ABSTRACT
AIM: To compare difference and similarity of transdermal therapeutics between traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and Western Medicine, to investigate the merit and shortage of the trans-meridional-point therapeutics in TCM, and to find out the problems urgent to be resolved so as to expand external remedy of TCM.METHODS: A part of literatures of TCM about transdermal therapeutics were reviewed, and PubMed database and relevant articles in Chinese medical journals were retrieved to analyze the relevant information RESULTS: The trans-meridional-point therapeutics of TCM had a long his tory, with rich experience and definite effect. The key of it was the amplification and integrative effect produced during the process of absorption of drugs through meridional point. The research of transdermal therapeutics combined with transdermal therapeutic system(TTS) had been in a starting stage, but it was limited in the research of a disease and a prescription, being of shortage in evidence of effective mechanism and morphology. Now one of the hot points in effective mechanism of TTS was to resolve rate-limiting process for medicine transportation through the corneal layer so as to promote entering of enough medicine into the body.CONCLUSION: It is urgent to solve the essence of the morphological basis of acupoint structure, establish experimental animal mode of transdermal therapeutics, and popularize clinical application on the basis of a great deal of medicinal experiments on animals so as to bring new ideas for transdermal remedy of Chinese drug.
