Here in the U.S., Chinese herbal medicine is thought of as alternative medicine, yet for many people throughout the world, Chinese herbal medicine is their primary form of health care. Chinese herbal medicine may be used alone or in combination with acupuncture, movement therapy, meditation, diet therapy, therapeutic massage, or in combination with biomedical treatments. Chinese herbal medicine treats conditions ranging from acute to chronic, and all points in between. In our modern Chinese herbal medicine clinic we frequently see patients with flus and common colds, musculo-skeletal complaints, infertility, GYN concerns, insomnia, stress-conditions and any number of intractable, chronic illnesses.
Rooted in History
Documented
evidence of herbal medicine use appears in literature and archeological
evidence dating back more than 3000 years in China. Over the years Asian
doctors recorded their treatment formulas and developed medical
theories for illnesses they encountered. These medical theories and
practice are documented in a canon of Chinese medical texts.
Chinese medicine continues to receive the benefits of the rich body of
historical literature written by Asian physicians.
Materia Medica
Beyond
its literature, the practice of Chinese herbal medicine depends upon
the development of an encyclopedia of medicinal substances, an herbal
pharmacopoeia or materialmedica, in which each substance is carefully
categorized according to its characteristics and actions. There are
over 10,000 substances in the current Chinese material medica. Most
herbalists, however, use about 200 "herbs" in the formulas they
prescribe. Many Chinese herbal substances are highly processed and no
longer resemble their original forms. Thees materials are processed in a
variety of ways that alter the functions and chemical components of
that material. For example, substances may be boiled for hours, fried
in vinegar, or calcined (charred). Although we refer to Chinese "herbal
medicine," the materials in the Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia are only
80% plant-based; plant substances include roots, rhizomes, bark, fruit,
flowers, etc. The remainder of the pharmacopoeia is mineral or animal
in origin.
Substances in the materia medica are described and organized by various
properties: organs, taste, temperature, function and effects.
An Evolving Medicine
The
basic practice of Chinese herbal medicine has changed little over time:
patients are observed, palpated, an intake interview is done, and a
diagnosis developed. While rooted in empirical medical traditions,
Chinese medicine has always evolved and incorporated new ideas. Today,
when determining a diagnosis and creating an herbal formula, a
patient's biomedical diagnoses and lab results are taken into
consideration. Once the herbalist diagnoses a patient according to
traditional Chinese medical theories and considers biomedical concerns,
a treatment plan is created. As part of this treatment plan a
combination of substances (referred to as an herbal formula) is chosen.
Depending on the treatment goals, Chinese herbal medicine is
administered in many forms: methods of administration include water
decoction (tea) made from boiling herbs, concentrated herb powders
which are mixed with teas or hot water, pills, tinctures, external-use
plasters and topical herb creams. Regardless of the form administered,
Chinese herbs are rarely used alone but are combined into formula based
on combinations of classical and modern prescriptions and commonly
include 6 to 14 medicinal substances. Most conditions can be treated
with powdered herb concentrate, a powder that the patient stirs into
hot water to make a tea.
Indian & Chinese Herbal Medicine
Over the centruries, many substances have been added to the Chinese
materia medica and incorporated into clinical practice. Notably,
threre is considerable overlap in substances appearing in
both traditional Indian and Chinese materia medica. These
"herbs" were added to clinical practice as trade routes expanded
connecting East and Southern Asia. Both traditional Chinese and
Indian medicines (Ayurveda) describe the properties of herbs in terms
of energetics, in contrast to Wester herbalism which explains their
effects as chemical actions on phyical body tissues alone.