Research Progress on Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention for Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on the Theory of Liver-Kidney Homology

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by joint erosion and destruction, protracted course, and high disability rate, which belongs to the typical categories of Bi syndrome and Lijie disease in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As the core framework for TCM syndrome differentiation of RA, the theory of Liver-Kidney Homology constructs the pathological correlation between liver-kidney function and the onset and progression of RA from three dimensions: essence-blood homology, mutual regulation of storage and drainage, and mutual nourishment of yin and yang, providing a core theoretical framework for TCM syndrome differentiation and intervention. Based on more than 70 literatures, this paper systematically reviews the connotation of the theory of Liver-Kidney Homology and its pathological association with RA, summarizes clinical evidence of different regimens from three intervention approaches: TCM compound prescriptions, acupuncture-moxibustion external therapy, and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, analyzes their mechanisms of action, combines the research limitations mentioned in the literatures, and proposes future directions, so as to provide evidence-based support for the standardized TCM diagnosis and treatment of RA.