| | Traditional chinese medicines (TCM) | Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM) |
| | Physiological principles | Zang and Fu Viscera | Interregulatory Relationship of Visceral Groups |
| | Han and Li [30]: TCM describes the human internal visceral system, which consists of two groups, zang and fu viscera, based on the concept of the five elements of the material world: fire, metal, wood, earth, and water. The zang viscera include the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys: they are in a mutual relation to the corresponding fu organs, the small intestine, the large intestine, the gall bladder, the stomach, and the urinary bladder, respectively. By the rule of the five elements, the proper functioning of zang and fu viscera in an interactive circular principle maintains the balance between Yin and Yang in the human body, the essential condition for health
Lee and Song [38], Lee and Kim [39], Lee and Song [40]: Cold symptoms and hot symptoms appear in all humans equally | Kim et al. [12], Kim and Pham [13], and Kim et al. [14]: … visceral groups are the lung, kidney, liver, and spleen groups. The lung group includes lungs, tongue, esophagus region, ears, brain, and skin. The spleen group consists of spleen, stomach, breasts, eyes, and tendon. The constituents of the liver group are the liver, small intestine, nose, lumbar region, and muscles. The kidney group has the kidney, large intestine, urethra, bladder, mouth, and bones. Among these groups, it is believed that specific interregulatory relations are present between specific pairs of visceral groups. As such, visceral groups form two pairs: one set consists of the spleen and the kidney pair and the other set is composed of the lung and the liver pair. The relationship between each pair can be compared to the unbalanced state of a seesaw. As one visceral organ has a natural hyperactive state, its counterpart has a comparatively deficient hypoactive state
Fourfold Energizer Centers
Song [7]: The fourfold energizer centers are the superior abdomen, upper mid, low mid, and the inferior abdomen. Physiologically phenomena of sorrow, anger, joy, and pleasure function according to the principle of Yin-Yang-ascension-dissension (ascent/descent) within the fourfold energizer centers internal system
Choi [19]: Dongeuisoosebowon illustrates the positioning of the fourfold energizer centers within the comprehensive quaternary organ scheme … “the lung and esophagus comprise the upper-most burn-center, the spleen and stomach comprises the upper-middle burn-center, the liver and small intestine comprise the lower-middle burn-center, and the kidney and large intestine comprises the lower-most burn-center”
Water-Food metabolism
Chi and Ahn [45]: The ascension-dissension principle is when metabolized nutrients (Water-Food) create four energies (warm-hot-cool-cold) which ascend and descend in the body
Cho [46]: The four Sasang zang organs the lung, spleen, liver, and kidney have specific attributes. All body functions such as inhalation/exhalation, or nutrient consumption and waste discharge abide according to the specific attributes of the four zang organs
Choi [19]: Water-Food passes through the four external organs (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine), where they are converted into the four energies (warm, hot, cool, and cold), which then disperse and travel to the conforming organ systems to be converted into basic vital material. For example, the warm energy of water and nutrients is converted into Jing material in the esophagus, after which it enters the tongue to form the Pool of Jing. The light component of the Pool of Jing then exits through the ear and becomes Shin material, which subsequently enters the cranium to form the Pool of Ni. The lighter juices of the Pool of Ni then fortify the roots of the lung, whereas the heavier dregs support the esophagus and form the skin |
| | Theoretical basis | The Twelve Meridians and the Internal and External Organs | Inherent Differences in the Sizes of the Internal Organs and the Disruption of Seong-Jeong
Choi and Kim [47]: The greater zang organ’s physical qi and blood and functional operation is abundant and can easily become excessive. The lesser zang organ’s physical qi and blood and functional operation is deficient |
| | Site of pathogenesis | Xinngon [33]: The six excesses come in contact with the external energy of the individual through the meridian and collateral and trigger the external disease, whereas dysfunction of the organ systems, where foodstuffs are processed and assimilated into the system in the form of internal energy, are the cause of internal disease | Lee et al. [48]: The four zang organs are damaged by sorrow, anger, joy, and pleasure. The sorrow, anger, joy, and pleasure of heaven and earth is called Seong and develop into exterior disease. The sorrow, anger, joy, and pleasure of human affairs is called Jeong and develop into interior disease
Lee and Song [38], Lee and Kim [39], and Lee and Song [40]: Seong is the root cause of exterior diseases and develops slowly becoming chronic diseases. Jeong is the root cause of interior diseases and develops rapidly becoming short-term diseases
Kim and Song [49]: The healthy balance and maintenance of sorrow, anger, joy, and pleasure can increase the function of the zang organs. By increasing the function of the zang organs, the overall health of the individual increases
