Chen Shuxia (1931-2023), Professor of Internal Medicine, former Chief Physician of Cardiology at Renji Hospital

Introduction

A dedicated and highly skilled physician shaped the history of integrated medicine at Renji Hospital, exemplifying the fusion of traditional Chinese and modern Western practices. With a solid foundation in Chinese medicine and a command of Western medical technology, she pioneered new treatments that achieved remarkable outcomes.

She once served in China’s remote, strategic inland regions, leading research in integrated medicine during a time of medical scarcity. There, she developed practical new therapies that brought hope and recovery to countless patients.

Throughout her career, she approached treatment like a precision tuner, skillfully blending Chinese and Western methods to create the most effective plan for each patient. She combined the therapeutic properties of herbal medicine with Western pharmaceuticals to formulate optimal regimens. Her continuous exploration and accumulated experience on this path advanced the entire field of medical science.

With patients at the center of her practice, she cared for every individual with profound dedication. She addressed their psychological needs, conveying a deep sense of kindness and respect for life.

Medical Journey

Born in 1931, Chen Shuxia attended Anhui Medical College, an institution with deep historical ties to Shanghai. Its predecessor, Southeast Medical College, was founded in Shanghai in 1926 and relocated to Anhui in 1949 as part of a national initiative to develop inland areas. It was renamed Anhui Medical College in 1952, and its first president was Professor Chen Bangdian, a former director of Renji Hospital.

Despite the challenges of her studies, Chen Shuxia early on recognized that combining traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western approaches represented the future of healthcare in China. In addition to mastering Western medical theory, she diligently deepened her knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, laying the groundwork for her future success.

In her studies and clinical work, she saw how the two systems could complement each other. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasized patient communication and individualized care, while Western medicine provided rigorous scientific diagnosis. She believed their integration could better serve patients’ health, so she focused on theory in her studies and on honing her practical skills in Chinese medicine during her clinical rotations.

After graduating in 1954, Chen Shuxia pursued advanced studies and was admitted to a research program at the prestigious Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Founded in 1956, the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine was one of the first of its kind in China and a leader in the field. Under its first president, the renowned physician Cheng Menxue, the college became a hub for medical innovation and integrated practices.

At the college, Chen Shuxia immersed herself in a rigorous routine of classes, practical work, and internships. She had access to cutting-edge knowledge in internal medicine and learned directly from clinical pioneers. During the day, she learned from renowned physicians, assisting them in their work; at night, she studied medical texts. She systematically documented diseases, case studies, and prescriptions, building a solid foundation for her future career.

In 1961, after completing her advanced studies, Chen Shuxia immediately began her clinical practice, starting her exploration of integrated therapies. In her early career, she continuously strengthened her foundation in Western clinical medicine while developing new treatments based on traditional Chinese medicine. She believed this integrated approach could not only improve cure rates but also reduce side effects and recovery times. She treated patients holistically, using Chinese medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, and modern medical methods, bringing effective relief to many. Her innovative approach earned praise from patients and peers alike, forging new paths in the field of integrated medicine.

Dedication to Gutian Hospital

Shanghai’s Gutian Hospital, located in a mountainous region of Anhui Province, was originally established as a comprehensive wartime preparedness hospital. Its primary mission was to provide medical care for workers in China’s strategic inland defense initiative and the local population.

In 1969, Gutian Hospital was formally established, with Renji Hospital playing a crucial role in its development. Hospital leaders and medical staff volunteered to work in this challenging region, embodying Renji Hospital’s ethos of compassionate and skilled care. They explored new models of healthcare, laying a solid foundation for the new hospital.

On July 5, 1969, Renji Hospital was tasked with constructing Gutian Hospital. A team led by Party Branch Secretary Chen Yicheng, including doctors Zhu Nankang and Tang Xiwei, was sent to Anhui to begin preparations. On June 23, 1970, a 19-member support team from Renji Hospital traveled to the mountain valleys of southern Anhui to begin providing medical care. By the end of 1970, 45 doctors from Renji Hospital had arrived, earning the respect of the local community through their dedication and expertise. The following year, 47 more staff members joined them.

Chen Shuxia, a leading figure in integrated medicine, fully committed to the mission, relocating her family to the remote hospital. For her, this was both a professional challenge and an inescapable responsibility.

At the time, the Ningguo Port Coal Mine was a vital production base, but the miners’ health was a serious concern. Many suffered from hypokalemia, a dangerous condition characterized by low potassium levels in the blood, which can cause life-threatening heart arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and fatigue.

To address this crisis, Chen Shuxia and her colleagues went directly into the mine shafts to treat the workers. The environment was dark, damp, and filled with the stale air of gas. The constant threat of danger made the miners’ work perilous, and Chen Shuxia felt the weight of her responsibility deeply. In these challenging conditions, she meticulously administered intravenous drips, staying with the miners to guard their health and safety. This close, on-site care fostered a deep, family-like bond between the medical staff and the miners, and the team from Renji Hospital significantly improved the safety and well-being of the workforce.

Due to its remote location and scarcity of medicine, high-fever influenza was another common and deadly threat. In this difficult environment, Chen Shuxia developed a unique treatment using Bupleurum injection, which achieved excellent results.

