Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common chronic complications of diabetes

and one of microvascular complications. Modern medical studies have not defined the pathogenesis

and generally believed that high blood sugar-induced oxidative stress plays a key role. Modern medicines for hypoglycemic

nutrition

improving microcirculation

inhibiting sorbitol production and resisting oxidation have showed a certain clinical curative effect. However

here is still no effective method to treat stubborn painful neuropathy

which could still be relieved with analgesic drugs. In recent years

traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made great progress in clinical treatment of the disease

with further researches on the mechanism of action of TCM. Nearly 10 years of literatures were retrieved to summarize the etiology and pathogenesis

syndrome type differentiation

specially designed medicine

TCM combined with western medicine

combination of acupuncture with medicine and experimental researches. According to the studies

TCM believes that this disease belongs to a ‘collateral disease’

and mainly treated with therapies for tonifying Qi and Yin

warming Yang

promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis

and dredging collaterals

and combination of internal and external treatment could show the multi-target effect. But the current researches mostly focused on a specific prescription or medicine

and paid more attention to observation indexes in blood sugar

blood fat

superoxide dismutase (SOD)

malondialdehyde (MDA)

and nerve conduction velocity than the molecular and cellular indexes. Therefore

how to define the mechanism of action of TCM in treatment of DPN and conduct concentration-response relationship and toxicology researches by using modern technologies under the guidance of TCM theory is a key problem to be solved.