Gout is a disease mainly characterized by repeated attack of acute sharp pain, redness, and swelling in the joint, hyperuricemia and formation of tophus. It is caused by obstruction of qi and blood resulting from blockage of joint meridians by phlegm-dampness-stasis-heat due to deficiency of kidney-qi and failure of the spleen in transformation and transportation. Pathologically, it is a lesion and aseptic inflammation because of precipitation of urate in joint capsule and synovial burca, chondral substance, kidney, subcutaneous tissues and other tissues caused by disturbance of purine metabolism. The disease can be classified into primary and secondary ones. Primary diseases are related to familial heredity, while secondary diseases are caused by kidney diseases, hematophaty, malignant tumor, etc.
Treatment based on syndrome differentiation:
-Syndrome of accumulation of damp-heat -> tx: clear away heat and drain dampness, expel wind and dredge collaterals
-Syndrome of blockage of stasis and heat -> tx: promote blood flow to remove stasis, remove heat and blockage
-Syndrome of stagnation of turbid phlegm -> tx: remove blood-stasis and dredges collaterals, resolves turbid phlegm
-Syndrome of yin deficiency of liver and kidney -> tx: reinforce liver and kidney, dredge meridians and activate collaterals
Herbs for tx: Zhengqing Fengtongning Capsule, Longdan Xiegan Pill, Duhuo Jisheng Pill, Jianbu Huqian Pill
