**The Connotation of Kidney Stores Essence Theory and Kidney Endocrine Substance The Connotation of Kidney Stores Essence Theory and Kidney Endocrine Substance**

Shuang Ling, Yan-qi Dang, Rong-zhen Ni and Jin-wen Xu and Jin-wen Xu Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Shuang Ling, Yan-qi Dang, Rong-zhen Ni

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66972

#### **Abstract**

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a traditional healing system with unique theo‐ retical system. The Zang‐Fu theory is the closest mapping to body's physiological and pathological changes. Kidney is the most vital Zang organ in TCM system. However, the material basis of kidney essence is still undefined. In this chapter, we propose the idea that kidney endocrine substances, such as renin, kallikrein, erythropoietin (EPO), calcitriol, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐7, and klotho, are potential candidates of the material basis of kidney essence. In addition, kidney‐nourishing therapy and related Chinese medicinal herbs are also introduced.

**Keywords:** TCM, kidney stores essence theory, renal endocrine, material basis, kidney nourishing therapy

#### **1. Introduction**

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest medical treatments in the world. Limited by the times, it is characterized by the Yin‐Yang, Five‐Element, and Zang‐Fu theory. The Zang‐Fu theory explains the physiological function and pathological changes of human body, and the most vital organ would be the kidney. In western medicine, the kidneys are excretory organs with endocrine function. In TCM, it is not only related with anatomical concept but beyond of that. The material basis of kidney essence has long puzzled Chinese scientists. Dysfunction of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis [1], hypothalamic‐ pituitary‐gonadal (HPG) axis [2], and hypothalamic‐pituitary‐thyroid (HPT) axis [3] have been putting forward proposals. Nowadays, the stem cells self‐control system depending on neuro‐endocrine‐immune (NEI) system regulated microenvironment [4] is the dominant

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2017 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

academic view. Moreover, chromosome [5], vitamin D (calcitriol) [6], and erythropoietin (EPO) [7] were also considered to be the material basis of kidney essence. In modern medi‐ cine, the kidneys are endocrine organs that secrete a variety of hormones, such as renin [8], kallikreins [9], EPO [10], calcitriol [11], BMP‐7 [12], and klotho [13]. This chapter aims to compare the similarities of the essence of kidney in TCM and the active substance secreting by the kidneys, and to propose the idea that renal endocrine function has the potential to be one of the kidney essence.