Bupleurum is a staple herb in traditional Chinese medicine known for its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. Chen Shuxia processed it into an injectable form, believing it could stimulate the body’s regulatory systems and stabilize the immune response. Through experimentation, she found it could rapidly alleviate symptoms of high-fever influenza, leading to quick recoveries. This treatment method was widely praised for its effectiveness.

Chen Shuxia documented her successful methods in research papers on the clinical application of Bupleurum injection. Her work, which detailed its therapeutic principles and effects, received high praise from the medical community and became a significant contribution to the field.

Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine

At Gutian Hospital, Chen Shuxia worked to refine the diagnostic and treatment methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She recognized that while TCM and Western medicine have distinct advantages and limitations, integrating them could create a more comprehensive and effective approach for various diseases.

In her in-depth study of cardiovascular diseases, Chen Shuxia observed that many patients continued to experience symptoms even after receiving standard Western medical treatment. She found that TCM’s holistic approach—focusing on enhancing the body’s self-healing abilities and improving internal physiological conditions—could effectively complement Western medicine and improve patient outcomes.

In practice, Chen Shuxia adopted a patient-centered approach, treating not only the disease but also communicating with individuals to understand their personal pain and needs. Her firm belief that a deeper integration of Chinese and Western medicine could better protect patients’ health and quality of life led to significant clinical results.

Furthermore, Chen Shuxia investigated the epidemiological link between lipoproteins and atherosclerotic heart disease. Her subsequent research largely focused on applying integrated Chinese and Western medicine to diagnose and treat conditions such as viral myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, coronary heart disease, and angina pectoris.

In the 1980s, Chen Shuxia analyzed 100 cases of old myocardial infarction. She published a groundbreaking study that connected TCM syndromes—Blood Stasis, Yin Deficiency, and Yang Deficiency—with specific physiological indicators like high/low-density lipoproteins, blood viscosity, platelet aggregation rate, and cardiac function.

This research explored the essence of these TCM syndromes through the lens of integrated medicine. In TCM, Blood Stasis refers to poor blood circulation, leading to clotting and impaired blood supply to the heart. This syndrome correlated with abnormal HDL/LDL levels, increased blood viscosity, and elevated platelet aggregation. Yin Deficiency, an imbalance in the body’s fluids, was linked to an increased platelet aggregation rate and decreased anti-factor VIII-related antigen. Yang Deficiency, a insufficiency of the body’s vital energy (yang qi), directly corresponded to decreased cardiac function and myocardial contractility.

Chen Shuxia’s work demonstrated a clear connection between these measurable biomarkers and TCM syndromes, allowing for a better understanding of a patient’s pathophysiology and guiding more personalized, comprehensive treatment plans.

In the 1990s, with the support of her hospital, Chen Shuxia began researching integrated treatments for severe viral myocarditis, a complex condition often triggered by viral infections like Coxsackievirus B. It causes inflammation and fibrosis of the heart muscle, leading to impaired function, heart failure, and fatal arrhythmias. As conventional treatments were often insufficient for severe cases, there was an opening for complementary TCM therapies.

From a TCM perspective, viral myocarditis falls under the category of “warm diseases,” causing symptoms like “palpitations” and “chest obstruction.” The treatment principle is to “support righteous qi and eliminate pathogenic factors”—strengthening the body’s innate defenses while clearing harmful influences like toxins and heat.

Chen Shuxia focused on the traditional herb Kushen (Sophora flavescens). Her team developed an extract, anti-Coxsackie injection (RSF), with 99.43% purity, to target Coxsackievirus B. In clinical trials, RSF effectively cleared the virus from the blood, significantly improved cardiac function, and outperformed the control group in alleviating symptoms like palpitations and arrhythmias. It also helped restore normal immune responses. This pioneering work earned Chen the second prize of the Golden Image Award at an international traditional medicine conference.

Entering the new millennium, Chen Shuxia continued her groundbreaking work on sophocarpine, a compound from Kushen. In 2004, she patented its use for the etiological treatment of Coxsackievirus B viral myocarditis. This was followed by a series of successful patents for its use against various viruses: coronavirus (2006), adenovirus and influenza B (2010), and Coxsackievirus A and B (2012). In 2013, she patented applications for viral dilated cardiomyopathy and respiratory diseases caused by Coxsackievirus B, vastly expanding the therapeutic potential of this traditional compound.

Even in her eighties, Chen Shuxia remained a passionate and tireless advocate for the integration of Chinese and Western medicine. Chen Shuxia passed away on January 4, 2023, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. Her fifty-year medical career yielded significant research breakthroughs and a wealth of clinical experience. Her dedication has set an example for future generations of medical professionals, inspiring them to explore the mysteries of traditional medicine and advance the field of integrated Chinese and Western medicine. Her contributions to the history of Renji Hospital are indelible.

Editor: Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn

Note: Chinese Sources from “The Path of Benevolent Medicine” which was published in 2024. It records 90 important medical figures in the history of Renji Hospital. Yewen Renyi (ShanghaiDoctor.cn) team was one of the major writers of the book and is authorized by Renji hospital to create English version on the website of ShanghaiDoctor.cn