Research progress on prevention and treatment of glucolipid metabolic disease with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine

Abstract

Hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver and many other metabolic disorder are frequently co-existing in patients. In addition, these diseases are closely related in pathophysiological settings. However, increasing of the disease incidence, lacking of comprehensive prevention and control measurements against the key pathology point concomitant occurrence with the pattern of the single disease, single target therapy, that is leading therapeutic strategy for these metabolic disorders in the setting of Western medicine (WM). On the basis of the combination of the advantages of integrated Chinese medicine (CM) and WM, with unified understanding of such diseases, the new concept of glucolipid metabolic disease (GLMD) is introduced. In this new concept, disorders in glucose and lipid metabolism are recognized as the key trigger and major driving force for the progress of GLMD. The key points of pathology included dysfunction of neuronal-endocrine-immune system, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation and intestinal flora imbalance. In the core pathogenic perspective of CM, it can be explained as "Gan (Liver) Shi Shu Xie" (dysfunction of Gan in metabolism and emotion regulation) that will lead to the occurence/production of endogenous dampness and phlegm, blood stasis and turbid. This leads to the new concept of "Liver-based regulatory system for metabolic homeostasis" to be introduced further. The comprehensive prevention and control strategy "Tiao Gan Qi Shu Hua Zhuo" (modulating Gan, trigging key metabolic system to resolve pathogenic factors such as phlegm retention and dampness). Its representative formula Fufang Zhenzhu Tiaozhi Capsule () is innovated under such rationales. Comment for some commonly-used CM GLMD therapeutic drugs was presented. High-level evidence-based and epidemiological and mechanism studies should be carried out to further interpret and explain of the scientific connotation of GLMD.

Keywords: Chinese medicine; Tiao Gan (Liver) Qi Shu Hua Zhuo (modulating Gan; glucolipid metabolic disease; liver-based regulatory system for metabolic homeostasis; trigging key metabolic system to resolve pathogenic factors such as phlegm retention and dampness).