Whether Chinese medicine is credible or not is a complex issue involving history, culture, science and practice, and needs to be analyzed objectively from multiple dimensions. The following is a discussion of the theoretical basis, practical value, scientific verification, limitations and controversies to help understand the credibility of Chinese medicine more comprehensively.
History and Theoretical Foundations of TCM: Accumulation of Experience and Integration of Philosophy
TCM originated in Chinese practice thousands of years ago, and its theoretical system (e.g., yin and yang, five elements, internal organs and meridians, qi, blood and fluids, etc.) is not based on experimental validation of modern science, but rather on a cognitive framework summarized by ancient ancestors through the observation of nature, human body phenomena, and the law of disease, combined with philosophical thinking (e.g., Taoism, Confucianism).
This theory is characterized by a holistic view (viewing the human body as a whole associated with the environment and society) and evidence-based treatment (judging the condition based on a combination of individual symptoms, constitution, environment, etc.), rather than simply targeting localized foci or a single cause of disease. For example, “spleen deficiency and dampness” may correspond to digestive disorders and metabolic abnormalities in modern medicine, but TCM improves the overall condition by regulating the spleen and stomach and eliminating dampness.
Key point: The theory of TCM is empirical and holistic, which is different from the “reductionist” (decomposition research) paradigm of modern science, but this is a limitation of the cultural background and cognitive era.
Practical Value: Effectiveness in Specific Fields
After more than 2,000 years of clinical practice, TCM has accumulated a great deal of effective experience, which is widely recognized especially in the following areas:
Chronic diseases and functional regulation: For example, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, irregular menstruation, allergic rhinitis, etc. Chinese medicine can often improve symptoms and quality of life by regulating the body's functions through Chinese herbs, acupuncture, tuina and other means.
Some acute and infectious diseases: such as influenza (Chinese medicine “warm disease”), dysentery, etc., traditional Chinese medicine (such as Lianhua Qingdian, Huanglian detoxification soup) in relieving the symptoms, shorten the course of the disease has a supporting role; Tu Youyou team from the artemisinin extracted from artemisinin treatment of malaria, but also the combination of traditional Chinese medicine experience and modern science, the success of the case.
Rehabilitation and treatment of the future disease: Post-operative recovery, physical conditioning after radiotherapy and chemotherapy for tumors, as well as the concept of “preventing disease before it occurs” (e.g., seasonal regimen and medicinal dietary therapy), which is in line with the trend of modern “preventive medicine”.
Empirical support: the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed more than 40 diseases as recommended indications for acupuncture; a number of clinical studies have confirmed that some traditional Chinese medicines (e.g., Salvia miltiorrhiza to improve myocardial ischemia, Astragali to enhance immunity) have a clear pharmacological effect.
Challenges and progress of scientific validation
The scientific nature of TCM is often questioned, mainly because of the abstract theories (e.g., “meridians” and “qi”) are difficult to be verified directly by modern science, and some of the therapeutic effects lack the support of large-sample, double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, with the development of science, TCM is gradually being “modernized”:
Compositional study of TCM: analyzing the active ingredients of TCM (e.g. ephedrine in ephedra, ginsenosides in ginseng) through chromatography, mass spectrometry and other techniques to clarify their pharmacological mechanisms.
Exploration of mechanism of action: Acupuncture has been proved to regulate neurotransmitters (e.g., endorphins) and improve local blood circulation; TCM compound (e.g., Sijunzi Tang) may regulate the immune system through multi-targeted synergistic effects.
Evidence-based medicine attempts: Some Chinese medicine hospitals or research organizations have conducted RCTs in line with international standards to verify the efficacy of Chinese medicine and acupuncture (e.g., compound danshen drip pills for coronary heart disease).
Points of contention: The “unfalsifiability” of TCM theories (e.g., the difficulty of defining specific indicators of “yin and yang imbalance”) remains a challenge at the philosophical level of science, but this does not negate the value of its clinical experience - Many traditional Chinese medicines (e.g., TCM) have been tested for their efficacy. -Many traditional medicines (e.g., Ayurvedic medicine) face similar problems.
Limitations and Risks: Issues to be Rationalized
Chinese medicine is not “omnipotent”, and its limitations and potential risks need to be fully recognized:
Theoretical ambiguity and subjectivity: the identification of evidence relies on the doctor's experience and subjective judgment (e.g., the identification of “cold, heat, emptiness and solidity”), and different doctors may come to different conclusions, which affects the stability of the therapeutic effect.
Safety hazards: some Chinese medicines are toxic (e.g., kidney damage caused by aristolochic acid, hepatotoxicity of Guanmutong) and require strict adherence to the standardization of preparation and professional guidance.
Risks of replacing modern medicine: For acute and critical diseases (e.g., heart attack, cerebral hemorrhage) or clear organic lesions (e.g., tumors, bone fracture), relying only on Chinese medicine may delay the treatment, and need to be combined with modern medical means.
Summary: TCM is a “credible traditional medical system”.
The credibility of TCM should be judged from its historical value, practical experience and modern scientific verification at three levels:
As a traditional medicine: Chinese medicine is an important heritage of Chinese culture, with unique advantages in the fields of chronic disease management, functional diseases, and treatment of untreated diseases, etc. Its accumulated experience has been verified for thousands of years, and it deserves to be respected.
As a medical tool: Chinese medicine should be used under the guidance of professional physicians, combined with modern medical examinations (e.g., blood tests, imaging), to avoid blind rejection or superstition; some of the efficacy needs to be verified by more scientific research, but should not be “unscientific” to simply negate its clinical value.
Future development: Modernization of TCM (e.g., standardized diagnosis and treatment, quality control of traditional Chinese medicine, evidence-based research) is the key to its continued credibility, and it is necessary to preserve the essence of tradition while incorporating modern scientific methods.
Conclusion: TCM is a credible traditional medical system, but its scope of application and limitations need to be viewed rationally to avoid black-and-white evaluations. For specific diseases, it is recommended to combine the advantages of Chinese and Western medicine and choose treatment options under the guidance of professional doctors.