🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine First Affiliated Hospital's Neurosurgery Department treated 1,100 patients with acute cranial trauma using integrated Chinese and Western medicine from August 1999 to December 2002, achieving satisfactory clinical results and providing evidence for the application of integrative medicine in this condition.
The researchers explained that among the 1,100 patients, Western treatment was based on injury severity and CT findings. Surgery was performed if indicated; non-surgical cases received standard treatments including diuretics, mannitol dehydration, hemostasis, antibiotics, prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding, tracheotomy to maintain airway patency, neurotrophic therapy, oxygen inhalation, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients with associated injuries received timely specialized treatment. TCM treatment focused on early syndrome differentiation, primarily employing methods such as activating blood circulation to remove stasis and clearing orifices to awaken the mind. Commonly used preparations included Chuan Xiong Qin (Ligusticum Chuanxiong Extract), Xue Sai Tong (Blood Stasis Eliminating Injection), and Xing Nao Jing (Awaken Brain Essence). Herbal decoctions were selected based on formulas such as Tao Hong Si Wu Tang (Peony and Peach Kernel Four-Ingredient Decoction) or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (Blood Mansion Stasis-Removing Decoction), adjusted according to individual needs.
The results showed that among the 1,100 patients, 1,021 were cured, 17 had moderate disability, 9 had severe disability, 5 were in a vegetative state, and 48 died (including 3 deaths from moderate trauma, 11 from severe trauma, and 34 from extremely severe trauma).
The researchers concluded that TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment can improve microcirculation, reduce secondary damage, enhance cerebral perfusion, and stabilize internal environment. After brain injury, parameters such as whole blood viscosity, red cell aggregation index, fibrinogen, and neurotransmitters all increase. Excessive dehydration and hemostatic drugs cause blood concentration, while release of clotting factors and vasoactive substances after cerebral contusion leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm, worsening microcirculatory disorders and exacerbating secondary brain injury. Blood-activating and stasis-resolving drugs effectively reduce blood viscosity, enhance fibrinolytic activity, accelerate fibrinolysis, boost phagocyte function, improve microcirculation, and promote excretion of toxic metabolic products after injury. This facilitates repair of ruptured vessels and absorption of hematomas, reduces secondary brain injury, and promotes recovery of neuronal function. Clinical observation found that intravenous administration of blood-activating and stasis-resolving preparations such as Chuan Xiong Qin, Xue Sai Tong, and Xing Nao Jing did not increase bleeding risk but promoted absorption of edema and small hematomas. Early enteral feeding or oral herbal decoctions helped restore gastrointestinal function, enhance nutrient absorption, regulate water-electrolyte balance, promote metabolism and excretion of vasoactive substances and neurotransmitters, improve microcirculation, reduce gut flora imbalance, and decrease endotoxin absorption, thus alleviating secondary brain injury.
The researchers pointed out that summarizing this cohort’s treatment experience and comparing it with recent domestic data indicates a high cure rate, low disability and mortality rates. This suggests that applying TCM’s holistic perspective for comprehensive disease and syndrome differentiation, combined with integrated Chinese-Western medicine rescue strategies, can improve the cure rate of cranial trauma, reduce complications, lower disability and mortality rates. However, further standardized and randomized controlled studies are still needed.