Clinical treatment of myasthenia gravis with deficiency of spleen and kidney based on combination of disease with syndrome therapy

This paper assesses the efficacy of Jianjining (JJ) granules for the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG) by comparing a treatment group, who received JJ granules and Western medicine (prednisone or pyridostigmine bromide), with a control group, who received JJ granules only. The authors describe the pathogenesis of MG according to Chinese medicine, which involves deficiency of the Kidney and Spleen (and thus the congenital and acquired essences). Jianjining granules contain Huang Qi (Astragali Radix), Gou Qi Zi (Lycii Fructus), He Shou Wu (Polygoni multiflori Radix), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis macrocephalae Rhizoma), Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis Radix), Shan Zhu Yu (Corni Fructus), Yi Mu Cao (Leonuri Herba), Zhi Shi (Aurantii Fructus immaturus),Tai Zi Shen (Pseudostellariae Radix) and Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) (no dosages given). Results were measured after three and six months according to the Muscle Weakness Severity Scale (MWSS), and showed a significant greater improvement in the combined Chinese/Western medicine group compared to the group who received Chinese medicine only. [Aug 2013]