SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) and Chinese Herb Study

• Introduction: The purpose of this limited study was to determine the benefits, if any, of using herbal preparations traditionally used for adrenal support and toning in the treatment of a steroid-dependent client diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. It was not my intent to replace or supplant standard allopathic treatment but rather to use herbs to support it. Using the frequency and severity of observed symptoms during the course of treatment I hoped to determine:
  
• If herbal support could play a role in reducing dependence on cortico-steroids
  
• If herbal support could adequately address the symptoms that frequently result in an increase of cortico-steroid dosage Background:Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (henceforth referred to as S.L.E.) is a multi-symptom, multi-organ connective tissue disease that primarily affects women of child-bearing age. SLE tends to run in families with l0% of sufferers reporting additional affected family members. It is l0 times more likely to afflict women than men and black women are at much greater risk than white women (l in 1000 for white women vs. 1 in 250 for black women). The reasons for this statistical difference are as enigmatic as the disease process itself. While no specific causative agent has been identified, the triggering of symptoms is thought to be multifactorial, with the following playing a part in the overall disease picture:
  
• genetics
• environmental factors
• immunologic response patterns

It is a disease that frequently alludes early diagnosis, hiding behind multiple vague symptoms that are easily explained away by both patient and health practitioner alike. While its presence is generally heralded by an acute flare-up of non-deforming arthritis in one or more joints, it can strike any organ in a variety of complex and sometimes baffling symptomatology.Diagnosis is made based upon observed symptoms and histological evidence of increased auto-immunological changes in the blood (i.e. increased FANA levels, increased T cell count, etc.). Prognosis for those afflicted with SLE varies greatly depending on the severity of the auto-immune response by the body and the organs afflicted, with most fatalities occurring as a result of acute kidney failure. It is a disease that can creep through the body for many years doing little more than disrupt normal activity or it can move with devastating speed, destroying vital organ tissues in the process.
The advent of modern corticosteroids (ie...prednisone, cortisone, et al...) has done much to improve and prolong the life of the average SLE sufferer. In the late l950's the expected life expectancy after diagnosis averaged 5 years, today's treatment regimens allow patients to survive in access of l0 years after diagnosis, with many achieving normal life spans. However, these potent pharmaceuticals are not without their drawbacks. Prolonged corticosteroid use, such as is employed in the treatment of advanced manifestations of SLE, frequently results in adrenal atrophy and immunological suppression of the body's defenses. Additionally, its long term usage frequently results in a variety of unpleasant side-effects including:

• mood swings
• depression
• generalized edema of body and face
• redistribution of body fat to the abdomen
• weight gain
• lethargy

Many of these symptoms can also be caused by the illness itself, which only adds to the health care professional's treatment dilemma.

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