Schizophrenia belongs to the category of convulsive or maniacal syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine. For thousands of years, numerous medical practitioners have applied the theory of traditional Chinese medicine to diagnose and treat, continuously exploring and summarizing in clinical practice to form a very complete treatment system. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in regulating schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression, effectively reducing the probability of relapse.
Dr. Bo Lihong of Yuntai Medical Center has been engaged in clinical work in the field of traditional Chinese medicine for over 40 years, accumulating rich experience. Dr. Bo believes that convulsions and mania are mainly caused by phlegm evils or imbalances of the five viscera and six bowels. By selecting appropriate treatment methods according to different symptoms to regulate the organs, promote meridian circulation, and improve sleep, patients can ultimately achieve a cure and return to normal life. Dr. Bo Lihong’s treatment methods are unique and have shown good effectiveness in clinical practice with many typical cases.
Dr. Bo Lihong excels in flexibly applying classic formulas while integrating modern medical research results to innovate new combinations of Chinese herbal formulas. He believes that classic formulas are the crystallization of traditional Chinese medicine wisdom, characterized by precise effectiveness and rigorous compatibility. However, in practical application, adjustments must be made based on the specific conditions of the patient to achieve the best therapeutic effect.
Here is a clinical case shared by Dr. Bo:
Patient Ding, female, 56 years old, first visit on May 4, 2022. Chief complaint: auditory and visual hallucinations in the past 3 months.
The patient has had schizophrenia for 8 years, with symptoms of restlessness, excessive strength, and destructive behavior. After more than a month of hospitalization, the symptoms have somewhat alleviated.
Upon discharge, the patient continued oral medication for sedative effects. While symptoms like destructive behavior were controlled, auditory and visual hallucinations did not improve. The patient felt as if someone was talking to her in her mind, urging her to commit suicide. These hallucinations persisted, causing the patient to be restless and easily terrified.
Dr. Bo Lihong was deeply impressed by this patient: at that time, both the patient and her family believed that the disease was incurable. Colleagues’ children with similar problems had been treated by Dr. Bo, so they recommended Ding to seek traditional Chinese medicine, offering them a glimmer of hope.
Present condition: Ding appears slightly dark in complexion, with unsettled emotions, anxiety, fear, uncontrollable emotions, occasional sadness and tendency to cry, forgetfulness, occasional night sweats, good appetite and sleep, constipation (once every 2 days), normal urine, dark tongue with white coating, and all pulses are string-like and forceful.
Based on her actual condition, Dr. Bo formulated a treatment strategy: resolving phlegm, opening the orifices, promoting blood circulation, and calming the spirit.
He then prescribed a formula: Guizhi, Shaoyao, Shengjiang, Dazao, Zhi Gancao, Shuqi, Sheng Longgu, Sheng Muli, Chao Taoren, Jiu Dahuang, and Fu Xiaomai.
After taking the medication for 3 doses, the patient had 6-7 bowel movements per day, which gradually decreased after 4 days and returned to normal later. Auditory and visual hallucinations improved significantly after 7 doses, symptoms improved notably after 14 doses, and after 28 doses, the patient was almost back to normal, thus stopping all Western medication.
To consolidate the therapeutic effect, the dosage was changed to once every 2 days for another month.
Follow-up visits at 2 months and 6 months showed no recurrence.
Why did this happen?
Guizhi and Shaoyao: Both are the core of the Guizhi Tang formula. Guizhi, with its warm and pungent properties, can warm and open the meridians and assist yang transformation and qi circulation; Shaoyao, with its sour, bitter, and slightly cold nature, can nourish blood, nourish the liver, relax urgency, and relieve pain. Together, they harmonize nutrients and defense, balance yin and yang, forming the foundation of the entire formula.
Shengjiang and Dazao: Shengjiang, with its warm and pungent properties, can disseminate wind-cold, warm the middle Jiao, and stop vomiting; Dazao, sweet and warm, can tonify the middle Jiao, nourish qi, and calm the spirit. When used together, they not only assist Guizhi in dispersing exterior evils but also enhance Shaoyao’s blood-nourishing ability, balancing the spleen and stomach to ensure the source of qi and blood generation.
Zhi Gancao: Serving as a harmonizer among the herbs, Zhi Gancao can not only tonify the middle, benefit qi, and moderate urgency, but also moisten the lungs and stop coughing. In this formula, it plays a role in harmonizing medicinal properties and enhancing therapeutic effects.
Shuqi: With its warm and toxic properties, Shuqi can dispel phlegm, treat malaria, dispel lumps, and reduce swelling. In the treatment of schizophrenia, Shuqi is mainly used to eliminate phlegm turbidity. When phlegm is removed, the spirit calms down, helping alleviate the patient’s hallucinations and delusions.
Sheng Longgu and Sheng Muli: Both herbs are strong sedatives for calming the liver, extinguishing yang, and tranquilizing the mind. They have remarkable therapeutic effects on patients with schizophrenia, alleviating symptoms of restlessness, irritability, and easy fright.
Chao Taoren: With a slightly bitter and sweet flavor, Taoren can activate blood, resolve stasis, moisten the intestines, and promote bowel movements. In this formula, Taoren mainly plays a role in activating blood circulation, improving symptoms such as unclear consciousness and slow thinking caused by blood stasis.
Jiu Dahuang: Dahuang is bitter and cold, capable of purging heat, promoting bowel movement, activating blood, and resolving stasis. Jiu preparation of Dahuang, though milder in purging power, excels in activating blood circulation and resolving stasis. It is highly effective in treating the symptoms of blood stasis obstruction and constipation in patients with schizophrenia.
Fu Xiaomai: With a sweet and cool nature, Fu Xiaomai can stop sweating, eliminate restlessness, nourish the heart, and calm the mind. It has a significant soothing effect on common symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, such as spontaneous sweating, night sweats, restlessness, and anxiety.
This formula focuses on harmonizing organs, balancing qi, blood, and calming the spirit and mind. Through the synergistic action of multiple herbs, it comprehensively regulates the complex pathogenesis of schizophrenia. It not only treats the disease itself but also adjusts the patient’s physical and mental state.
Dr. Bo Lihong from Yuntai Medical Center believes that although schizophrenia is a severe condition, it is not incurable. As long as the syndrome is accurately differentiated and medications are used properly, most patients can achieve varying degrees of improvement and recovery. This herbal formula is a concrete manifestation of this concept, paving a unique path for the treatment of schizophrenia.
