Traditional Chinese medicine: potential approaches from modern dynamical complexity theories

doi:10.1007/s11684-016-0434-2

Front. Med.

2016, Vol. 10

Issue (1) : 28-32 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11684-016-0434-2

REVIEW

Traditional Chinese medicine: potential approaches from modern dynamical complexity theories

Yan Ma^1,^*(

),Kehua Zhou^2,³,Jing Fan^1,⁴,Shuchen Sun^5,^*(

)

1. Division of Interdisciplinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
2. Department of Health Care Studies, Daemen College, Amherst, NY 14226, USA
3. Daemen College Physical Therapy Wound Care Clinic, Daemen College, Amherst, NY 14226, USA
4. Department of Orthopedics, Jiangsu Province Hospital of TCM, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China
5. Department of Otolaryngology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China

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Abstract

Despite the widespread use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in clinical settings, proving its effectiveness via scientific trials is still a challenge. TCM views the human body as a complex dynamical system, and focuses on the balance of the human body, both internally and with its external environment. Such fundamental concepts require investigations using system-level quantification approaches, which are beyond conventional reductionism. Only methods that quantify dynamical complexity can bring new insights into the evaluation of TCM. In a previous article, we briefly introduced the potential value of Multiscale Entropy (MSE) analysis in TCM. This article aims to explain the existing challenges in TCM quantification, to introduce the consistency of dynamical complexity theories and TCM theories, and to inspire future system-level research on health and disease.

Keywords traditional Chinese medicine quantification dynamical complexity system level balance modern sciences

Corresponding Author(s): Yan Ma,Shuchen Sun

Just Accepted Date: 30 December 2015 Online First Date: 25 January 2016 Issue Date: 31 March 2016

Cite this article:

Yan Ma,Kehua Zhou,Jing Fan, et al. Traditional Chinese medicine: potential approaches from modern dynamical complexity theories[J]. Front. Med., 2016, 10(1): 28-32.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fmd/EN/10.1007/s11684-016-0434-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fmd/EN/Y2016/V10/I1/28

Fig.1 Hierarchical structure of western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Fig.2 Development of complexity concept. (A) Conventional entropy and (B) Expected complexity measures, with optimal complexity to keep the system balance.

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