Knowledge of disease treatment by traditional medicine methods of Mr. Nguyen Tien Phuc's family

Knowledge of disease treatment by traditional medicine methods of Mr. Nguyen Tien Phuc's family, Phu Dien Ward, Hanoi City.

Treatment by traditional medicine has existed since ancient times; for the Nguyen family specifically, the practice began in 1926, by great-grandfather Nguyen Van Khan, who inherited it from a monk in Ha Tinh.

At the end of the 19th century, in the Dinh Hoi year (1887), Mr. Nguyen Van Khan was born into
a poor Confucian scholar family with a studious tradition. During his lifetime, he cherished the ambitions of a man in the Confucian era. However, at that time society was turbulent,
and the family had few means, so Mr. Khan only learned to read and write and studied the sages' books himself, and was not allowed to take the imperial examinations. In 1906, Mr. Khan married. In 1907, his wife gave birth to a son, Nguyen Van Diet. To Mr. Khan, wife and children were the deepest concern of a person who more or less understood the virtues of the sages. But unfortunately, two years after giving birth to Mr. Diet, his wife contracted several diseases considered incurable at that time: stomach and duodenal pain and acute rheumatoid arthritis. From then on, his wife was continuously ill; Mr. Khan devoted himself to finding doctors and medicines, but her condition did not improve. In 1916, his wife died of the two terrible diseases above.

Witnessing the pain caused by disease and his helplessness before the gradual death of his virtuous wife, Mr. Khan harbored the intention to learn the traditional medicine profession in the hope of treating people in his family and neighbors. Therefore, when his wife passed away, Mr. Nguyen Khan resolved to learn and did learn the medicine profession from a monk in Ha Tinh.

In 1921, Mr. Nguyen Khan remarried and had a daughter, Nguyen Thi Hoi (1923), and a son, Nguyen Dinh Chieu (1926).

Also from 1926, with his wife's support, Mr. Nguyen Khan began preparing medicines to treat people. Gradually, Mr. Nguyen Khan became known near and far for good remedies such as:

- Treatment of stomach pain

- Treatment of colon pain

- Treatment of joint pain

- Treatment of insomnia

With good remedies, Mr. Nguyen Khan was a person of generous and benevolent heart. Therefore, in the hearts of people near and far at that time, Mr. Nguyen Khan was a respected physician.

The son of Mr. Nguyen Khan - physician Nguyen Dinh Chieu - from childhood was exposed to and helped his parents prepare medicines daily. Mr. Khan at that time realized that his son, although young, showed a special talent in the profession of preparing medicine. Later, Mr. Khan passed all the precious remedies to Mr. Chieu. But as he grew up, Mr. Chieu joined the army, and it was not until August 1971, when he retired, that he carried on the family's medicine profession. At that time, medicinal materials were difficult, travel was inconvenient because the country was still at war. In difficult circumstances, he still personally searched for medicinal plants. After ten years of preparing fairly complete conditions for treatment, in 1981, Mr. Chieu actually practiced in Phu Dien village (Phu Dien commune, Tu Liem district, Hanoi).

In 1991, the Nguyen family was granted a practice license by the Hanoi Department of Health. The traditional remedies include: stomach disease treatment, colon disease treatment, arthritis treatment, and insomnia treatment.

The son of physician Nguyen Dinh Chieu - physician Nguyen Tien Phuc - said he was officially given the right to inherit the family's remedies in 1994 from his father. These remedies had previously been passed down by his grandfather to his father.

In 1995, the Ministry of Health issued registration numbers for production and circulation nationwide. Currently, there are remedies in circulation such as: Gastro-TĐ (stomach disease treatment); Đatra-TĐ (colon disease treatment); Photha-TĐ (arthritis treatment); Antha-TĐ (insomnia treatment).

*Medical examination: according to the traditional medicine method, consisting of four steps (called the four diagnostics)

- Inspection (Vong): the physician uses the eyes to observe the patient, observing body shape, form, movement, expression, color of skin, hair, tongue, nails, ...

- Listening and smelling (Van): the physician uses ears and nose to listen to and smell manifestations from the patient; listening means listening to speech, coughing, hiccups, breathing of the patient; smelling odors from breath, painful areas, ...

- Inquiry (Van): the physician uses mouth and ears to ask and listen to the patient recount the illness; asking means asking to know hot and cold, asking about sweat, asking about the location of pain, asking about urination and defecation, asking about menstruation, ...

- Palpation (Thiet): the physician uses hands to feel and press the patient's body; feeling and pressing the abdomen, soles, hands, affected areas, and taking the pulse to diagnose, ...

Because diseases progress unusually, diagnosis must be meticulous and cautious; thoroughly applying all four methods above (observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, palpation) rarely leads to confusion or omission, unlike some patients who think that merely taking the pulse reveals everything, which is a somewhat one-sided understanding.

