Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese Herbal Medicine is distinct from other herbal traditions in that rarely, if ever, are herbs administered or dosed as a single entity. As a complex science derived from strategies first recorded over 2,000 years ago, herbs are prescribed in a specialized combination known as a formula. Strategically, formulas are designed to remediate from within a broader systemic perspective, and tailored to individual needs. Chinese Herbal Medicine may be used as a primary therapy, or in conjunction with acupuncture and other therapeutic modalities. Today, herbal formulas may be dispensed in a variety of forms—as raw herbs to be cooked down into tea, in granule form to be reconstituted in warm water, or in pill form.

One of the earliest known written records on herbal medicine is the Han Dynasty era (ca. 206 BC-220 AD) Shen Nong’s Classic of the Materia Medica.  The text actually represents the accumulation of herbal knowledge gained by anonymous authors throughout the previous millennia. The text contains reference to 364 entries of botanical (252), mineral (45) and zoological (67) substances, alongside details about preparation, categorization, dosage, toxicity, and the medicinal action of each herb. While the number of herbal constituents has increased ten-fold in our modern references, the basis of this systematic ordering of plant and animal life towards medical treatment remains consistent today.

Chinese Herbs should ONLY be taken under the supervision of a practitioner who is nationally certified in either Chinese Herbology or Oriental Medicine by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). Consideration of herb-drug interaction is critical, and patients must disclose a full account of their medications and supplements.

NOTE: A common association of Chinese herbal medicine is its use of “exotic” ingredients, like scorpions and snakes, and parts of endangered species like rhinoceros horns and tiger bones. In the U.S., federal law mandates that certain plant and animal derivative herbs have additional oversight to ensure that they are from sustainable sources. This includes adherence to the guidelines set forth by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The Chinese Herbal materia medica is far-ranging and flexible so that any ingredient that is unavailable or restricted by diet or ethical standards, can be substituted.