Preface

Chapter 6 **Clearance of Free Silica in Rat Lungs by Spraying with Chinese**

Sheng-jun Jiang, Nai-fang Fu, Zhi-chao Dong, Chang-hui Luo, Juncai Wu, Yan-yan Zheng, Yong-jin Gan, Jian-an Ling, Heng-qiu Liang, Dan-yu Liang, Jing Xie, Xiao-qin Chen, Xian-jun Li, Rui-hui Pan, Zuo-

**Herbal Kombucha 107**

**VI** Contents

Xing Chen and Lu-lu Zhang

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the summary of Chinese people's experiences in fighting diseases for thousands of years. Its theoretical system (Qi, Yin-Yang, five elements, etc.) is based on wisdom of ancient Chinese philosophy, embodies the Chinese people's own culture and profound speculative dialectical relationship between man and nature, and has made a great contribution to the health care of the Chinese people and the prosperity of the Chinese nation. TCM is the world's most comprehensive alternative and complementary medicine; its concepts and theories have been shrouded in mystery. With the advantages of Chinese medicines, including fewer side effects and greater effectiveness in some chronic complex diseases (such as infertility, cancer, and diabetes) than Western medicines, it was gradually accepted by foreigners and now has been spread to over 160 countries. In recent years, with the rising morbidity of serious illnesses like diabetes, infertility, silicosis, etc., there are no highly effective treatments; even though Western medicine has made spectacu‐ lar advances, this influenced us to seek Chinese medical therapies of health care.

In the Chinese medical theories section, first chapter reviewed the effects of kidney essence (Jing)-, kidney-Yang-, kidney-Yin-, kidney-Qi-, and kidney-nourishing Chinese herbal for‐ mulas and single herbs on the kidney endocrine substances and proposed the idea that kid‐ ney endocrine substances are potential candidates of the material basis of kidney essence. Second chapter summarized in detail the Chinese medicines classified as contraindicated, not recommended, and cautiously used for pregnancy in Chinese Pharmacopeia. The au‐ thors obtained the most specific safety information for pregnancy and provided to the doc‐ tors, scholars, and patients a scientific evidence on the safe application of Chinese medicines during pregnancy. They gathered information about the adverse effects and potential toxici‐ ty of the Chinese medicines for pregnancy.

The major Chinese medical therapies are Qigong, herbal therapy, acupuncture, foods for healing, and Chinese psychology. In the Chinese medical therapies section, first chapter looked at how TCM views diabetes as well as new understandings of how Qigong can sup‐ port the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Second chapter reviewed the sci‐ entific evidence that kidney-nourishing Chinese herbal formulas, single Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and moxibustion are used for female and male infertility. Third chapter pro‐ posed a novel treatment method of silicosis by spraying with Chinese herbal Kombucha, which is made by fermenting extracts of herbs (tea, licorice, dried *Siraitia grosvenorii* fruit, and wild *Chrysanthemum*) with a Kombucha culture (containing two probiotics: *Gluconaceto‐ bacter xylinus* and yeasts).

Written for medical professionals, doctors, and readers interested in Chinese medicine, this book offers a unique perspective of Chinese medicine theories and therapies. It has practical

chapters on diabetes, infertility, silicosis, kidney essence, and a compilation of contraindicat‐ ed Chinese medicines for pregnancy. TCM is full of ancient Chinese wisdom and philosoph‐ ical speculation and will provide new philosophical thinking and selective application for modern medicine. TCM is a treasure, and this ancient wisdom should be respected and ap‐ plied to the modern medical system; it will provide more choices and a wider field of vision for Western medicine at the two cognitive crossroads of East and West.

> **Xing-Tai Li** College of Life Science, Dalian Nationalities University Dalian, China

**Section 1**
