The Treatment of Cholecystitis and Cholelithiasis by Tibetan Medicine

Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis is one of the factors threatening human health. It is very important to find drugs for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Tibetan medicine is one of the traditional medical systems in China. It has rich experience in treating various diseases. This paper summarizes the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis through literature review of Tibetan medicine monographs, drug standards, Tibetan medicine, and prescriptions. In the Tibetan medicine system, 170 kinds of Tibetan medicine and 38 kinds of Tibetan prescriptions were found to treat cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Among them, there are 35 modern researches related to the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Their names, families, medicinal parts, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities are introduced in detail. These Tibetan medicines and prescriptions may be a precious gift of ancient Tibetan medicine to the world, and may also become potential drug candidates for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, metabonomics, and/or clinical trials can be used to confirm its medicinal value in the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, identify active compounds, clarify its potential mechanism of action, and clarify its toxicity and side effects. This article provides a new idea and source for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.