Clinical Experience And Academic Thoughts Of Professor Zhang Fa-rong

Purpose:The study attempts to make an overall investigation on Prof. Zhang’s academic thoughts and clinical experience based on Prof. Zhang’s diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and herbal usage in six diseases commonly seen by Dr.Zhang. Hopefully, we can inherit and carry forward his invaluable clinical experience and academic thoughts in the future.Methods:The study includes literature analysis, practice follow-up, study of clinical case reports, lecture and personal interview with Prof. Zhang. We have summarized his strategies in diagnosis and treatment, syndrome differentiation, pattern of using formulae, and herbal modification in the selected six diseases commonly seen by Prof. Zhang, including diabetes and its complications, stroke, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, edema and senile dementia. Some case reports are attached at the end of the study as well.Conclusions:In terms of treatment of diabetes and its complications, based upon the pathogenesis of Yin deficiency with dryness heat, dryness heat with injury of fluid, Yang deficiency resulting from Yin damage, deficiency of both Yin and Yang and constant stagnation of heat and blood stasis, Prof. Zhang uses tonifying both Spleen and Kidney, Nourishing Qi and Yin, Clearing deficiency heat, and removing blood stasis as major therapeutic methods; he emphasizes on the integration of Western and Chinese Medicine, and freely uses herbs with warm and sweet property; Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang is Prof. Zhang’s favorite basic formula in treating diabetes and its complications. For stroke at acute stage, Prof. Zhang firstly differentiates Bi(excess) and Tuo (collapse), emphasizes its key pathogenesis from phlegm and blood stasis blockage in Brain orifices, and frequently uses the methods of resolving phlegm, eliminating Fluid, purging bowels, moving blood and arresting bleeding to reduce encephaledema, intracranial pressure and promote resuscitation. For hyperthyroidism, Prof. Zhang emphasizes methods of tonifying Qi and Yin with combination of mental and emotional regulation and determines its progression of the disease by pulse. For hypothyroidism, Prof. Zhang emphasizes the root cause as Yang deficiency and frequently uses modified Quan Zhen Yi Qi Tang formula. For edema, Prof. Zhang emphasizes on differentiation of five Zang-organs, uses multiple therapeutic methods in tonifying and reducing simultaneously no matter how weak or strong as constitution in cases of severe edema. For senile dementia, Prof. Zhang emphasizes the Yu-stagnation as main etiologic cause, simplifies the diagnosis criteria, differentiates its different stages and frequently uses methods of expelling phlegm, breaking blood stasis, tonifying Kidney and enhancing intelligence.Prof. Zhang has achieved many academic thoughts. The major three thoughts are summarized as follows:① Prof. Zhang believes that the theory on Wenbing (Epidemic Warm-Febrile Diseases) subject is the inheritance and development of the theory on Shanghan (Cold Pathogenic Diseases) subject; it has advantages of using Shanghan theory to treat exogenous febrile diseases as well; however, we cannot achieve perfect outcomes if using either one of the two theories alone and these two theories have foundation to integrate together. Therefore, Prof. Zhang has promoted a proposal on a novel theory of syndrome differentiation and treatment for exogenous febrile diseases by combining the theory on Wenbing with Shanghan.②Prof. Zhang also emphasizes that Kidney deficiency and blood stasis are the fundamental pathogenesis of the senile diseases; Kidney deficiency is the root and mainly manifests as both Yin and Yang deficiency of Kidney, while blood stasis is the branch; the senile diseases mainly manifest as deficiency in origin and excess in result and the two pathogenesis mentioned above has the cause and effect relationship for each other. Thus, Prof. Zhang suggests that the method of reinforcing the Kidney and promoting blood circulation is the main treatment for senile diseases.③ Prof. Zhang promotes integration of Western and Chinese medicine, makes full use of their advantages respectively, continuously develops TCM theories and enhances the clinical treatment outcomes.