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Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine ›› 2006, Vol. 4 ›› Issue (2): 152-155.doi: 10.3736/jcim20060209

• Original Clinical Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation of therapeutic effects of Chinese materia medica by tongue image analysis software 1.0 based on tongue colors

Feng-lan Zhu1, Chao Gu1, Zhi-feng Zhang2, Chang-le Zhou3, Jia-tuo Xu2, Xiao-gu Liu2, Wen-shu Li4, Hui-qing Zhu1   

  1. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Taicang First People’s Hospital, Taicang, Jiangsu Province 215400, China
    2. School of Basic Medical Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
    3. School of Computer and Information Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361005, China
    4. School of Computer Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310027, China
  • Online:2006-03-20 Published:2006-03-15

Objective

To evaluate the therapeutic effects of Chinese materia medica in treating patients with different syndromes by tongue image analysis software 1.0 based on tongue colors, and to discuss the feasibility of applying this computer science-based techniques into drug evaluation.

Methods

The tongue colors and the areas of tongue fur were examined and analyzed by the tongue image analysis software 1.0 in healthy persons and the patients with different syndromes before and after treatment. The parameters of tongue colors consisted of the followings: the hue (H), the lightness (L), the saturation (S), and the values of red (R), green (G) and blue (B).

Results

Obvious differences could be revealed in tongue color index between the healthy persons and the patients in five groups of different syndromes. There also existed some significant differences in those index between patients before and after treatment.

Conclusion

The tongue image analysis software 1.0 based on tongue colors is helpful to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Chinese materia medica.

Key words: Tongue color, Image processing, Computer-assisted, Chinese materia medica, Drug evaluation, Treatment outcome

CLC Number: 

  • R241.25

Table 1

Comparisons of tongue colors among normal control group and five groups of different syndromes before treatment (ヌ±S)"

Group n R G B H L S
Normal control 51 115.41±10.74 168.41±11.33 114.83±10.44 2.11±0.06 146.51±10.49 0.15±0.02
Syndrome of blood stasis 41 119.92±11.81 171.12±11.22 118.02±11.07 2.12±0.07 149.72±10.92 0.14±0.02
Syndrome of deficiency of both heart and spleen 22 109.53±10.64*△■ 164.11±12.83 116.03±18.49 2.21±0.30* 142.33±11.42 0.16±0.04*
Syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yin 20 109.52±9.93*△■ 168.79±9.50 105.41±10.03*△▲ 2.01±0.06 143.81±9.09△■ 0.18±0.03*△▲
Syndrome of excessive heat of stomach and intestine 20 100.63±13.88* 157.71±12.05* 102.72±13.24*△▲ 2.12±0.13 134.29±12.29*△▲ 0.18±0.03*△▲
Syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yang 22 115.54±10.52 167.13±13.27 115.81±8.93□■ 2.13±0.06 145.81±11.67 0.14±0.02□■

Table 2

Comparisons of tongue colors among five groups of different syndromes before and after treatment (ヌ±S)"

Group n R G B H L S
Syndrome of blood stasis
Before treatment 41 119.91±11.81 171.11±11.22 118.02±11.07 2.11±0.07 149.71±10.92 0.14±0.02
After 2 weeks of treatment 41 118.52±14.51 171.62±13.80 116.41±13.73 2.13±0.05 149.52±13.70 0.15±0.02
After 4 weeks of treatment 41 117.41±14.80 170.61±14.41 116.13±14.6 2.14±0.06 148.54±14.30 0.15±0.02
Syndrome of deficiency of both heart and spleen
Before treatment 22 109.52±10.64 164.12±12.83 116.04±18.49 2.23±0.30 142.31±11.42 0.16±0.04
After 2 weeks of treatment 22 106.72±9.02 162.02±9.70 109.02±9.91 2.12±0.08 139.42±9.00 0.16±0.02
After 4 weeks of treatment 22 103.64±11.20 160.01±11.13* 105.61±10.83 2.14±0.06 136.91±10.82 0.17±0.02
Syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yang
Before treatment 22 115.52±10.52 167.12±13.27 115.81±8.93 2.11±0.06 145.82±11.67 0.14±0.02
After 2 weeks of treatment 22 111.41±12.51 164.62±12.61 111.03±11.40 2.11±0.06 142.62±12.20 0.15±0.02
After 4 weeks of treatment 22 109.64±12.71 162.13±12.61 108.61±10.90* 2.11±0.06 140.31±12.20 0.15±0.02
Syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yin
Before treatment 20 109.50±9.93 168.81±9.50 105.41±10.03 2.01±0.06 143.82±9.09 0.18±0.03
After 2 weeks of treatment 20 117.11±12.60* 173.62±13.02 113.02±9.52* 2.02±0.07 149.81±12.31 0.16±0.02*
After 4 weeks of treatment 20 119.44±10.20* 176.31±11.23* 115.92±8.80* 2.01±0.07 152.44±10.32* 0.16±0.02*
Syndrome of excessive heat of stomach and intestine
Before treatment 20 100.62±13.88 157.71±12.05 102.72±13.24 2.12±0.13 134.32±12.29 0.18±0.03
After 2 weeks of treatment 20 110.73±15.52* 166.62±14.81* 109.02±16.41 2.11±0.08 143.34±14.91* 0.17±0.03

Table 3

Changes of tongue fur areas in syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yin group and syndrome of excessive heat of stom-ach and intestine group before and after treatment (ヌ±S)"

Group n Tongue fur area /
tongue area (%)
Syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yin
Before treatment 20 26.76±26.45
After 2 weeks of treatment 20 30.62±25.06
Syndrome of excessive heat of stomach and intestine
Before treatment 20 56.53±20.85
After 2 weeks of treatment 20 39.42±21.64**
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