Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

10 tips to lower blood pressure(part one)
Although they say that preventing is by far better than curing, one still has to cope with the problems of high blood pressure when faced with them. The following are a set of well fundamented suggestions appliable to both the suffering and the...

Dont CRI -Part 3
Dont CRI - Part -3 Ayurvedic care & cure: Ayurveda offers treatments including external relaxation and muscle & joint soothening manipulations and marma (vital points) revitalizing treatments like Sulochana, Elakkizhi, and Abhyangam etc and these...

Lucky Charms and Talismans
Many of you already own several lucky charms or talismans. You just may not be aware of the object's symbolism or meaning. Below I have compiled a list of some of the more popular and common good luck symbols that can be purchased in the form of...

The Need for Centralized Medical Records
Consolidating your family’s medical records is one important step you can take to help insure your loved ones receive the best health care. In this era of medical specialization, the availability of centralized medical records can make a crucial...

Your Skin - are you creating an asset or a liability?
Your skin can be one of your greatest assets or become an expensive liability. It’s all in the way you treat it. We hear a lot these days about skin care, skin care for the Metrosexual-man, anti-aging skin care, anti-wrinkle cremes, and so on. But...

 
Treating AIDS with Acupuncture and Herbs

AIDS Symptoms and Related Diseases
AIDS has many different kinds of symptoms. The average time between HIV infection and the manifestation of symptoms is 10 years. Then a combination of non-specific symptoms show up. Symptoms can be subgrouped (these are symptoms from all stages of AIDS):

1. Systemic Symptoms: Fever, dehydration, night sweats, weight loss (but losing more muscle than fat), low or no appetite, nausea, vomiting (these lead to wt loss), malabsorption, diarrhea from infection/parasites, and/or increased metabolic rate.
2. Sinopulmonary Disease: Pneumocystis pneumonia, other infectious pulmary disease, noninfectious pulmonary disease, sinusitis.
3. Central Nervous System (CNS) Diseases: Toxoplasmosis, CNS lymphoma, AIDS dementia, cryptococcal meningitis, HIV myelopathy, Progressive Multifocal Leukencephalopathy (PML)
4. Peripheral Nervous System Disease: Inflammatory polyneuropathies, sensory neuropathies, mononeuropathies
5. Rheumatologic Disease
6. Myopathy (muscle disease)
7. Retinitis
8. Oral lesions
9. Gastrointestinal: Candidal esophagitis, hepatic disease, biliary disease, enterocolitis, gastropathy, malabsorption
Skin: Herpes simplex and zoster, molluscum, staphylococcus, bacillary angiomatosis
Malignancies
10. Gynecological: Vaginal candida, cervical dysplasia and neoplasia, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Research on Alternative and Chinese Medicine Treatments for AIDS

It's difficult to study treatments for AIDS because a high percentage of chronically ill patients drop out... their disease and the study are usually too demanding for them. Nevertheless, some good studies exist. Herbs and herb formulas' effects as reported in studies are mentioned below. Others mentioned below may not have been studied. In both cases, chinese medical functions may be mentioned as well.

Chinese Herb Formulas for AIDS Treatment

The most common chinese herbal treatment strategy for AIDS is Fu Zheng, Supporting the Righteous. That means boosting the immune system, etc. This is most common because many AIDS patients are also on western drug cocktails. These drugs take quite a toll on the body- among other things, they injure the qi, create phlegm, and cause Liver-Spleen disharmonies. Fu Zheng therapies can help restore balance.

* HY-1: chai hu, huang qin, ban xia, ren shen, da zao, gan cao, sheng jiang, huang qi, fang feng. Based on Xiao Chai Hu T & Jade Wind. Harmonizes Liver and Spleen, Boosts Wei qi
* HY-2: huang qi, fang feng, ren shen, huang jian or ye jiao teng or he shou wu, yin yang huo, shu di huang. Boosts Yin and Yang.
* Milingwang: huang qi, ling zhi, dang shen, bai zhu, gan cao, shu di huang, sha shen, wu wei z, sheng jiang, da zao, ji xue teng, tu si zi, shan yao, jie geng, nu zhen zi, bai shao, chen pi. Boosts bone marrow, RBC, inhibits viruses (polio).
* Resist: huang qi, nu zhen zi, dang shen, shan yao, ji xue teng, ling zhi, ren shen, bai shao, shu di, wu wei zi, siberian ginseng, gan cao. Increases red blood cells, white blood cells, B cells, hemoglobin, and the phagocystic action of leukocytes.

The second most common treatment strategy is Qu Xie, Dispelling Evil. This is roughly the same strategy that western drug cocktails use... what is commonly thought of as 'chemotherapy.' It can also be done with herbs. Sometimes it is even used in concert with drug therapy.

