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Endotoxinic Diseases and their Treatment by Traditional Chinese Medicine

Deng Wenlong
This long article opens with a discussion of endotoxins and endotoxinic diseases. Endotoxin
is the most important pathogenic factor of gram-negative bacterial infections and is probably
also an aggravating factor in many gram-positive bacterial and viral infections. Endotoxins
are implicated in such diseases as epidemic haemorrhagic fever, encephalitis B, acute
disseminated intravascular coagulation, haemorrhagic shock, traumatic shock, acute adult
respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, multiple system organ failure, acute
suppurative obstructive cholangitis, acute haemorrhagic necrotic pancreatitis, strangulated
intestinal obstruction, mortality following intestinal surgery, many acute and chronic infections, toxic liver diseases, burns etc. There are no ideal anti-endotoxin drugs, and diseases
caused mainly by endotoxins are life-threatening. Endotoxinic diseases belong to the broad
category of duxie which first appeared in the Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber
(3rd century AD). Most duxie diseases belong to the category of febrile diseases caused by
toxic heat and various stages of febrile disease classification, e.g. toxic heat entering the ying
and blood levels. Clinical observation demonstrates the presence of endotoxemia in these
patterns. The author then discusses three treatment approaches to these diseases: i. the
method of clearing away heat and toxic materials: more than 100 herbs and prescriptions were
tested clinically (mostly on animals) for their anti-endotoxinic effects, among the most
effective being Zi Cao (Radix Lithospermi seu Arnebiae), Mu Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis),
Jin Yin Hua (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae), Ku Shen (Radix Sophorae Flavescentis), Lian Qiao
(Fructus Forsythiae Suspensae), Chan Su (Secretio Bufonis), Xiong Dan (Fel Ursi), Huang Qin
(Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis) etc., as well as prescriptions such as Re Du Qing, Jie Du Hua
Yu Tang etc. ii. the method of supplementing qi and expelling toxic materials: more than 200
herbs and prescriptions were tested (mostly on animals) for their ability to promote phagocytic activity and to protect from shock and death. Among the most effective were Ren Shen
(Radix Ginseng), Dang Shen (Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae), Huang Qi (Radix Astragali),
Coriolus Versicolor Quel, Bai Mu Er (Fructificatio Tremellae Fuciformis) and Xylaria Nigripe*
as well as injected prescriptions such as Sheng Mai Tang, Shen Mai Tang and Bao Yuan Tang.
iii. the method of clearing the fu and purging toxic materials: herbs and prescriptions in this
category that have the effects of eliminating the intestinal endotoxin pool, improving blood
circulation in the intestines and restoring the intestinal barrier function include Da Huang
(Rhizoma Rhei), Zhi Shi (Fructus Citri seu Ponciri Immaturus), Da Cheng Qi Tang etc.

JTCM June 1994