Song [11]: The physiological and pathological features of each constitution are determined by hyperactive and hypoactive states of visceral groups that are believed to be intrinsic and congenital. The hypoactive part is more important. If this congenital shortcoming is controlled well, a healthy state can be accomplished
Hwang and Koh [50]: Greed is the one of the root causes of disease, specifically greed with respect to human relationships. When a person is able to control their emotions and their emotions are in balance, then greed does not move the heart of the person. Greed develops through unbalanced relationships in the external environment, for example, human relationships. If a person’s mind is unbalanced, then the external greed will become embedded into the mind. When this external greed settles into the mind, the Jeong is influenced and the four ruinous vices appear. The four ruinous vices are gluttony and alcoholism, lust, avarice, and excessive ambition. These four ruinous vices harm the Jeong. Symptomatically the four vices present in the body as internal diseases |
| | Characteristics | Diseases of Meridian (Hot or Cold) and Diseases of Organs (Excess or Deficient)
Han and Li [30]: Diseases of the meridian and collateral are referred to in terms of heat, or cold-related pathology, whereas diseases of the internal and external organs are defined as excessive or deficient
External-Internal Symptomatology
Kwak et al. [51]: In TCM, the root cause of disease and pathogenesis is categorized as internal or external. If it is an internal disease, then the disease is considered to be a chronic disease, and if it is an external disease, then the disease is considered to be a short-term (infectious) disease. Internal disease can progress and exhibit external symptoms, and external disease can progress and exhibit internal symptoms | External-Internal Properties are Determined Frontal/Dorsal, Upper/Lower, and Inner/Outer Qualities
Song et al. [17]: The sublumbar region is governed by the kidney, and pathological development related to this locus is understood to be external in nature, while the subumbilical region is governed by the large intestine and pathological conditions related to this locus are understood to be internal in nature
Original Symptomatology (素證)
Lee and Song [38], Lee and Kim [39], and Lee and Song [40]: The original symptom can progress further into a disease. The original symptom characteristics will remain or increase. For example, if the original symptom was characterized as deficiency, then the disease will remain deficient in nature
External-Internal Symptomatology
Kwak et al. [51]: In SCM, internal and external diseases are the accumulation of multiple symptoms. Internal diseases will develop not only from internal diseases, but also from a combination of internal and external symptoms. Therefore, internal disease symptomology includes both internal and external symptoms. Similarly, external diseases develop from a progression of both external and internal symptoms |
| | Diagnosis | Eight Principles (exterior/interior, yin/yang, cold/heat, and excess/deficiency)
Giovanni [16]: The eight principles are the most basic diagnostic method that can be used to ascertain the site and properties of the pathology or the balance between healthy qi and pathogenic qi. In addition, this diagnosis is used to collect other relevant information needed to determine the therapeutic principle
Classification of Symptomatic Types
Xinngon [33]: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) established the “differentiation of the syndrome (辨證) theory” and analyzed each symptom, classifying them into symptomatic types (證型). If patients with similar dominant complaints showed different symptomatic types, they were treated with different therapies
Kim et al. [12], Kim and Pham [13], and Kim et al. [14]: In TCM, symptoms are differentiated to diagnose disease into disease types and treated accordingly | Eight Principles (Exterior/Interior, Yin/Yang, Ascending/Descending, and Dispersive/Convergent)
Kim and Song [52]: The pathological eight principles of SCM are exterior/interior, yin/yang, ascending/descending, and dispersive/convergent. The movement of exterior/interior, yin/yang is ascending/descending, dispersive/convergent
Lee and Song [38], Lee and Kim [39], and Lee and Song [40]: The movement of exterior/interior, yin/yang is ascending/descending, dispersive/convergent. The eight principles of each constitution is specific to each particular constitution. Each eight principle can be classified as cold or hot, regardless of whether it is external or internal. For example, the Soeum type can have an external disease that is cold
Song et al. [17]: The Soeum person external disease occurs when the external yang energy fails to ascend smoothly, and the Soeum person internal disease occurs when the internal yin energy fails to descend smoothly
Classification of Constitutional Types
Song et al. [17]: SCM classifies constitution according to the traits of an individual’s mind and body, indicating that personal sensitivity to a certain drug can be different according to physical constitution |
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