*Medicines for treatment: To have a good medicinal ingredient or a good remedy accepted by consumers, attention must be paid right from the cultivation of medicinal materials, harvesting, preliminary processing to preparation (processing). In traditional medicine up to now, the stages are often passed down orally, based on experience, and few units or official agencies do this work entirely. In addition, the preparation of traditional medicines also requires processing according to the course of the disease, so many medicinal ingredients must be prepared after the patient has been examined by the physician. A medicinal ingredient or a remedy usually has to go through the following stages:

- Cultivation of medicinal plants

- Harvesting medicinal plants

- Preliminary processing of medicinal ingredients after harvesting

There may be one or more of the following stages: slicing (bào), grinding, sieving, stir-frying, soaking, water grinding, water processing, stir-frying with excipient, burning, roasting in ashes, calcining, ...

- Preparation (processing) into finished products: This is the stage of combining medicinal ingredients into finished medicine for the patient to use

b.1. Gastro-TĐ (stomach disease treatment):

·Preliminary processing

ü Khoi leaves: remove impurities (if any), wash clean, dry until crisp, stir-fry with excipient. Grind, sift out fibrous matter, and pass through sieve No. 250.

ü Dandelion: remove impurities (if any), wash clean, dry until crisp, stir-fry with excipient. Grind, sift out fibrous matter, and pass through sieve No. 250.

ü Sophora flavescens: remove impurities (if any), wash clean, dry until crisp, stir-fry with adjuvant. Grind, winnow to remove fibrous fluff, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Mugwort: remove impurities (if any), wash clean, dry until crisp, stir-fry with adjuvant. Grind, winnow to remove fibrous fluff, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Zhi Shi: remove impurities (if any), sort large and small; stir-fry until crisp (slightly black), winnow clean. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Nutgrass rhizome: remove impurities (if any); sort large and small. Scorch-fry until charred; place in a mortar and pound to remove the outer shell, winnow clean. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Cuttlefish bone: dry, pry off the hard outer shell; wash, soak in ground rice bran water or rice-washing water for 2 days and 1 night (change the water daily). Wash again, boil for 1 hour (to sterilize); dry, briefly stir-fry, grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Honey: quickly boil until foamy, skim off all foam. Add just enough boiling water, stir well until it boils evenly.

· Processing (preparation) of finished product

ü Weigh and mix the compound powder: All medicinal materials, each type separately pre-processed into fine powder (passed through No. 250 sieve), are weighed according to the formula and mixed in a dry powder mixer for 30 minutes per batch.

ü Wet-mix the powder for 20 minutes, then continue into the pill-making machine (pill rounding machine) for hard pill formation. Particle size from 0.1g – 0.6g. (One type of equal size).

ü The finished medicine is dried at a temperature of 60°C – 70°C for 4 hours to kill bacteria and achieve moisture. Usually after drying, moisture reaches less than 12%.

ü Rejects: All pills smaller or larger than specified are returned for reprocessing to meet specification.

ü Testing: Preliminary testing of medicine meeting prescribed standards before packaging into aluminum bags. After packaging into aluminum bags, test according to establishment standards at the Hanoi City Testing Center, then pack into finished product boxes.

ü Packaging: The medicine is packed 6 g in one aluminum bag meeting establishment standards, then 12 aluminum bags are packed into a paper box. Pack 50 or 100 finished hard paper boxes into cartons.

ü Warehousing: complete warehousing procedures.

b.2. Đatra-TĐ (Treatment of colon disease)

·Preliminary processing

ü Atractylodes macrocephala: Select large and small separately. Brush, wash clean, cover tightly until soft, slice thinly, dry, then scorch-fry. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Phellodendron: Clean the rough outer bark, wash clean, cover until soft, slice, dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Alisma: Remove all roots, select large and small separately, brush, wash clean, soak in water for 1–2 hours, cover overnight until soft, slice thinly, dry, soak in salt water for 2 hours (1 kg Alisma + 30 g salt in 200 ml water), dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Lotus seed: Remove black and purple husk and green core, dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Coix seed: Pound off husk, wash clean, dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Chicken gizzard lining: Remove all dirt, wash clean, dry, stir-fry with sand until puffed, clean off sand. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Aucklandia: Wash clean, slice thinly, dry in shade. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Honey: Quickly boil until foamy, skim off all foam. Add just enough boiling water, stir well until it boils evenly.

· Processing (preparation) of finished product

ü Weigh and mix the compound powder: All medicinal materials, each type separately pre-processed into fine powder (passed through No. 250 sieve), are weighed according to the formula and mixed in a dry powder mixer for 30 minutes per batch.

ü Wet-mix the powder for 20 minutes, then continue into the pill-making machine (pill rounding machine) for hard pill formation. Particle size from 0.1g – 0.6g. (One type of equal size).

ü The finished medicine is dried at 60°C – 70°C for 4 hours to kill bacteria and achieve moisture. Usually after drying, moisture reaches less than 12%.

ü Rejects: All pills smaller or larger than specified are returned for reprocessing to meet specification.

