現代醫學治療疾病是根據疾病診斷，而傳統中醫的治療依據「辨證論治」。前者忽略症狀的治療，後者忽略疾病的。目前許多疾病的診斷及治療已經建立了相當完備的準則，相較之下疾病的症狀治療相當闕如，還需更多的科學研究。近年來現代醫學界經常要求傳統醫學界提出「辨證論治」之學理背景與科學依據，因此中醫學者必須要面對「辨證論治」等的問題。所以我們以方劑治療氣喘為例，探討現代醫學與傳統醫學對病機及症後的認知異同，來探討辨證論治的觀點。
應用西醫疾病的病因診斷、病機及症候形成學，能將某種疾病（例如氣喘）的現代概念導入「辨證論治」之治療領域。如此中藥治療氣喘能有明確目標符合科學標準。我們以二項中藥治療氣喘的研究，探討東西醫學治病的準則。結果顯示中藥能改善西醫治療氣喘的症狀，和降低組織安、抗體、及嗜伊性白血球有相關性。這與現代醫學成功治療氣喘的改善氣喘症狀，和降低痰中嗜伊性白血球數目相符。總而言之，辨證論治藉著現代醫學的幫助，有助於達到更佳的病症改善

Modern medicine treats diseases based on allopathic diagnosis whereas traditional medicine on the syndrome differentiation. The former treatment tends to ignore to treat symptoms whereas the later, diseases. Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of many diseases have been well-established;
however, guidelines for treatment of different symptoms are still inadequate and need more scientific studies. In recent years, medical
profession often challenges the validity of traditional medicine and its scientific basis of ‘Syndrome Differentiation Theory’. Therefore, traditional medicine practitioners have to face different questions arose from “Syndrome Differentiation Theory’. Using herbal formula for asthma is an example to illustrate the similar and different perceptions between the
modern and traditional medicine in the aspect of mechanism of diseases and symptomology to discuss the viewpoint of syndrome differentiation.
The application of etiology, mechanism and symptoms of certain diseases such as asthma in modern medicine can bring the modern concept into the domain of syndrome differentiation theory in traditional medicine.
Thus, an objective and scientific standard can be achieved when using herbal medicine in treating asthma. Two studies of herbal medicine on asthma were discussed based on both guidelines from the traditional and
allopathic medicines. The results showed that herb formulas improved asthma symptoms and correlated well with the reduction of histamine,
IgE or eosinophils. This is consistent with current successful allopathic asthma treatment that improves symptoms and sputum eosinophil counts. In conclusion, syndrome differentiation theory may achieve a better symptom improvement with the help of modern medicine.