藏象理论认为“肺主气司呼吸，主宣发肃降”，如何将中医药理论与现代生理和病理学相结合，用现代科学诠释中医药理论一直是被关注的焦点。研究发现“宣肺解表”药物中存在着与肾上腺素受体信号转导相关的药效物质；而肺主宣发“宣散浊气、转输精微、宣发卫气、助心行血”的内涵又与肾上腺素受体调控的交感神经节后纤维所支配的效应器官的生理功能相吻合。围绕“肺主宣发”与肾上腺素受体及其信号通路之间的关联性进行论述，通过对“宣肺解表”在现代生物学理论上的演绎，旨在揭示其生理病理的分子机制与中药药效物质基础的具体关联，希望能更有效地发挥中医藏象理论对现代药物研发的指导作用。同时通过深入研究肺主宣发的理论，对于应用中医治肺理论指导由于环境、气候、生活方式等改变而导致的各种疑难疾患的防治以及临床治疗有着重要意义。

Visceral manifestation theory is that lung dominates Qi, breath, and governs ascent and dispersion. How to combine the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with the modern physiology and pathology in modern scientific interpretation has been the focus of attention. Previous study found that most of the ventilating lung and releasing exterior drugs contained the pharmacodynamic substance related to adrenergic receptor (AR) signal transduction. The connotation of “lung governing ascent”, such as controlling breath movement, transferring nutrients, spreading heat to regulate temperature, helping the heart to control blood circulation, coincided with the physiological function of the organ dominated by the AR-regulated sympathetic postganglionic fibers. Therefore, the hypothesis of “lung governing ascent” is closely related to AR pathway signal transduction. The correlation between the molecular mechanism of the modern physiology and pathology and pharmacodynamic substance basis was evaluated and expounded by the deduction of pulmonary modern biological theory based on ventilating lung and releasing exterior in this paper. So the guidance on the theory of visceral manifestation in TCM for the research and development of modern drugs should be expected fully. Ultimately, the application of lung governing ascent principle will be a profound meaning to guide the prevention and clinical treatment for a variety of refractory diseases caused by the change of environment, climate or lifestyle.

国家自然科学基金资助项目（81173638，81001682）；教育部高等学校博士学科点专项科研基金项目（20120031110042）