🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Late-stage rheumatoid arthritis, corresponding to the late stage of Bi Syndrome in TCM, presents predominantly with signs of deficiency. Patients often poorly tolerate Western medications, but combining TCM herbal medicine often produces synergistic effects. After analyzing and summarizing data from 500 clinical cases, Professor Zhao Yushong, Head of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Harbin Medical University Second Hospital, proposed that spleen deficiency and impaired qi-blood generation are the main pathogenesis of late-stage Bi Syndrome. Therefore, treatment should emphasize strengthening the spleen and tonifying qi.
Through years of clinical practice, Professor Zhao identified six syndromes in late-stage rheumatoid arthritis: spleen deficiency with blood deficiency and liver-kidney insufficiency; phlegm-dampness trapping the spleen with impaired function; spleen dysfunction with qi deficiency and blood stasis; qi deficiency with blood deficiency and organ malnutrition; defensive qi deficiency with excess heat-toxin; liver qi invading the spleen with heart-spirit deficiency. All these stem from long-standing illness damaging the spleen, leading to insufficient spleen qi and subsequent complications. Treatment should primarily strengthen the spleen and tonify qi, using Shenling Baizhu San as the base formula, supplemented with herbs to nourish liver-kidney, dry dampness and resolve phlegm, activate blood and resolve stasis, nourish yin and moisten dryness, clear heat and detoxify, or soothe the liver and relieve depression.
After 1–3 months of adjustment, all treated patients achieved satisfactory results. Among them, the groups treated with strengthening spleen and tonifying qi combined with soothing depression and calming the spirit, or strengthening spleen and tonifying qi combined with nourishing yin and moistening dryness, showed the fastest response—about 3–5 doses. Groups treated with strengthening spleen and tonifying qi combined with drying dampness and resolving phlegm, or strengthening spleen and tonifying qi combined with clearing heat and detoxifying, performed better than Western medicine in patients with recurring edema and infections. Groups treated with strengthening spleen and tonifying qi combined with nourishing liver-kidney or activating blood and resolving stasis showed slower onset but most stable clinical outcomes.
Experts note that rheumatoid arthritis results from invasion by wind, cold, and dampness. Since dampness is stubborn and hard to eliminate, the disease becomes chronic and difficult to cure. The spleen is the foundation of postnatal life and prefers dryness while detesting dampness. Hence, Bi Syndrome often affects the spleen. Impaired spleen function leads to inadequate generation of qi and blood, depriving the five zang organs and six fu organs of nourishment and leaving the limbs and body lacking moisture. By targeting the spleen in treatment, using Shenling Baizhu San as the base formula and adjusting according to individual needs, excellent clinical results have been achieved—worthy of wider promotion.