ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the etiology and pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome， clarify the related suspicious cases debated by doctors in the past dynasties， and provide references for the clinical application of Guizhitang. MethodUnder the guidance of the "transformation in accord with constitution" theory， the etiology and pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome were analyzed by comparing the relevant articles in the classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage （Shanghanlun） and Synopsis of the Golden Chamber （Jingui Yaolue）. ResultGuizhitang syndrome not only refers to the greater yang wind-invasion syndrome. Instead， it can be divided into two categories， i.e.， exogenous Guizhitang syndrome and miscellaneous Guizhitang syndrome. The basic etiology of exogenous Guizhitang syndrome is internal blood deficiency or yin deficiency after severe diarrhea， which is the physical basis， namely the internal cause， while the wind is the external cause that results in cold. The basic etiology of miscellaneous Guizhitang syndrome is the deficiency of blood and body fluid without the external cause. The pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome is neither weak nutrient Qi and defensive qi nor strong nutrient Qi but weak defensive Qi. It attributes to weak nutrient qi and strong defensive qi or disorder of defensive Qi. The essence of the pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome is not ″exterior deficiency″ but ″deficiency of nutrient Qi″. ″Floating Yang and weak Yin″ does not refer to the pathogenesis， but the pulse. Yang refers to the Cun pulse and Yin refers to the Chi pulse. ConclusionThe etiology and pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome are controversial among ancient and modern doctors and textbooks. Many physicians annotate this problem but few pay attention to the constitution basis. According to the ″transformation in accord with constitution″ theory， the constitution is the internal basis for the formation of diseases and syndromes. The formation of Guizhitang syndrome is underpinned by the inherent constitution. ″Transformation in accord with constitution″ theory is helpful to understand the formation mechanism of Guizhitang syndrome. A new understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of Guizhitang syndrome based on the ″transformation in accord with constitution″ theory is helpful to reveal the use principle of Guizhitang by ZHANG Zhong-jing. The exploration of the formation mechanism of various syndromes of six-meridian diseases and miscellaneous diseases， as well as the original idea of ZHANG Zhong-jing's prescriptions from the ″transformation in accord with constitution″ theory can provide a new idea for the understanding of ZHANG Zhong-jing's theory.