bubble_chart Concept

According to the characteristics of its pathological changes, Chinese medicine categorizes it under the scope of "pestilence" and "deficiency damage" syndromes. The disease mechanism is as follows: unclean sexual activities and excessive indulgence lead to the depletion of kidney essence, allowing epidemic toxins to invade from below; or due to weak spleen and stomach, the source of generation and transformation is insufficient, leading to a deficiency of qi and blood, which also allows epidemic toxins to take advantage of the deficiency. Initially, the disease manifests as symptoms of the pathogen invading the lung-defense system; then, as the pathogenic qi deepens, it can manifest as diseases of both defense and qi, blazing of both qi and nutrient, or even the pathogen sinking into the heart-nutrient level. In the middle and advanced stages, due to the intense nature of the epidemic toxins and the massive consumption of healthy qi, leading to various deficiencies of qi, blood, and body fluids, different manifestations of lung deficiency, spleen deficiency, and kidney deficiency may appear. The deficiency of healthy qi makes it easy to attract external pathogens, and the re-infection of pathogenic toxins leads to a predominance of deficiency-type pathogens, causing the condition to worsen progressively until death.

bubble_chart Modern Research

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a syndrome of acquired immune deficiency caused by the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome virus. The disease was discovered in 1981 and is a global epidemic with widespread incidence, rapid transmission, diverse pathological changes, no effective prevention or treatment, significant social and economic impact, and high mortality. Clinically, it is characterized by damage to the body's immune system, resulting in persistent cellular immune deficiency, leading to multiple opportunistic infections and tumors in various organs. It can be broadly divided into four types: pulmonary, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and fever of unknown origin.

The mechanism of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is that after the human body is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), HIV attacks helper T cells, causing a large number of T cells to be infected and destroyed, severely damaging the body's immune function, and reducing the body's resistance to various viruses, fungi, Chinese Taxillus Herb parasites, and mycobacteria, leading to opportunistic infections and tumors.

[Diagnosis]

History: A history of contact with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome patients, or sexual contact with high-risk groups (prostitutes, homosexuals, people from high-prevalence countries, drug users, hemophiliacs), or a history of blood transfusion or blood product use.

Symptoms and signs: Acute infection may present with fever, malaise, rash, arthralgia, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Then the symptoms disappear, and the patient becomes an asymptomatic virus carrier with positive antibodies, which can last for 2 to 10 years. About 25% of these patients may later develop Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome-related syndrome, characterized by intermittent fever, weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, cough, chronic diarrhea for more than 1 month, oral thrush, generalized lymphadenopathy, rash, severe herpes zoster or simplex, lymphocytopenia, leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, etc., or persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. More severe cases present with wasting syndrome, characterized by progressive weight loss accompanied by fever, night sweats, thrush, or chronic diarrhea. In the advanced stage, it becomes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, typically referred to as full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, which may present with the aforementioned symptoms and signs, and may also present with opportunistic infections and malignant tumors.

Laboratory tests: Positive serum HIV-1 antibodies or detection of HIV-1, recent weight loss of more than 10%, and persistent fever of 38°C for more than one month; or weight loss of more than 10%, and persistent diarrhea for more than one month; or suffering from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; or suffering from Kaposi's sarcoma or obvious fungal or other opportunistic infections.

