Abstract

Knowledge of signal transduction pathways and their corresponding signaling molecules is critical in evaluating potential therapeutic targets. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used Yang and Yin to describe the physiological processes in human body, but its scientific basis is unknown. According to “Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon” (YEIC)―the fundamental doctrinal source for TCM―there are five elements of Yang-Yin, each pertaining to particular physiological functions. Their interaction and relationship determine the physiological conditions of human being. In this work, iterative selection method was used to correlate YangYin-Qi with signal molecules. It is revealed that the signal transduction pathways are identical to the dialectical relationships of Yang-Yin-Qi(s). With the direct mapping between Yang-YinQi(s) and signaling molecules, the signal transduction pathways are consistent with TCM therapeutic strategies too. In addition, it is demonstrated that the Chinese herbal medicine regulates signal transductions. With the correlation between Yang―Yin(s) and signal transduction pathways, it is evident that the modern medicine and TCM identified the same pathogenesis of diseases, such as hematuria, constipation, hemorrhoidal disease, nocturnal enuresis, frequent urination, gall stone, acute cholecystitis and hypertension, etc; with highly similar treatment strategy, albeit using different terminologies.

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) continues to provide pharmacotherapy for millions of people worldwide, but one of the challenges before accepted by the “Western” medicine is the elucidation of its molecular mechanism. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used Yang–Yin-Qi in heart-spleen-lung-kidney-liver to describe the physiological processes and developed therapeutic strategies based on the interrelationships among the Yang-Yin-Qi in these five organs. Here we established the direct mapping between Yang-Yin-Qi and signaling molecules based on their physiological functions. We compared the eight popular TCM treatment principles with pathways of signaling molecules, and found an excellent agreement. The results show that Western medicine and TCM describe the same physiological process using different terminology. '''Key words''': Signaling molecules, traditional Chinese medicine, pathways, Yang and Yin, therapeutic strategy.

Abstract

The pathways of signaling molecules are important to understanding how signaling molecules regulate physiological function and also in predicting the pathological development which is important to therapeutic strategy, however the thorough knowledge of these pathways is still lack. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used Yang and Yin to describe the physiological processes in human body, but its scientific basis is unknown. Here we establish the direct mapping between Yang-Yin and signaling molecules. According to “Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon” (YEIC), the fundamental doctrinal source for TCM, there are five groups of Yang and Yin, each has particular physiological functions and the different groups have particular relationships. We used the iterative selection method to compare these physiological functions with the functions of signaling molecules, and establish the direct mapping between Yang-Yin and signaling molecules. With the mapping, it is shown that the pathways of these signaling molecules are the same as the dialectical relationships of these Yang-Yins and agree well with TCM therapeutic strategies. The Chinese herbal medicine actually regulates the level of corresponding signaling molecule. With the mapping, it is clearly shown that the modern medicine and TCM identify the same pathogenesis of diseases, such as hematuria, constipation, hemorrhoidal disease, nocturnal enuresis, frequent urination, gall stone, acute cholecystitis and hypertension; and adopt the same treatment strategy. Modern medicine and TCM describes the same physiological process using different terminology. '''Key words''': Signaling molecules, traditional Chinese medicine, pathways, Yang and Yin, therapeutic strategy.

Abstract

信号分子在生命过程中起着重要作用，它的传输通路对调节生理功能和病理的发展具有决定性作用。但是我们对这些通路的认识仍不全面。中医用阴阳五行来描述人体内的生理过程，但至今还没找到科学依据支持中医理论。黄帝内经认为心肝脾肺肾（五行）各有其阳阴气，并指出了每个“行”的生理功能和五行之间的相互关系。我们用迭代筛选法，将信号分子与黄帝内经所列各“行”的生理功能和相互关系一一比较，找出了五行中阳阴气与信号分子之间的直接映射，而满足这些关系的概率大概为十万分之二到百万分之一。这使我们发现阴阳五行实际上描述了人体中信号分子的传输通路，中草药的功用是调节各个信号分子。通过这一映射关系，可以清楚地看到现代医学和中医对一些疾病，如血尿、 便秘、 痔病、 遗尿症、 尿频、 胆结石、 急性胆囊炎和高血压，所认定的发病机理和治疗策略是一致的，只是使用了不同的术语。