Connotation， Key Scientific Issues， and System Building of Classical Herbal Formulae for Critical Care Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

In contemporary clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， there is a strong emphasis on treating chronic difficult diseases and preventing diseases before they occur （"pre-disease" treatment）. However， the treatment of critical care medicine has not received as much attention and is even facing a trend of diminishing influence in the field of emergency medicine and critical care. Critical care medicine refers to a class of diseases that are characterized by rapid onset， severity， quick progression， and high mortality rates in clinical practice. The growth and development of renowned TCM experts throughout history have invariably been honed through practical experiences in managing critical care medicine. Treatise on Cold Damage （《伤寒论》） is a dedicated work for treating critical care medicine， and the classic prescriptions in Treatise on Cold Damage are particularly central to the treatment of these diseases. In the current clinical context， it is important to break through the prevailing mindset that the strengths of TCM lie solely in treating chronic diseases and maintenance-type illnesses， identify the entry point of TCM in the clinical advantages in the field of critical care medicine， explore the interdisciplinary relationship between Treatise on Cold Damage and critical care medicine， enhance the ability to treat critical care medicine using classic prescriptions， establish a disciplinary system for prescription-based treatment of critical care medicine， reveal clinical evidence for prescription-based treatment of these diseases， and elevate the contribution of TCM in the domain of critical care medicine. These have become a strong call and demand in contemporary TCM clinical practice. Regarding key scientific issues， the system of using classic prescriptions to treat critical care medicine encompasses traditional core theories such as the nature of cold damage， the essence of the six meridians， the implications of specific clauses， and the dosages of classic prescriptions. In the context of future academic inheritance and system construction， it is recommended to focus on clinical challenges， break away from the current limitations of traditional classical disciplinary systems， such as their singular patterns and weak innovative and translational capabilities， suggest defining diseases in critical care medicine responding specifically to TCM， advocate a research model based on combining disease mechanisms with pathology and combining medicinal properties with pharmacology， establish a comprehensive multidisciplinary thinking mode， and encourage collaborative innovative research among medical， educational， research， and manufacturing institutions. This will help chart the path and address key aspects of constructing a comprehensive system for prescription-based treatment of critical care medicine.