Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Asthma
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that asthma is caused by deficiency of the lungs and kidneys. Therefore, the treatment principle is "treat the symptoms during acute episodes, treat the root cause during remission." Here, the symptoms refer to the lungs, while the root refers to the kidneys. This means that during an asthma attack, treatment should focus on relieving symptoms such as stopping wheezing and shortness of breath; during remission, emphasis should be placed on treating the root cause by tonifying the kidneys and strengthening qi. If both excess and deficiency patterns are present simultaneously, treatment must address both aspects—treating both excess and deficiency at the same time.
TCM classifies asthma into three types based on etiology: first, wind-cold asthma, treated with herbs such as Ephedra (Ma Huang), Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), White Peony root (Bai Shao), Fine-leaf Ginger (Xi Xin), Pinellia (Ban Xia), Schisandra berry (Wu Wei Zi), Licorice (Gan Cao), and Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang). This formula is known in TCM as Xiao Qing Long Tang, which has effects of relieving wheezing and dispelling cold. Second, heat-induced asthma, treated with Ephedra (Ma Huang), Apricot seed (Xing Ren), Raw Gypsum (Sheng Shi Gao), and Licorice (Gan Cao). This formula is called Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang, possessing functions of clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and stabilizing breathing. Third, phlegm-induced asthma, treated with Tangerine peel (Chen Pi), Pinellia (Ban Xia), Poria (Fu Ling), and Licorice (Gan Cao). This formula is known as Er Chen Tang, effective in drying dampness, transforming phlegm, lowering qi, and stabilizing breathing.
In addition, if asthma is accompanied by symptoms of lung qi deficiency such as shortness of breath, weak speech, low coughing voice, and spontaneous sweating with aversion to wind, the Six Gentlemen Decoction (Liu Jun Zi Tang) may be added. It consists of Codonopsis (Dang Shen), Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), Poria (Fu Ling), Licorice (Gan Cao), Tangerine peel (Chen Pi), and Pinellia (Ban Xia), and has benefits of strengthening qi, invigorating the spleen, and relieving asthma. If long-term asthma leads to more exhalation than inhalation, worsening with exertion, breathlessness, sweating, cold extremities, and aversion to cold—indicative of kidney deficiency—Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan can be used. This formula contains Rehmannia (Shu Di), Yam (Shan Yao), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), Moutan bark (Dan Pi), Alisma (Ze Xie), Poria (Fu Ling), Aconite (Fu Zi), and Cinnamon (Rou Gui), effectively tonifying the kidneys and consolidating qi.