Exploring the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus Based on the Root-and-Branch Theory of the Huangdi Neijing

Abstract

The root-and-branch (Biao-Ben) theory originates from the Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor), a foundational classic of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and represents a distinctive methodology for understanding and treating disease. It provides crucial guidance across all stages of diabetes mellitus (Xiaoke disease)—including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The root-and-branch theory emphasizes pathogenic mechanism diagnosis in Xiaoke disease, positing that yin deficiency constitutes the root and dryness-heat the branch. Although its secondary manifestations are complex and varied, the principal symptoms of the three types of Xiaoke (upper, middle, and lower) remain the root, while variant symptoms are the branch—necessitating, when appropriate, the principle of “treating the branch urgently in acute conditions.” Furthermore, prevention should be prioritized as the root, with treatment as the branch. Guided by the root-and-branch theory, Xiaoke disease can be diagnosed and treated early, complications reduced, and patient prognosis improved to the greatest extent.