* HY-3: da qing ye, chai hu, lithospermum, gan cao, chen pi
* HY-4: ban lan gen, zhi zi, blechnum, gan cao, chen pi. To reduce virus potency, alternate with other Qu Xie formulas to avoid tolerance, less specific than other forms) - Good for asymptomatic patients

Single herbs: zi hua di ding, xia ku cao, tian hua fen, huang lian, jin yin hua, chuan xin lian, niu bang zi, yin yang huo, zi cao, gou ji, guan zhong, qian li guang

Sometimes, both strategies (Supporting the Righteous and Dispelling Evils) are used together.

* HY-7: (mod of Qing fei tang, platycodon & fritillaria) - Ai ye(art annua), chang-shan (dichroa), chai hu, huang lian, huang bai, xing ren, tian men dong, zhu ru, zhi zi, bei mu, sheng jiang, fu ling, da zao, gan cao, sang bai pi, mai men dong, jie geng, wu wei zi, dang gui… (Lung deficiency with Heat, e.g. Pneumocystis Pneumonia)
* HY-22: (fu zheng & quxie)- huang qi, fang feng, ren shen, dan shen, ban lan gen, da qing ye, shu di huang, lu jiao jiao, dang gui, gan cao, tu fu ling, tu si zi, ji xue teng (Circulate xue, clear heat and toxins)
* HY-27: (mod Anemone Comb) - Anemone, brucea, huang lian, dichroa, fraxinus, huang bai, sanguisorb, terminalia (Cryptospor) As enema
* HY-30: zi hua di ding, jin yin hua, yin yang huo, gan cao, huang qi, ling zhi, nu zhen zi (clr ht, detox, enhance immune symptom)
* Enhance: ling zhi, ban lan gen, da qing ye, bai mu er, chuan xin lian, chen xiang, bai hua she she cao, gou qi zi, dang gui, xi yang shen, nu zhen zi, shu di, ji xue teng, huang qi, jin yin hua, yin yang huo, rou cong rong, kun bu, wu wei zi, bai zhu, dan shen, yu jin, zi hua di ding, chen pi, bai shao, he shou wu, du zhong, sha ren, gan cao
* "Herb Tea #1" (from a chinese study): huang qi, wu wei zi, ling zhi,


nu zhen zi, dang gui, mai men dong, xia ku cao, gan cao, da zao, chi shao, chuan san qi, da qing ye, ci wu jia, tian hua fen, he shou wu, dong chong xia cao. Increased weight of thymus, IL-2 levels in spleen, antibiotic function of B cells, Natural Killer cell activities.

How Western and Chinese Medicine Treatments are Combined

Sometimes western drugs and chinese medicine are used together to treat the same symptoms. This can allow for a decrease in the drug dosage. This makes sense since the drugs tend to have more damaging side effects.

Drugs and Chinese Medicine together; drugs as chemotherapy (dispelling) and supporting herbal formula to offset the weakening effect of toxic drugs.

Chinese medicine may be used instead of drugs when the patient isn't strong enough to continue chemotherapy. The patient can then regain strength. Supporting the Righteous, or combinations of mostly supporting and some dispelling.

For symptomatic treatment without drugs. Most commonly with fever, headache, fatigue, CMV retinitis, wasting syndrome, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, PML.

There are still gray areas when drugs and herbs are combined. There are general principles for combining drugs and herbs (see your health practitioner), and a fair amount of research on specific herbs and drugs exists. It is important to note that research has proven that in some cases, the healing effects of drugs and herbs combined is greater. For more on this topic, read our article "Are My Drugs and Herbs Dangerous Together? Drug Herb Interactions."

It is best to have a chinese medicine herbalist and physician working together. (In California, acupuncturists and herbalists can order lab tests, but not in most states). Someone will need to monitor your lab values and know what to expect when herbs are added to your treatment regimen.

Hopefully, your health care practitioners can cooperate, educate one another, and work together for your well being. In these days of cooperative care, any one of your practitioners' refusal to work with practitioners from other medicines might be grounds for termination.

