Paste prescription conditioning, protect the male health "axis"

Paste prescriptions are traditional Chinese medicine preparations with Chinese characteristics. Paste prescriptions are recorded in the earliest existing medical prescriptions in my country, "Fifty-two Prescriptions for Diseases", which are mostly external ointments. In the Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, the medical saint, described the brief preparation method of internal ointments in "Da Wutou Decoction". Later generations of doctors continued to improve and innovate, and paste prescriptions were gradually valued and used. What we are talking about today is the internal ointment prescription that is closely related to our winter tonic.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, paste prescriptions for internal use are medicines that have the effects of nourishing and preventing diseases. They are prescribed according to the individual's constitution or existing diseases after a systematic examination of traditional Chinese medicine. This prescription is a compound decoction composed of multiple medicinal flavors, which is made into a thick semi-fluid or frozen dosage form by adding some auxiliary materials after concentrated decoction. At the same time, the selected Chinese medicines are mostly authentic medicinal materials, or some precious medicinal materials are appropriately added. Because paste prescriptions have the characteristics of "one prescription for one person" and "focusing on tonic", they are also commonly used in winter tonic, especially for some chronic diseases or diseases that require long-term conditioning. At the same time, because traditional Chinese medicine says "long-term illness must be weak", that is, diseases with a long course of illness generally lead to the depletion of the body's positive energy. Over time, due to the initial real syndrome or the underlying deficiency and superficial real syndrome, it develops into a traditional Chinese medicine syndrome dominated by deficiency syndrome. For example, male infertility and male sexual dysfunction are common in our andrology clinic. Nowadays, people have irregular diets, often stay up late, work overtime, and other fatigue, which consumes energy and damages the mind excessively. Many patients show symptoms such as lack of energy, memory loss, and sweating. At the same time, many people also show poor quality of sex life, sexual dysfunction such as erectile dysfunction, as well as male infertility caused by low sperm concentration, poor sperm motility, and high deformity rate.

Among these common male problems, we have found that most patients often have mixed symptoms of deficiency and excess. Since we talk about the kidney in traditional Chinese medicine, which is responsible for growth, development and reproduction, many male problems are closely related to the kidney. It can be said that the kidney is the core of the onset of male diseases. In combination with the changes in the etiology and pathogenesis of male diseases in the past 40 years, we first proposed the "brain-heart-kidney-sperm chamber" axis theory, inheriting the ancient doctors' emphasis on the "kidney", and at the same time combining it with the current excessive use of the brain and mind by the majority of male friends. Under this diagnosis and treatment system, the overall symptoms of male patients are improved and sexual function, sperm quality, etc. are restored. Through the idea of ​​the "brain-heart-kidney-sperm chamber" axis, we have also summarized the experience paste prescriptions suitable for the majority of male friends.

Health Prescriptions

For male infertility, the internal paste prescription focuses more on nourishing kidney yin and kidney yang to replenish kidney essence and nourish kidney qi. For example, we often use turtle and deer glue as the basis. The turtle shell glue and deer antler glue in the prescription can nourish the yin and yang in the kidney. At the same time, combined with the medication idea of ​​the "brain-heart-kidney-essence chamber" axis, add Acanthopanax senticosus, Ganoderma lucidum, Ziziphus jujuba seeds, and Platycladus or other drugs to nourish the heart, benefit the brain and calm the mind. However, due to too many nourishing drugs, patients with poor spleen and stomach function may have adverse effects of poor absorption. Therefore, on this basis, it is also necessary to appropriately add the Sijunzi Decoction (ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, licorice) for replenishing qi and strengthening the spleen, or some of our common digestive drugs such as Jiaoshenqu, chicken gizzard, hawthorn, etc., to promote the digestion and absorption of drugs. Due to individual differences, some people may also experience fatigue, get tired easily after doing a little work, and feel dizzy. At this time, we need to consider whether the patient has qi deficiency and focus on adding some qi-tonifying drugs such as yam and astragalus. Some people are prone to getting angry and often have blisters on their mouths. We also need to consider whether giving the patient too many nourishing pastes will be too warm. We can appropriately add some cooling and antipyretic drugs to the prescription, etc. Of course, we will grasp and evaluate these as a whole and choose drugs that are more suitable for patients.

For male sexual dysfunction, Chinese medicine emphasizes that "men belong to Yang, and Yang Qi is used for things". Therefore, in the process of prescribing ointments, for patients with insufficient Yang Qi, we tend to use Yang-tonifying drugs based on syndrome differentiation. However, Yang-tonifying is not to strengthen Yang, but to make up for the deficiency. Therefore, we often use Yougui Pills as the basic prescription (Rehmannia glutinosa, Paofu Pian, Cinnamon, Chinese Yam, Cornus officinalis, Cuscuta chinensis, Deer Horn Glue, Lycium barbarum, Angelica sinensis, Eucommia ulmoides). And because Zhang Jingyue, a doctor in the Ming Dynasty, said "Seeking Yang in Yin", that is, adding some Yin-tonifying products in the process of Yang-tonifying is conducive to the supplement of Yang Qi. Therefore, we can also appropriately increase donkey-hide gelatin, tortoise shell glue, etc. In addition, for male sexual function, products such as Morinda officinalis, Cuscuta chinensis, Cistanche deserticola, Cynomorium songaricum, etc. that can promote kidney Yang and benefit Yang can also be selected as appropriate; at the same time, products with blood and flesh such as placenta, Gecko, and seahorse can also be selected according to the patient's constitution. Not only that, some patients may have mental and psychological disorders, including irritability, depression, etc. Combined with the medication principles of the "brain-heart-kidney-sperm chamber" axis, Ganmai Dazao Decoction, Suanzaoren Decoction, Kongsheng Zhenzhongdan, etc. can also be flexibly used.

In short, for male diseases with deficiency syndrome as the main symptom, such as male infertility and male sexual dysfunction, paste prescriptions are suitable for conditioning. On the one hand, it helps to slowly replenish the positive energy, harmonize yin and yang, improve sperm quality, improve male function, achieve the effect of treating the disease, and help improve the body's ability to resist pathogenic factors; on the other hand, it can also be combined with one's own constitution to achieve the effect of preventing and treating diseases before they occur. However, due to individual differences, the medication in the paste prescription will also be adjusted in combination with the patient's own constitution, and professional Chinese medicine practitioners will conduct syndrome differentiation, adjust the dosage and compatibility of the medication, and make it more targeted. This also reflects the characteristics of Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment.