[Discussion on the complementation of different effects of acupuncture and Chinese drugs and clinical application]

Complementation of different effects of acupuncture and Chinese drugs generalizes not only the objective interrelations between acupuncture and Chinese drugs with varied actions when the two therapies are applied simultaneously but also the clinical therapeutic efficacy produced either by acupuncture or Chinese drugs singly. This view of complementation has been promoted on the basis of the understanding of the mechanism and efficacy of acupuncture and Chinese drugs as well as their interrelations concerning the different actions complementary most appropriately to one another in treatment of diseases. The presented view will be of theoretical value in working out the efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture and Chinese drugs applied at the same time and help the clinical doctors understand further the properties of actions of acupuncture and Chinese drugs so as to strengthen more specifically the integration of acupuncture with Chinese drugs and improve the clinical therapeutic effect.