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Table 1 Syndrome differentiation-based CHM treatments for patients with breast cancer during adjuvant chemotherapy period

From: Chemotherapy in conjunction with traditional Chinese medicine for survival of patients with early female breast cancer: protocol for a non-randomized, single center prospective cohort study

Pattern type

Symptoms

Treatment principle

Prescriptions (components)

肝鬱氣滯

Stagnation of liver-qi

Depressive mood and other irritability, feeling wired or having mood swings, distension in the upper abdomen, or a sense of constriction in the chest, poor vision, bitter taste, dry throat, vexation and irritability, and strong pulse

Relieving qi stagnancy in liver

Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang 柴胡疏肝湯 (Pericarpium (Per.) Citri Reticulatae, Radix (Rx.) Bupleuri, Rhizoma (Rz.) Chuanxiong, Fructus (Fr.) Aurantii, Rx. Paeoniae Alba, fried Rx. Glycyrrhizae, Rz. Cyperi) or Xiao Yao San 逍遙散 (Rx. Bupleuri, Rx. Angelicae Sinensis, Rx. Paeoniae Alba, Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Poria, Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata, Herba (Hb.) Menthae Haplocalycis, Rz. Zingiberis Recens)

脾虛痰濕

Spleen deficiency with phlegm dampness

Feeling heavy and tired, poor appetite, abdominal distension, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, a plump greasy tongue, and soft pulse

Tonifying the spleen and removing dampness

Liu Jun Zi Tang 六君子湯 (Rx. Ginseng, Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Poria, Fried Rx. Glycyrrhizae, Per. Citri Reticulatae, Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum) or Wei Ling Tang 胃苓湯 (Rz. Alismatis, Poria, Polyporus, Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Ramulus (Ram.) Cinnamomi, Rz. Atractylodis, Cortex (Cx.) Magnoliae Officinalis, Per. Citri Reticulatae, Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata, Rz. Zingiberis Recens, Fr. Zizyphi Jujubae)

肝腎陰虛

Deficiencies of liver- and kidney-yin

Feeling annoyingly hot in chest area and in palms of hands and feet, hypochondriacal pain, back pain, blurred vision, dizziness, tinnitus, night sweats, red tongue with scanty fur, thin and rapid pulse

Nourishing yin of liver and kidney

Liu Wei Di Huang Wan 六味地黃丸 (Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata, Fr. Corni Shan, Rx. Dioscoreae, Poria, Cx. Moutan, Rz. Alismatis) and Er Zhi Wan 二至丸 (Fr. Ligustri Lucidi, Hb. Ecliptae)

痰(瘀)熱夾雜

Stagnation of heat and phlegm (or stasis)

Hard, swelling, or painful lump in the breast, extreme heat, thirst, bitter taste, headache, dark red tongue with a yellow coat, slippery and rapid pulse

Cleaning heat and reducing toxicity, removing the sludge, and eliminating the swelling

Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang 黃連溫膽湯 (Caulis Bambusae in Taeniam, Fr. Aurantii Immaturus, Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum, Per. Citri Reticulatae, Poria, Rx. Glycyrrhizae, Fr. Jujubae, Rz. Zingiberis Recens, Rz. Coptidis) or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang 血府逐瘀湯 (Semen (Sm.) Persicae, Flos Carthami, Rx. Angelicae Sinensis, Rz. Chuanxiong, Rx. Paeoniae Rubra, Rx. Cyathulae, Rx. Bupleuri, Rx. Platycodi, Fr. Aurantii, Rx. Rehmanniae, Rx. Glycyrrhizae)

氣血兩虛

Deficiencies of qi and blood

Paleness, weakness, weak or breathy voice, emotional exhaustion, palpitation, insomnia, cramps, numbness, pale tongue, weak pulse

Invigorating qi and enriching the blood

Gui Pi Tang 歸脾湯 (Rx. Ginseng, Rx. Astragali, Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Poria, Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae, Arillus Longan, Rx. Aucklandiae, fried Rx. Glycyrrhizae, Rx. Angelicae Sinensis, fried Rx. Polygalae, Rx. Zingiberis Recens, Fr. Jujubae)