Research Progress of Acupuncture in Conjunction with Huatan Tongluo Decoction in Treating Stroke Sequelae: A Review

Abstract

Due to its high mortality rate, stroke often leads to various degrees of sequelae in most patients, which significantly impacts the quality of their daily lives. Modern rehabilitation therapy is time-consuming and slow to take effect, making it difficult to maintain long-term patient cooperation and limiting its overall benefits. Acupuncture has been clearly proven to be an effective stimulation method, and Huatan Tongluo decoction has been shown to eliminate and resolve phlegm, promote blood circulation, and invigorate the collaterals. The combination of the two is widely used in the rehabilitation treatment of stroke sequelae. Improving lost bodily functions can also help repair the injured nerve, complement modern medical treatments, and enhance the treatment compliance of patients, which has become the focus of clinical research. This paper summarizes related studies on the use of acupuncture combined with Huatan Tongluo decoction in the treatment of common stroke sequelae, including dyskinesia, dysphagia, cognitive impairment, poststroke insomnia, and depression, and briefly analyzes its mechanism. This review aims to reveal the action characteristics of acupuncture in multi-targets, multi-layers, and multi-pathways. It also highlights current research limitations to provide a theoretical basis and method reference for the rehabilitation treatment of patients in the future.

Keywords

acupuncture Huatan Tongluo decoction stroke sequelae mechanism research progress combined therapy

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Chen

Wang

, et al. (2021). Research progress of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of sequelae of stroke. Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 35(2), 96–102. DOI:https://doi.org/10.16295/j.cnki.0257-358x.2021.11.021

Chen

(2022). Clinical observation of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture in the treatment of stroke sequelae. Journal of Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine, 38(3), 385–387. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-2814.2022.3.syzyyzz202203025

Choi

S. E.

Sagris

Hill

Lip

G. Y. H.

Abdul-Rahim

A. H.

(2023). Atrial fibrillation and stroke. Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy, 21(1), 35–56. DOI: 1080/14779072.2023.2160319

Cui

(2019). Systematic evaluation of different acupuncture methods in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Health Vision, 15, 106–107. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1005-0019.2019.15.166

Guo

Sheng

(2020). Clinical observation of acupuncture combined with Huatan Tongluo decoction in the treatment of sequelae of ischemic stroke. Chinese Folk Therapy, 17, 28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19621/j.cnki.11-3555/r.2020.1735

Hou

Liu

Gong

(2022). Network pharmacology of Huatan Tongluo decoction and clinical effects of its combination with acupuncture in the treatment of stroke. American Journal of Translational Research, 14(11), 8215–8224. PMID: 36505343

Jiao

Sun

Zhang

(2017). Clinical observation of self-made Wenyang Huatan Tongluo decoction in the treatment of stroke-associated pneumonia (syndrome of yang deficiency and phlegm stasis blocking collaterals). Emergency Traditional Chinese Medicine, 26(5), 863–865. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-745X.2017.05.034

(2018). Analysis of the effect of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on neurological function repair in patients with stroke sequelae. Chinese Practical Medicine, 13(32), 2. DOI:CNKI:SUN:ZSSA.0.2018-32-064

Jiang

(2021a). Effect of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on neurological function repair in patients with stroke sequelae. Inner Mongolia Traditional Chinese Medicine, 40(2), 46–47.

10.

(2021). Clinical analysis of Huatan Tongluo decoction in the treatment of chest arthralgia. Medicine and Health, 4, 1. https://doi.org/10.33854/heme.v4i1.778

11.

You

Huang

(2021b). Lu’s acupuncture treatment of optic neuromyelitis pedigree disease experience. New Traditional Chinese Medicine, 53(1), 3. DOI:https://doi.org/10.13457/j.cnki.jncm.2021.01.035

12.

Liu

Niu

, et al. (2014). Effects of different TCM treatments on neurological function recovery of patients with stroke in community. Chinese Journal of Gerontology, 34(21), 5959–5961. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1005-9202.2014.21.009

13.

Song

(2023). Research progress on the mechanism of acupuncture regulating autophagy lysosome pathway in the treatment of nervous system and other diseases. Journal of Sun Yat-sen University Medical Sciences Edition, 44(1), 10–17. DOI:https://doi.org/10.13471/j.cnki.j.sun.yat-sen.univ(med.sci).2023.0103

14.

Ning

Zhu

Wang

(2024). Efficacy of different traditional Chinese medicine decoctions in the treatment of ischemic stroke: A network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, 1486458. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1486458

15.

Wang

(2020). Study on the effect of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on sequelae of stroke. Scientific Health Preservation, 23(7), 222.

16.

(2018). To explore the effect of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on neurological function repair in patients with stroke sequelae. Chinese Practical Medicine, 13(12), 2. DOI:CNKI:SUN:ZSSA.0.2018-12-057

17.

Zhang

(2021). Observation on the efficacy of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture in the treatment of stroke sequelae. China Health Nutrition, 31(19), 270.

18.

Zhang

Guo

(2018). Clinical observation of Huatan Tongluo decoction in the treatment of stroke sequelae. Guangming Traditional Chinese Medicine 33(20), 3025–3026. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1003-8914.2018.20.034

19.

Zhao

Zhang

Chen

Wei

(2022). Neuronal injuries in cerebral infarction and ischemic stroke: From mechanisms to treatment (review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 49(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2021.5070

20.

Zou

(2019). Effect of Huatan Tongluo decoction combined with acupuncture on sequela of stroke. Continuing Medical Education China, 11(8), 3. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-9308.2019.08.066