Herbal Medicine for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

The General

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disease of the nervous system, affecting the brain cells (motor neurons) that carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles. This disorder generally affects both upper and lower motor neurons resulting in muscular weakness and the progressive wasting of muscles that have lost their nerve supply. Degeneration of these neurons causes muscle weakness, and muscle loss, usually starting in the hands and arms and then spreading to other parts of the body. Difficulty with speaking, swallowing, and breathing ensues, and death usually follows within 3 to 5 years. Onset commonly occurs between the ages of 35 and 65, slightly more frequently in men than in women. ALS is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease after the baseball star who died of it. There are a number of different forms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other motor neuron diseases with similar symptoms.

The first signs of ALS are often arm and leg weakness, muscle wasting and faint muscle rippling. These symptoms occur because muscles are no longer receiving the nutrient signals they need for growth and maintenance — a result of motor neurons dying. ALS nerve degeneration may also cause muscle cramps and vague pains, or problems with speech and swallowing. Some people with the disease may lose some control over their emotional responses. They may laugh or cry much more easily than in the past. Eventually, all voluntary muscle action is affected.

What Are the Symptoms?

The first signs of ALS are often arm and leg weakness, muscle wasting and faint muscle rippling. These symptoms occur because muscles are no longer receiving the nutrient signals they need for growth and maintenance — a result of motor neurons dying. ALS nerve degeneration may also cause muscle cramps and vague pains, or problems with speech and swallowing. Some people with the disease may lose some control over their emotional responses. They may laugh or cry much more easily than in the past. Eventually, all voluntary muscle action is affected.

What Causes ALS?

The exact cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is unknown. Allergic responses, infectious and/or viral agents have been proposed as possible causes of this disorder, but none has been proven. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of all cases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are hereditary.

For most people with ALS, the vast majority of their children are not at any greater risk to develop this disease than the general population. This type of ALS is often called “sporadic ALS” due to its unpredictable nature. ALS researchers have found no difference between the symptoms and disease progression in the sporadic and genetic forms of ALS. Therefore, since the genetic and acquired forms of ALS appear to be similar, an understanding of the cause of the genetic form could lead to treatment for all forms of the disease.

Treatment by Western Medicine

1. Riluzole
   At present, Riluzole is the only drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of ALS. It is also the only drug shown to extend the survival of ALS patients. Although the exact cause of ALS is unknown, glutamic acid, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, may play a major role in disease etiology.
2. Sanofi
   Sanofi is a nonpeptide compound which possesses neurotrophin-like activity at nanomolar concentrations in vitro, and after administration of low oral doses in vivo. The compound reduces the histological, neurochemical and functional deficits produced in widely divergent models of experimental neurodegeneration.
3. Myotrophin
   A recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (rhIGF-I). Myotrophin is a man-made form of the natural protein insulin-like growth factor-I. This protein is important for normal human growth and development. Studies have shown the drug to slow down the progression on ALS symptoms.
4. Vitamins
   Many investigators believe that nerve cells may die as a result of oxidation injury. Although there have been no proven benefits to anti-oxidant therapy, interest has been somewhat renewed since the discovery of “the ALS gene”.
5. Creatine
   An over-the-counter supplement popular as a muscle builder among athletes is also available for treating Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Chinese Medicine Treatment

The following are main diagnosis points summed up by TCM.

1. Dryness-heat damaging liquid
   Main symptoms:
   forceless fingers, palm muscle atrophy, weakness with upper limbs(accompanied with muscle trembling), dry skin, thirsty, deranged speech, vexation, dry stool, red tougue, tongue fur dry yellow, fine pulse.
   Therapeutic principle:
   woman & herbsClearing away pathogenic heat, moisten the dryness, nourish yi and engender liquid.
   Herbal Medicine Formula:Sha Shen Mai Dong Decoction
   Composition:
   Sha Shen 30g, Yu Zhu 12g, Shang Ye 12g, Mai Dong 30g, Sheng Bian Dou 12g, Hua Fen 15g, Shi Gao 24g, Shang Zhi 30g, Shi Gua Luo 10g, Xi Yang Shen 6g
   Administration:
   Decocted with water, one time every day.
   Note:
   The formula ingredients should change a little according to patients’ practical sydromes.
2. Liver-kidney Yin vacuity
   Main symptoms:
   Fatigue, muscle atrophy and trembling, sluggish movement, vexing heat in the five hearts, dry mouth and thirst, insomina, night sweat, dry stool, seminal emission or efflux, red tongue, feeble tongue body, fine and deep pulse.
   Therapeutic principle
   Nourish liver and kidney, strengthen sinew and bone
   Herbal Medicine Formula: Hu Qian Variant Pill
   Composition:
   Shu Di 12g, Gui Ban Jiao 10g, huang Bai 12g, Zhi Mu 15g, Guo Gu 15g, Shuo Yang 10g, Niu Qi 15g, Du Zhong 10g, Chen Pi 10g, Bai Shao 30g, Dang Shen 30g
   Administration:
   Decocted with water, one time every day.
   Note:
   The formula ingredients should change a little according to patients’ practical sydromes.
3. Spleen-kidney Yang Vacuity
   Main symptoms:
   Fatigue and thin, muscle trembleing, bad appetite, reduced food intake, short breath, pale complexion, fear of cold and cold limbs, clear-food diarrhea, urinary incontinence, impotence, pale tender-soft enlarged tongue, fine deep or slow deep pulse.
   Therapeutic principle:
   Warm and nourish spleen and kidney, strengthen sinew and bone
   Herbal Formula: Lu Jiao Jiao Variant Pill
   Composition:
   Lu Jiao Jiao 10g, Tu Shi Zi 12g, Niu Qi 15g, Du Zong 12g, Shu Di 6g, Huang Qi 30g, Dang Shen 15g, Fu Ling 15g, Fu Zi 10g, Ji Xue Teng 30g, Sha Ren 5g
   Administration:
   Decocted with water, one time every day.
   Note:
   The formula ingredients should change a little according to patients’ practical symptoms.
4. Qi Vacuity and blood stasis
   Main symptoms:
   Fatigue and thin with body, painful and trembling muscle, numb muscle, tiredness and difficult speech, dark tongue body, stasis macule upon tongue fur, deep and fine and rough pulse.
   Therapeutic principle
   Nourish qi and quicken blood, dispel stasis and open channels
   Herbal Formula: Zhen Tui Variant Pill
   Composition:
   Ren Shen 10g, Bai Zhu 12g, Huang Qi 15g, Dang Gui 12g, Ru Xiang 6g, Muo Yao 6g, Wu Gong 2 pieces, San Jia Zhu 6g, Ji Xue Teng 30g, Niu Qi 12g, Wei Ling Xian 12g
   Administration:
   Decocted with water, one time every day.
   Note:
   The formula ingredients should change a little according to patients’ practical symptoms.

