Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Heart and Spleen / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Autism spectrum disorder （ASD） is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood， whereas there is no specific medicine at present. There are more and more researches on the treatment of ASD with traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） which the curative effect is reliable. The heart and spleen are the main viscera for the treatment of ASD， but there is still a lack of in-depth analysis of the mechanism of TCM. In order to explore the relationship between the core symptoms of ASD and the heart and spleen， this article specifically explores the theoretical origins of the heart and the spleen in the formation of the core symptoms of ASD， and to clarify the role of the heart and spleen in the occurrence and development of the two core symptoms of ASD from the perspective of TCM. In view of social communication and communication obstacles， the author puts forward and explains the language problems of children with ASD based on the functions of the heart and spleen， the theory of the viscera， the ascription of the meridians， and the classics. The mechanism of the heart and spleen in TCM about the failure of the spleen， the loss of the heart， and the endogenous phlegm. Aiming at the mechanism of the stereotyped symptoms of abnormal behaviors in children with ASD， this paper proposes and explains the TCM mechanism of constant deficiency of the spleen and dereliction of duty， leading to loss of mind， heart and spleen injury， and finally a series of stereotypes and strange syndromes due to lack of spirit. Through the analysis and excavation of TCM theory， it explores theoretical basis for ASD from the theory of heart and spleen， with a view to preliminarily constructing the theoretical framework of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment of the deficiency of both the heart and spleen， and provide theoretical reference for TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment of ASD. The treatment of ASD from the differentiation of symptoms and signs of the heart and spleen is supported by a strong theoretical basis of TCM， and the rationale， law and prescriptions are complete， which may be the direction of screening effective TCM prescriptions for the treatment of ASD in the future.