improve various aging symptoms, regulate the immune and the endocrine systems, cleanse free radicals, and regulate E. coli. Compared with Tong Bu II (Ren Sheng Ye, Rou Cong Rong, He Shou Wu, etc.), the difference in effectiveness was significant (P<0.05, P<0.01).(9)

Ling Zhi of Fu Zhe
Chen, et al. studied the anti-aging effect of Ling Zhi of Fu Zhe. They randomly divided a group of aged outpatients into a treatment group (Ling Zhi of Fu Zhe group) and a comparison group (regular Ling Zhi group). The results showed that both treatments were effective in treating the clinical symptoms of aging, e.g., they both increased the percentages of T-lymphocyte subgroups CD3, CD4, increased the activity of NK cells, and raised the SOD level. Overall, though, the treatment group had results superior to those of the comparison group.(10)

Huang Qi
Zhao, et al. studied Huang Qi injection's effect on the serum SOD readings of aged patients. The results showed that the treatment significantly raised the patients' SOD levels.(11)

Yu Ping Feng San
Zhang studied the effect of a modification of Yu Ping Feng San on aged patients' immunity, and found that a two-month treatment could significantly improve the patient's cold symptoms and weariness, and increase their lymphocyte transformation rate.(12)

Cong Nao Tang
Yang, et al. treated 44 Alzheimer's disease patients with Cong Nao Tang (modifications made to suit individual patients). The formula consisted of Huang Jin, Bai He, Gui Ban, Han Lian Cao, Wu Wei Zi, Lian Zi, He Shou Wu, Shi Chang Pu, Ci Shi, and Sheng Qu. The results indicated that the treatment was significantly effective in improving the readings of these indicators: HDS, TC, TG, T (male), and E2 (female) (P<0.01-0.05).(13)

Hong Jin Tian Jiao Nang
Hu, et al. used Hong Jin Tian Jiao Nang to treat 160 cases of old-age deficiency syndromes (of both qi and blood deficiencies, or both spleen and kidney deficiencies). Results: the treatment was significantly effective in 54% of the cases, and effective in 87% of the cases. Compared with the control group, both numbers were significantly different (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively).(14)

Bu Shen Yan Shou Jiao Nang
Wang, et al. studied the effect of Bu Shen Yan Shou Jiao Nang on aging symptoms. They selected 40 patients aged 60 or older who were suffering from kidney and qi deficiencies. Half the patients were treated with the formula, and the other half served as a control group. The results showed that the treatment significantly decreased the aging symptoms (P<0.01).(15)

Wei Er Ye
Wu, et al. used Wei Er Ye (made from Xi Yang Shen, Dong Chong Xia Cao, Huang Qi, etc.) to treat 50 cases of old-age deficiency syndromes. Results: 48 cases significantly improved, 29 cases improved, and 3 cases with no response. The total effective rate was 96.25%. The treatment effected significant differences in both SOD (increased, P<0.001) and LPO (decreased, P<0.001) readings, while both T and E2 readings showed a slight tendency to rise.(16)

Liu Wei Di Huang Tang
Bai, et al. used Liu Wei Di Huang Tang to treat 32 cases of liver and kidney-yin deficiencies. The herbal formula consisted of Shou Di, Shan Yu Rou, Shan Yao, Fu Ling, Ze Xie, and Mu Dan Pi. One unit of treatment called for administering one dose of the formula daily for 10 days. The results: 15 cases significantly improved, 15 cases improved, and 2 cases with no response. The effective rate was 93.8%.(17)

Treatment with Moxibustion
Xiong, et al. studied the effect of moxibustion on red blood cell immune adherence activity in patients with kidney deficiency. They used the moxa-cone method at the following points: Feishu (B13), Pishu (B20), Shenshu (B23), Zusanli (S36), Dazhui (D14), Guangyuan (Ren4). One unit of treatment called for five moxa-cones on each point every other day for a total of 15 cones. The results showed that the treatment made a significant difference (P<0.01).(20)

Pan studied the effect of scar-producing moxibustion on aging by applying moxa cones directly to Zusanli (S36) and Juegu (GB39) on 50 patients. After the treatment, the aging symptoms were noticeably lessened (P<0.01). The symptoms that showed the biggest improvement included sourness, weakness in the waist and knees, limbs' aversion to coldness, weariness, and night urination.(21)

Zhao, et al. used cake-separated moxibustion to delay aging in 223 cases. They used the herbs Huang Qi, Dang Gui, Bu Gu Zhi, Xian Lin Pi, Da Huang, Dan Sheng, etc. to make an herbal cake with a thickness of 0.8 millimeters. Two groups of acupuncture points were used. One group consisted of Shanzhong (Ren17), Zhongwan (Ren 12), Shenque (Ren 8), Guangyuan (Ren 4), and Zusanli (S36). The second group consisted of Dazhui (D14), Shenshu (B 23), Pishu (B20). The two groups of points were alternated in receiving the treatment, which was administered every other day, one moxa-cone per point. One unit of treatment consisted of 24 treatment sessions. The results showed that the treatment effected significant increases (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in: NK (to 31.67(0.32%, which, although close to the result from the comparison group (34.91(6.21%), was significantly higher that the pre-treatment level), T-lymphocyte subgroups CD4 and CD3, and (-EP content.(22)

Zhan, et al. studied the effect of moxibustion on the general health of 40 aged people who lived in apartments independently. They treated Shenque (Ren 8) and Zusanli (S36) each for 10 minutes every other day for two consecutive months, and found that the treatment significantly increased the patients' serum EGF level (measured on empty stomach)(P<0.01).(23)