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09-Sep-2020
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Arch Hellen Med, 37(Supplement 2), 2020, 166-170 CLINICAL CASE Research on the kidney and hair loss based on ancient Chinese medical literature H.Y. Li,1 X. Huang,1 E. Appetiti,2 C. Grivas3 |
Huang Di Nei Jing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) embodies the fundamental view of the human body in the Chinese medical system. Its important concepts are based on the interpretation of the natural rhythms and human physiology. In the book's first part of Su Wen (Plain Questions), it is underlined that the kidney governs growth in general and stores the essence (jing), with hair being its external manifestation. According to the text, kidney qi is associated with the production and growth of hair, as well as their diseases, like hair loss or greying. With the kidney association in mind, over 400 Chinese medical books were investigated to collect the materia medica and formulas recommended for the treatment of hair loss created by the Chinese physicians of the past. This huge volume of information was categorised in three groups, according to the historical periods and their simple and compound drugs were compared, to create a list with possible candidates for future research. Indeed, a scholastic review of these texts from the past dynasties revealed an enormous wealth of ideas on hair disease pathogenesis and the formulas for its treatment. Several of these methods for nourishing the hair seem to have scientific and practical value.
Key words: Chinese ancient medicine, Hair loss, Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, Kidneys' qi, Su Wen.