Effective Chinese Herbal Formulas

1. Modified Jian Bu Hu Qian Pill
   Composition:
   Huang Qi, Xian Ling Pi, Hai Long, Hai Ma, Ren Shen, Gui Ban, Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Gou Qi Zi, Du Zong, Chuan Duan, Tu Shi Zi, Shuo Yang, Bai Zhu, Yi Yi Ren, Chen Pi, Niu Qi, Mu Gua, Qin Jiao, Qi She, Bao Gu, Bu Gu Zhi, Zhi Mu, Huang Bai, Gui Zhi, Du Huo, Fang Feng.
   Administration:
   Grind the herbs into powder to make water pill. 3g to 9g every time, 2 to 3 times daily.
   Formula Source:
   Shanghai Chinese Medicine 1985:11:32
2. Marrow Engendering and Atrophy Recovering Pill
   Composition:
   Shi Di, Shang Ji Sheng, Yin Yang Huo, Shuo Yang, Ba Ji, Gui Zhi, Chi Shao, Huang Qi, Zhi Shou Wu, Bu Gu Zhi, Gu Shui Bu, Xu Duan, Dang Shen, Bai Zhu, Wu Gong, Lu Jiao, Ma Qian Zi.
   Administration:
   Grind the herbs into powder, with which to make 300 honey pills. One pill every time, 2 times daily.
3. Marrow Nourishing Pill
   Composition:
   Huang Qi, Shu Di, Ji Xue Teng, Tai Shen, Bai Zhu, Dang Gui, Lu Jiao Jiao, Bu Gu Zhi, Chuan Duan, Niu Qi, Gan Cao, Gui Ban, Gou Qi, Tu Shi Zi, Yan Zhi Mu, Yan Huang Bai.
   Administration:
   Take decocted every day. One time every day.
4. Effective Formula By Doctor Lin
   Composition:
   Fu Pian, Wu Shao She, Rou Gui, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Chi Shao, Tao ren, Hong Hua, Jie Gen, Zhi Ke, Gou Qi, Huang Qi, San Yu, Wu Gong, Quan Xie, Hu Gu, Lu Rong, She Xiang, Ma Qian Zi
   Administration:
   Grind the herbs into powder and make pills with honey, each pill weighs 9g. Take one pill every time, 2 times daily.
   Formula Source:
   Guangxi Chinese Medicine 1983:2:22
5. Agile Strode Decoction
   Composition:
   Gui Ban, Shu Di, Zhi Mu, Huang Bai, Chen Pi, Bai Shao, Niu Qi, Hu Gu, Du Zhong, Chuan Duan, Tu Shi Zi, Dang Gui, Yun Ling, Bai Zhu, Gan Cao.
   Administration:
   Take decocted with water. One time every day.
6. Formula By Doc. Shang Er Shou
   Part 1: Powder: Tian Ma, Quan Xie, Wu Gong
   Administration:
   Grind them into powder and take the powder three times in one day.
   Part 2: Decoction: Chang Pu, Mai Dong, Gou Teng, Fu Shou, Mu Li, Long Gu, Bai Zhu, Tao Ren, Chi Shao, Hong Hua, Shen Qu, Mai Ya, San Zha, Gan Chao, Shen Jin Cao, Zhen Zhu Mu.
   Administration:
   Take decocted with water, one time every day

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Amyotrophy Convalescence Pill Series

Ghangcheng Myelophathy Hospital has long been involved in the study of ALS. After more than 16 years of clinical experiments Amyotrophy Convalescence Pill Series medicine has been verified to be veru effective in treating ALS. For effectively treating ALS, most patients are advised to take series # 1 and series # 4 together to treat the illness. For severe cases with chewing difficulty, speaking difficulty and speaking difficulty series # 1 and series # 3 should be used to treat ALS. For more information regarding Amyotrophy Convalescence Pill Series please CLICK HERE.