Case 1

Name: Zbou.

Sex: Female.

Age: 42 years.

0ccupation: A peasant.

Chief Complaint: Distending pain of epigastrim for more than 2 months.

History of Present Illness: More than 2 months ago, the patient got a distending pain in the median region of epigastrium. At the beginning, it mostly occurred after her eating, at last it occurred constantly. There weren't acid regurgitation, belching, nausea, vomiting and so on. Through gastroscopy in a hospital, it was confirmed as "Chronic Atrophic Gastritis. " In the past 2 months,she was treated by oral taking "Tabellae Domperidoni" and Chinese herbs, but there was no curative effect on her, the severe distending pain prevented her from sleeping throughout night. Then she came here for treatment on October 22,1996.

Physical Examination: The patient was conscious with a normal general condition. The chest was normal. The abdomen was soft and flat. There was tenderness in the epigastrium below the xiphoid process. The pulse was thready and taut. The tongue was dark red with a greasy layer of white fur. The was not other abnormal sign.

Diagnosis: Chronic Atrophic Gastritis.

Differentiation: It's incoordination of liver and stomach, which caused hyperactive liver-qi attacked stomach and spleen. So that spleen failed to control transportation, and the functional activities of qi were disturbed. Then qi stagnation and food stagnancy were formed in the middle-Jiao.

Therapeutic Principle: Activating liver-qi and stomach-qi, activating blood; expelling dampness and transporting food stagnancy.

Recipe:

DanShen,Red Sage Root 15g

ShaRen, Amomum Fruit 15g

TanXiang, Sandalwood 8g

WuYao,Lindera Root 20g

0ingMuXiang, Dutchmanspipe Root 15g

ZhiShi,Immature Bitter Orange 20g

XiangFu,Nutgrass Flatsedge Rhizome 12g

ChaiHu,Bupleurum Root 6g

CangZhu, Atractylodes Rhizome 15g

FaBanXia,Pinellia Tuber 10g

FoShou, Finger Citron 12 g

XieBai,Macrostem Onion 12g

ShengShanZha, Hawthorn Fruit 12g

JiNeiJin, Chicken' s Gizzard skin 12g

GanCao,Liquorice Root 6g

All the above drugs were to be decocted in water for oral taking. 3 doses were prescribed. Greasy and fat food was forbidden during the treatment.

Effect Observation: After taking the 3 doses, the distending pain disappeared. She could sleep well throughout night. Then it's ending.

Case2

Name: Liu.

Sex: Female.

Age: 35 years.

0ccupation: A teacher.

Chief Complaint: Stomachache for half a month.

History of Present Illness: Half a month ago, the patient got a crymodynia in her stomach caused by weather changing. It was a prickling-like pain and could be relieved by pressing or warming and be aggravated by catching a cold. In addition, there was a paroxysmal cold sensation in her abdomen. After treatment in the local clinic, the stomachache could not be relieved yet. Then she came here for treatment on February 26,1997. After the illness came on, her defecation, urination and sleeping were all normal, but her appetite got poor in recent days. In addition, the patient had "Chronic Atrophic Gastritis" for more than 10 years, it was confirmed as "Phloric Intestinal Metaplasia" through pathological examination in a hospital. There was not other complaint.

Physical Examination: The patient was conscious with a normal general condition. The pulse was thready and uneven, the tongue was dull purple with a thin layer of white fur. The chest was normal. The abdomen was soft and flat, there was tenderness in the median partion of epigastrim below the xiphoid process. There was not other abnormal sign.

Diagnosis: Chronic Atrophic Gastritis.

Differentiation: This disease, in TCM, is called "Wet Wan Tong" (stomachache). It was caused by accumulation of pathogenic cold in the stomach, which prevented the stomach qi from normal flowing and then there was stagnation of stomach-qi and blood stasis, so the patient got the stomachache.

Therapeutic Principle: Warming the middle Jiao and eliminating the pathogenic cold; activating the obstructed qi and removing the blood stasis.

Recipe: Modified Decoction of Aconiti for Regulating the middle-Jiao.

DangShen,Pilose Asiabell Root 30g

BaiZhu,Bighead Atractylodes Rhizome 15g

FuLing, Tuckahoe 15g

ZhiFuZi,Prepared Aconite Root 8g

GanJiang,Dried Ginger 6g

FaBanXia,Pinellia Tuber 6g

HuangLian,Coptis Root 5g

YuanHu,Corydalis Tuber 15g

XiangFu,Nutgrass Flatsedge Rhizome 12g

DanShen,Red Sage Root 15g

ChuanXiong,Chuanxiong Rhizome 8g

YiYiRen,Coix Seed 20g

ZeXie,Oriental Water Plantain Rhizome 15g

ZhiGanCao,Prepared Liquorice Root 6g

All the above drugs were to be decocted in water for oral taking. 2 doses were prescribed. Cool and cold food was forbidden during the treatment.

Effect Observation: After taking the 2 doses, the crymodynia in her stomach disappeared. Then she was told to take the pills of aconiti for regulating the middle-Jiao in order to keep a long curative effect. After 2 months' follow-up, the illness didn't recur, then it' s ending.