Diabetes is caused by the metabolism disorder of the sugar, fat and protein due to the relative or absolute lack of insulin. Its main feature is hyperglycemia and high glycosuria. Clinically, it is manifested as frequent urine, frequent drinking, frequent eating, fatigue, emaciation syndromes or even other serious syndromes like ketoacidosis. The disease belongs to "Diabetes" in TCM. For the disease, deficiency is principal and the feverish secondary aspect of this disease. Based on the clinical symptoms, there is special emphasis on three sources of traditional diseases.

Diabetes involving the upper-jiao pertains to the dryness of the lung; Diabetes involving the middle-jiao pertains to heat of the stomach; Diabetes involving the lower-jiao pertains to the deficiency of the kidney. The persistence of this disease may cause yin deficiency affecting yang. The syndromes of qi and yin deficiency, and deficiency of yin and yang can often be seen. The treatment should include heat clearing and lung nourishing, stomach fire clearing, and yin supplementing and kidney nourishing.