• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2024

Objectives : Human body keeps balance through the interaction of various organs, especially the lungs and kidneys are closely connected in maintaining health and preventing disease. This study explores how the lungs and kidneys interact in terms of breathing and fluid balance and aims to find common ground between Eastern and Western medical practices. Methods : Similar explanations related to the interaction between the lungs and kidneys in the physiology and pathology of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) and biomedicine were compared. Results : In breathing, the lungs and kidneys work together by adjusting abdominal pressure with the diaphragm and maintaining acid-base balance, and hormones and enzymes secreted from the kidneys significantly affect lung function. This process corresponds to the concept of TKM that the kidneys control the reception of qi (腎主納氣). For fluid balance, the lungs help manage fluid levels through evaporation and sweating, interacting with the kidneys via the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS), ACE, ACE2 enzymes, and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This is similar to the theory in TKM that the lungs regulate human fluid (肺主通調水道). Conclusions : This research shows that by looking at the same physiological and pathological processes from different angles, we can reduce misunderstandings between Eastern and Western medicine. It helps improve the understanding of TKM's theories and supports building a unified framework for both medical traditions. Future work should focus on developing compatible theoretical systems across these fields.