Mega TCM treats AIDS but can it also cure?

By Zhang Qian | 2009-12-1 | NEWSPAPER EDITION

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ZHANG Jianming, a private traditional Chinese medicine doctor, has acquired a reputation for treating difficult conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and even cancer. Now he is ministering to an AIDS patient with mega doses of common herbs.

The patient's condition has improved greatly over two years, Zhang says, and predicts that the virus can not only be suppressed but also completely eliminated. He believes TCM can cure AIDS, though not every single patient can be cured.

So far he has only treated four patients, all improved, and one is still with him and improving dramatically, he says.

"I believe there is always a treatment for every disease, just as every lock was created with a key. All you have to do is find it," says Zhang, 52, who has been practicing for 30 years.

He first studied in a health school in Jiading District in the 1970s, then worked as a TCM physician in a local hospital, continued study and researched the effects of TCM on his own body.

He opened a private practice with a clinic in 2003, focusing on difficult and complicated diseases such as cancers. He also uses herbal treatments for the side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

He has quite a following and is regarded as something of a miracle worker.

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Chinese physicians use a Western medicine cocktail of antiretroviral drugs to suppress AIDS, while acknowledging that TCM can help ease side effects and boost immunity. As for curing AIDS, that's vigorously debated in some medical circles.

"I know there are successful individual cases in TCM treatment, but so far there is not abundant clinical evidence that can prove its effectiveness in restricting or suppressing the virus in multiplying," says Dr Shen Yinzhong, AIDS specialist in the Infectious Diseases Department of Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center of Fudan University.

"We have to wait and see."

Zhang is determined to pursue his AIDS treatments.

All initial consultations costs 500 yuan (US$73). Then Zhang prescribes huge doses and the patient walks out with bags of herbs to brew at home.

He prescribes a powerful soup of common herbs, such as wild chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, huang lian (coptis root) and huang qin (baikal skullcap root), among others, plus balancing herbs. The dosage, however, is much larger than usually prescribed, in some cases 10 times as much.

Cancer patients are told to expect to pay 70,000-80,000 yuan each year for five years. The cost of long-term AIDS treatment is comparable.

Though AIDS is generally believed to be incurable, Zhang believes he can conquer some cases completely. The sooner treatment begins, the better.

Zhang also believes TCM treatment can help those who are HIV-positive lead healthier lives, boost their immune systems and delay the onset of AIDS. Some symptoms can be treated by TCM.

Herbal therapy can also counter the unpleasant side effects of Western antiretroviral "cocktails" of drugs.

His first AIDS patient (still in treatment) is a 40-year-old businessman who came to him in 2007.

The patient, David Song (not his real name) had a granuloma (tumor of "granular" tissue, usually benign but indicative of inflammation) on the ring finger of his left hand. A dermatologist ordered an HIV test and it came back positive.

Song also suffered great fatigue, frequent diarrhea, hot and cold flashes and weight loss.

He believes he contracted the virus when he had a tooth extraction. He is not a drug user, received no blood transfusions, and didn't have unsafe sex.

"Though I hadn't treated AIDS before, I thought about possible approaches," saysDr Zhang.

After his consultation, Song returned with his herbs and brewed them. He saw Zhang 15-20 days later. The routine continues, the dosage adjusted and carefully balanced for his changing system. Now Song sees the doctor about once a month.