ü Testing: Preliminary testing of medicine meeting prescribed standards before packaging into aluminum bags. After packaging into aluminum bags, test according to establishment standards at the Hanoi City Testing Center, then pack into finished product boxes.

ü Packaging: The medicine is packed 6 g in one aluminum bag meeting establishment standards, then 12 aluminum bags are packed into a paper box. Pack 50 or 100 finished hard paper boxes into cartons.

ü Warehousing: complete warehousing procedures.

b.3. Photha-TĐ (Treatment of rheumatism)

·Preliminary processing

ü Homalomena rhizome: Wash clean, cover until soft, slice, dry in shade or dry over low heat. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Spatholobus stem: Select large and small separately. Soak small vines for about 12 hours and large vines for about 48 hours until soft, slice thinly, dry. Fry until yellow over low heat. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Eucommia bark: Scrape off the outer bark, wash clean, cut into small slices 3–4 mm, dry. Soak in salt water for 2 hours (1 kg Eucommia + 30 g salt in 200 ml water). Dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Drynaria rhizome: Wash clean, scrape off hairs, slice thinly, dry, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Dioscorea: Remove impurities, soak in rice-washing water or rice bran water for 12 hours, wash clean with a brush, cover until soft, slice thinly, dry. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Gentiana macrophylla: Remove stems, pick out impurities, wash clean, cut into sections, dry. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Achyranthes: Remove impurities, wash clean, drain, cut into sections, dry or dry in an oven, fry until yellow. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Chuanxiong: Wash clean, cover for 2 days until soft, slice thinly, dry in shade or dry over low heat. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve.

ü Cinnamon twig: Remove impurities, slice thinly, dry. Grind, sieve through No. 250 sieve. - Honey: Quickly boil until foamy, skim off all foam. Add just enough boiling water, stir well until it boils evenly.

· Processing (preparation) of finished product

ü Weigh and mix the compound powder: All medicinal materials, each type separately pre-processed into fine powder (passed through No. 250 sieve), are weighed according to the formula and mixed in a dry powder mixer for 30 minutes per batch.

ü Mix the wet powder for 20 minutes, then continue feeding it into the pill-making machine to harden the pills. Granule size from 0.1 g – 0.6 g. (One uniform type).

ü Place the finished medicine in a dryer at 60°C – 70°C for 4 hours to sterilize and reach the required moisture. Usually after drying, the moisture content reaches less than 12%.

ü Rejects: All pills smaller or larger than specified are returned for reprocessing to meet specification.

ü Testing: Preliminary testing of medicine meeting prescribed standards before packaging into aluminum bags. After packaging into aluminum bags, test according to establishment standards at the Hanoi City Testing Center, then pack into finished product boxes.

ü Packaging: Pack 6 g of medicine in 1 aluminum bag meeting facility standards, then pack 12 aluminum bags into a hard paper box. Pack 50 or 100 finished hard paper boxes into a carton.

ü Warehousing. Complete warehousing procedures.

b.4 Antha- TD (treatment of insomnia)

·Preliminary processing

Passion flower, Adenosma, Voi buds, lotus plumule, stevia (each separately): remove impurities, wash clean, sun-dry until crisp, and roast until fragrant. Grind, crush, remove the fiber, and sieve through a No. 1400 sieve (coarse powder).

·Preparation (processing) of the finished product

ü Weighing and mixing the double powder: All medicinal materials preliminarily processed into coarse powder (passed through a No. 1400 sieve) are weighed according to the formula and mixed in a dry powder mixer for 30 minutes per batch.

ü Drying: Place the finished medicinal powder in a dryer at 60°C – 70°C for 4 hours to sterilize and reach the required moisture. Usually after drying, the moisture content reaches 3–4%. Then blend in lotus fragrance.

ü Testing: Perform preliminary testing; only package the medicine after it meets the prescribed standards.

ü Storage: Pack in PE bags and keep in a dry place, protected from moisture and mold.

The traditional medicine (TM) treatment knowledge of the family of physician Nguyễn Tiến Phúc in Phú Diễn ward, Hanoi, is of high value, mainly focusing on inheriting and developing family remedies specifically used to treat a number of chronic diseases.

The core values of this knowledge include:

a.   Specialized traditional medicine value (specific remedies):

The most notable value is that Mr. Phúc's family has inherited and promoted precious remedies with high specificity and stable treatment efficacy, tested over many generations:

- Treatment of digestive diseases: The core knowledge is specific remedies for stomach, duodenal, and colon pain. These are common diseases in modern society, and the use of TM helps treat the root causes and minimizes side effects compared with prolonged Western medicine.

- Treatment of musculoskeletal diseases: Family remedies for acute rheumatism and other bone and joint pain demonstrate seniority and experience in regulating meridians and eliminating wind-damp.

- Treatment of insomnia: The insomnia remedy shows that the family's knowledge is not limited to physical diseases but also includes mental issues, helping calm the spirit, nourish the heart, and bring the body back to balance.