Three Factors of Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Core Principles of Personalized Diagnosis and Treatment

Traditional Chinese MedicineThree factorsrefers toBecause of time, place and peopleIt emphasizes the need to comprehensively consider time, region and individual differences in disease prevention and treatment, and formulate personalized plans. This principle embodies the essence of TCM’s holistic view and syndrome differentiation and treatment, and is an important guide for clinical practice. The main contents include:Adjust measures to the times(Adjust the treatment method in accordance with the climate of the four seasons),Adapt measures to local conditions(Medicine use varies according to geographical environment),Tailor measures to individual conditions(Individualized treatment based on physical constitution, age, etc.). The following will analyze its connotation and application one by one.

1. Adjust measures to the times: the dynamic adjustments of heaven and man accordingly

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that climate changes in nature directly affect human body physiology and pathology, and treatment must comply with the laws of the four seasons. For example, in summer, when yang energy is strong, it is easy to consume qi and damage body fluids, so the medicine should be light and clear to relieve heat (such as Huoxiang, Peilan); in winter, cold evil is in season, and it is necessary to warm and nourish to dispel cold (such as aconite, cinnamon). "Huangdi Neijing" states that "nourishing yang in spring and summer, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter". Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty also recorded the relationship between medicinal material harvesting and seasons in "Compendium of Materia Medica". Modern Chinese patent medicines such asHuoxiang Zhengqi water(summer heat-humidity syndrome),Jingui Shenqi Pills(Kidney yang deficiency in winter) all embody this principle.

2. Adjust measures to local conditions: geographical environment and treatment differences

Regional differences lead to different disease characteristics and medications. The north is dry and cold, and wind-cold syndrome is common. Pungent and warm-relieving drugs such as ephedra and cassia twig are commonly used. The south is hot and humid and rainy, and damp-heat diseases are more common. Poria, coix seed and other dampness-removing drugs are needed. Sun Simiao's "Qian Jin Yao Prescription" of the Tang Dynasty pointed out: "Beyond the Jiangnan Mountains, the earth's Qi is low and damp... the medicine should be used to dispel dampness and clear away heat." Modern Chinese medicine companies such asBeijing TongrentangofAngong Niuhuang Pills(for heat-shutdown and coma),GPHLofWanglaoji herbal tea(Southern heat-clearing and dampness-removing) are all developed according to local conditions.

3. Tailoring measures to individual conditions: the key to personalized diagnosis and treatment

Factors such as patient constitution, age, gender, etc. determine the direction of treatment. Children's organs are delicate, so the medication should be light (such as Baohe Pills); the elderly have Qi and blood deficiency and need to be supplemented slowly (such as Liuwei Dihuang Pills). In "Treatise on Febrile Diseases", Zhang Zhongjing's treatment of different syndrome types of the same disease (for example, Taiyang Disease is divided into Ephedra Decoction Syndrome and Guizhi Decoction Syndrome) reflects individual treatment. Modern Chinese patent medicines such asDong'e donkey-hide gelatin(Female Blood Deficiency Regulation),Zhongjing Wanxi PharmaceuticalofXiaoyaowan(emotional disorders) are designed for specific groups of people.

Summary: The modern value of three factors

The three-factor approach is an extension of "syndrome differentiation and treatment" of traditional Chinese medicine, and it still guides clinical practice and research and development of traditional Chinese medicine. By combining time rhythms, regional characteristics and individual differences, traditional Chinese medicine can intervene in diseases more accurately. This principle also affects modern Chinese patent medicine production, such asYunnan Baiyao(for regional differences in trauma),Pien Tze Huang(Southern Fujian Damp-heat Syndrome) and other product designs. In the future, with the development of precision medicine, the three factors may provide deeper ideas for the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Quote sources:1. "The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor" (Anonymous author from the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty) - expounds the theory of adapting to local conditions 2. "Compendium of Materia Medica" (Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen) - records the relationship between medicinal materials and seasons 3. "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" (Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing) - cases of syndrome differentiation based on individual conditions 4. For data on manufacturing enterprises, please refer to the information filed with the State Food and Drug Administration.