If the antibody is positive, and the symptoms of weight loss, fever, and diarrhea are close to the above criteria and have any of the following, a diagnosis of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome can be confirmed: CD{106}4{107}/CD{108}8{109} (helper/suppressor) lymphocyte count ratio <1, CD{110}4{111} cell count decrease, generalized lymphadenopathy; obvious symptoms and signs of central nervous system space-occupying sexually transmitted disease, presenting with dementia, loss of discrimination, or motor nerve dysfunction.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Pathogenic Factors Lingering in the Lung-Defense P︰Fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, mental fatigue, lack of strength, sore throat, cough, diarrhea. Pale tongue with white greasy coating, floating, slippery, and rapid pulse. Clearing heat and removing toxin, invigorating spleen and draining dampness. Modified Lonicera and Forsythia Powder combined with Sweet Dew Detoxicating Pill: Lonicera 15g, Forsythia 10g, Schizonepeta 9g, Patchouli 9g; Pinellia 9g, Bitter Apricot Seed 9g, raw Coix Seed 12g, Magnolia Bark 6g, Platycodon Root 6g, Bamboo Leaf 6g, Fermented Soybean 12g, White Cardamom 10g, Mentha 5g (to be decocted later), raw Liquorice Root 6g. Take Sweet Dew Detoxicating Pill 9g in two doses, morning and evening. For anorexia or indigestion after eating, add Hawthorn Fruit, Germinated Barley, and Millet Sprout 10g each. For vexing heat in the chest, palms, and soles, thirst, and low-grade fever worse at night, use Modified Polyghace Seche Decoction.
2. Epidemic Toxin Scorching Qi and Nutrient Levels︰High fever, persistent and unrelenting, hemoptysis, hematemesis, or faint macules and papules, headache, dizziness, dysphoria, insomnia, or mental fatigue, somnolence, severe loose stools or bloody stools, or constipation. Crimson tongue with yellow, rough, or grayish-black coating, wiry and rapid pulse. Clearing both qi and nutrient aspects, cooling blood to remove toxins, modified Plague-Clearing Toxin-Vanquishing Decoction combined with Purple Snow Bolus: Gardenia 10g, Skullcap Root 10g, Coptis Rhizome 6g, Anemarrhena 10g, raw Gypsum 60g (to be decocted first), Belamcanda Rhizome 10g, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root 15g, Moutan Bark 10g, Red Peony Root 10g, Scrophularia Root 10g, Forsythia 12g, Dyers Woad Leaf 15g, Bamboo Leaf 5g, Liquorice Root 5g, buffalo horn powder 3g (to be infused). Additionally, take 0.5g of Purple Snow Bolus infused. If there is mental confusion, or intermittent clarity and confusion, occasional delirious speech, or convulsions, modified Peaceful Palace Bovine Bezoar Pill combined with Uncaria Decoction may be used: Uncaria 10g, antelope horn powder 1 piece (to be infused), scorpion 10g, Tangshen 15g, Gastrodia Tuber 10g, Isatis Root 15g, Moutan Bark 10g, Red Peony Root 10g, Earthworm 10g. Additionally, take 1–2 pills of Peaceful Palace Bovine Bezoar Pill, 2–3 times daily.
3. Deficiency of Both Lung Qi and Yin︰Fever, dry cough without phlegm or with blood-streaked sputum, shortness of breath, chest pain, dry mouth and sore throat, night sweats. Tongue coating thin yellow or patchy or absent, pulse thin and rapid. Tonifying qi and nourishing yin. Modified Pulse-Reinforcing Powder. Korean ginseng 10g (or Pseudostellaria root 30g), Ophiopogon Tuber 15g, Schisandra Fruit 10g, smallpox powder 10g, Bitter Apricot Seed 10g, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root 15g, Donkey-hide Gelatin 12g (melt and infuse). For aversion to cold and headache, add Bupleurum 10g, Pueraria Root 15g; for severe shortness of breath and chest tightness, add Chinese Yam 10g, Trichosanthis Fruit shell 10g; for severe cough, add black sesame 20g, Anemarrhena 10g; for persistent low-grade fever, add Anemarrhena 10g, Chinese Wolfberry Root-bark 15g; for malignant lumps, add Prunella 10g, Catclaw Buttercup Root 15g, oyster shell 15g, Scrophularia Root 10g, Air Potato 10g.
4. Spleen Deficiency with Blood Deficiency︰The diarrhea is watery or mixed with pus, blood, and mucus, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, a pale and lusterless complexion, emaciation, lack of strength, abdominal pain, anorexia, and shortness of breath. The tongue is pale and swollen with a thin coating. The treatment involves tonifying and replenishing qi and blood, strengthening the spleen, and stopping diarrhea. Modified Returning to Spleen Decoction combined with Four Gentlemen Decoction is used. Ingredients include: 10g of sun-dried ginseng (decocted separately and mixed in), 10g of White Atractylodes Rhizome, 15g of Indian bread tuckahoe, 15g of Astragalus Root, 10g of Chinese Angelica, 12g of stir-fried Peony Root, 15g of Chinese Yam, 15g of Gordon Euryale Seed, 10g of stir-fried Hyacinth Bean, 10g of ginger-processed Pinellia, 9 pieces of Chinese date, and 6g of raw Liquorice Root. For prolonged diarrhea, add 10g of Chebula Fruit flesh, 15g of Lotus Seed, and 10g of Nutmeg. For severe vomiting, add 10g of Bamboo Shavings. If accompanied by thrush, apply externally one tube of Xilei Powder to the tongue or use Borneol and Borax Powder for topical application. If, in addition to the above symptoms, there is cough, shortness of breath, and emaciation, indicating deficiency of both the lung and spleen, modified Six Gentlemen Decoction combined with Shengmai Drink can be used. If, on the basis of spleen deficiency, there is also kidney essence insufficiency, modified Four Gentlemen Decoction combined with Four Miracle Pill should be prescribed, along with ready-made formulas such as Golden Chamber Kidney Qi Pill or Ten Major Tonifying Pill.
5. Deficiency of Kidney Essence︰Persistent low-grade fever or tidal fever, emaciation, lack of strength, cough and panting, night sweats, dry mouth and throat, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, bloody sputum or hemoptysis. Red tongue with no coating, thin and rapid pulse. Nourish yin and reduce fire, modified Anemarrhena and Phellodendron Rehmannia Decoction: Anemarrhena 15g, Phellodendron Bark 10g, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root 15g, Cornus 10g, Poria 15g, Chinese Yam 15g, Moutan Bark 10g, Alisma 10g, Schisandra Fruit 10g, Ophiopogon Tuber 10g. If the tongue is pale with thin white coating and the pulse is deep and thin, add human placenta powder 3g (to be taken infused), Dodder Seed 15g, Desertliving Cistanche 10g; for severe tidal fever and night sweats, add Gentian 10g, roasted turtle carapace 10g (to be decocted first); for skin sores, ulcers, or cutaneous pruritus, add Belvedere Fruit and Glabrous Greenbrier 10g each; for convulsions or spasms, add antelope horn powder 2g (to be taken infused); for Kaposi’s sarcoma, add Arnebia, Red Peony Root, and Chinese Manyleaf Paris Rhizome 10g each.