References
http://www.icmart.org/baltic/abstract/ab27.html
http://www.docmisha.com/hiv/toxichiv.html
http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/hivaids/tcm.shtml
Zhang, Ziolkowski. AIDS and Chinese Medicine, 1993.
Enger & Long, ed. AIDS Immunity and Chinese Medicine. Oriental Healing Arts Institute, 1989.
http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/aboutmyeloma/immunoglobulins.html#3
Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment, 2001.
Ryan, Shattuck. Treatment of AIDS with Chinese Medicine, 1994.
Goh & Zhaoling. Alternative Treatments for HIV Infection. Science Press, 1996.
http://www.itmonline.org/arts/sfxhivdr.htm
http://www.itmonline.org/arts/hivthrpy.htm
J Infect Dis 2000;181:946
J Infect Dis 1998;177:1533
AIDS 1998;12:1722
Lancet 1997;349:924
AIDS 1998;12:116
AIDS 1998;12:2289
Clin Infect Dis 1998;27:1255
JAMA 2000;283:74
Lancet 1994;343:1494
39th ICAAC, San Francisco, Calif., September 1999, Abstract 1285
7th CROI, San Francisco, Calif., February 2000, Abstract S21, 42, 55, 56, and 57
Ann Intern Med 2000;13:192
7th CROI, San Francisco, Calif., February 2000, Abstract S21
Lancet 1998;252:292
Lancet 2000;356:1424
http://www.bastyr.edu/research/buarc/
http://www.aegis.com/pubs/atn/1995/atn22405.html
http://www.bulletin.ac.cn/ACTION/2000101201.htm
http://www.aids.wustl.edu/aids/tradch.html
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/nov/11actcm.html
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/may/05sheng.html
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2002/apr/04panafrican.html
http://www.hivnet.ch:8000/asia/sea-aids/viewR?1964
John Scott, O.M.D. The Use of Golden Flower Chinese Herbs with AIDS/HIV http://spanda.com/articles/aids.html
http://www.actcm.org/0520%20Clinics%20Special%20Project.htm
Liu S, Jiang S, Wu Z, Lv L, Zhang J, Zhu Z, Wu S. Identification of inhibitors of the HIV-1 gp41 six-helix bundle formation from extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs Prunella vulgaris and Rhizoma cibotte. Life Sci. 2002 Aug 30;71(15):1779-91.
Lu WB, Wen RX, Guan CF. [A report on 8 seronegative converted HIV/AIDS patients with traditional Chinese medicine] Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1997 May;17(5):271-3. Chinese.
Lu W. Prospect for study on treatment of AIDS with traditional Chinese medicine. J Tradit Chin Med. 1995 Mar;15(1):3-9. Review.
Power R, Gore-Felton C, Vosvick M, Israelski DM, Spiegel D. HIV: effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine. Prim Care. 2002 Jun;29(2):361-78.
The wise and rich experience and counsel of Lynda Harvey-Carter, LAc., OMD

About the Author

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.

 

National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Library of Medicine offers access to health information for consumer, patient, and physicians ...
www.nlm.nih.gov
 
Health and Medical Information produced by doctors - MedicineNet.com
Doctor-produced health and medical information written for you to make informed decisions about your health concerns.
www.medicinenet.com
 
Medicine in the Yahoo! Directory
Collection of sites for health professionals, with sections on specific disciplines, organizations, continuing education, conferences, publications, ...
dir.yahoo.com
 
MedlinePlus Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
Health information from the National Library of Medicine. Easy access to Medline and Health topics, medical dictionaries, directories and publications.
medlineplus.gov
 
Medicine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Medicine is a branch of health science and the sector of public life ... The practice of medicine combines both science as the evidence base and art in the ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Journal Home - Nature Medicine
Nature Medicine has a vacancy for a Locum Assistant Editor for six months. The position involves working in all aspects of the editorial process, ...
www.nature.com
 
The New England Journal of Medicine: Research & Review Articles on ...
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) is a weekly general medical journal that publishes new medical research findings, review articles, and editorial ...
content.nejm.org
 
eMedicine Clinical Knowledge Base
eMedicine features up-to-date, searchable, peer-reviewed medical journals, online physician reference textbooks, and a full-text article database in 62 ...
www.emedicine.com
 
Open Directory - Health: Medicine
the entire directory, only in Health/Medicine. Top: Health: Medicine (11429). Description · Medical Specialties (4888); Surgery (2265) ...
dmoz.org
 
the www virtual library biosciences medicine
www.ohsu.edu/cliniweb/wwwvl/ - Similar pages
 
Medicine - home
Bimonthly journal covering the latest results in clinical investigation relevant to hospital and office practice.
www.md-journal.com
 
Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health.
www.iom.edu
 
ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News
Medical Research News. Health news on everything from cancer to nutrition. Full-text, images, updated daily.
www.sciencedaily.com
 
Google Directory - Health > Medicine
Search only in Medicine Search the Web. Medicine. Health > Medicine, Go to Directory Home. Categories. Alternative Medicine (6308) Basic Sciences (66) ...
www.google.com
 
the world wide web virtual library biosciences medicine
www.mcb.harvard.edu/biopages/medicine.html - Similar pages
 
PLoS Medicine - A Peer-Reviewed Open-Access Journal
PLoS Medicine is a peer-reviewed, international, open-access journal published ... Every issue of PLoS Medicine contains a selection of readers' responses. ...
medicine.plosjournals.org
 
Medicine On-Line - Medicine Online -The International Medical Journal
Medicine Online - independent and peer reviewed journal published by Priory Medical Journals - priory.com.
www.priory.com
 
Entrez PubMed
PubMed is a service of the US National Library of Medicine that includes over 16 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
Stanford University School of Medicine
Home Page of the Stanford University School of Medicine.
med.stanford.edu
 
Medicine OnLine
Meds.com offers medical information and education on cancer (lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, leukemia) and HIV / AIDS for patients, ...
www.meds.com