中医肾主耳理论的现代生物学研究进展与思路

“肾主耳”理论是中医藏象学说的重要内容,对耳鸣、耳聋的中医药治疗有重要的指导价值。以往的研究认为,甲状腺素、醛固酮、钙和铁等物质可能是中医肾与耳相关的物质基础。但长期以来受方法及技术手段的限制,肾主耳的研究仍然停留在这几个孤立的物质上,没有取得新的进展,不能很好地阐释中医肾主耳理论的现代生物学机制及科学内涵。近年来,’肾本质的研究进展以及现代生物学技术的飞速发展为中医肾主耳理论的研究提供了良好的契机。本文在对前期研究进展进行总结和分析的基础上,对肾主耳理论的现代生物学研究思路进行新的探讨。基于衰老是生理性肾虚的观点,本文认为,老年性聋是由于听觉系统衰老而产生的一种退行性疾病,也是机体衰老表现的一部分,老年性聋也可以看作是一种肾虚耳聋的模型。因此,结合肾本质的研究进展和思路,充分利用系统生物学技术,探讨老年性聋与中医肾虚的相关性及其物质基础,将为中医肾主耳理论的现代生物学研究提供崭新的内容。

Biological research evaluating the Chinese medical theory of the association of the kidney with the ears

"Association of the kidney with the ears" is central to the traditional Chinese medical (TCM) theory of the viscera and their manifestations. Previous studies have shown that thyroxin, aldosterone, calcium and iron might be the material basis of the correlation between the kidney and the ears. Due to restriction in research techniques and methods, there has been no further progress in this research field, whose modern biological mechanisms and scientific connotations have not been explained clearly. In recent years, the progress of biological techniques and research on kidney essence provided promising opportunities for research of the association between the kidney and the ears. This article summarized the study progress of "association of the kidney with the ears" theory and posed some meaningful study thoughts. Presbycusis is a kind of degenerative disease caused by aging, which is one aspect of aging of the human body. Because aging is considered as physiological "kidney deficiency", presbycusis can be regarded as a model of "kidney deficiency" deafness. In conclusion, investigating the correlation between "kidney deficiency" and presbycusis using biotechnology systems combined with "essence of kidney", should provide a sound basis for study of the theory of the relationship between the kidney and the ears. This will provide new and valuable information for the modern biological research about the theory of visceral associations in TCM.