Oriental Herbal Medicine
AN INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
© 1999 by Meret Bainbridge, L.Ac.
You may have been to Chinatown in Boston and browsed the
herb shops with
their rows of wooden drawers filled with a variety of
strange looking
substances and their displays of ginseng root, deer antlers
and medicinal
mushrooms. You may have noticed colorful bottles with
unpronounceable
names and descriptions in broken English in Asian grocery
stores. You may
even know that a local Maine farm exports deer antler to
China for
medicinal use!
If you check the supplement aisles at your health food store
or read
magazines on natural medicine, you probably have noticed
that more and
more Chinese herbs are now available as supplements. You
probably have
heard of ginseng for energy and "dong kwai" the "women's
herb", of
astragalus for immunity and maybe even of claims that he-shu-wu
(foti) can
return gray hair to its natural color.
If you have seen an acupuncturist as client, you were likely
given "herbs"
as tablets, powders, pills or crude herbs – you may have
been impressed by
the effects you felt or less impressed by the intensity of
the taste.
Most likely you have a lot of questions:
What are Chinese herbs? Where do they come from? How safe
are they? Do
they have side-effects? Can I take them with my prescription
medicine or
with vitamins, supplements or homeopathy? What training does
the
prescribing practitioner have? Is self-prescribing safe?
What's real about
their claims? Have they been researched? What do they cost?
And what is so
special about them anyway?This article attempts to answer some of your questions.
What is "special" about Chinese herbs?
Chinese herbal medicine has a long history of at least 2,500
years of
written accounts. It developed from folk medicine into a
complex medical
system that shares its theoretical background, its diagnosis
and treatment
plans with acupuncture and other branches of Chinese
medicine.
Of all professional medical systems still practiced today in
the world
Chinese medicine has the longest continuous history. It is
also important
to note that Chinese herbal medicine has developed a
complete system of
classification of medicinal substances describing their
therapeutic
qualities that is unequaled by any other herbal practice of
other
cultures.
What is special about Chinese herbs for you is that –
because Chinese
medicine treats the whole person and not the disease – each
prescription
will be matched exactly to your condition and needs!
What are Chinese herbs?
The term "herbal" medicine is actually not quite correct.
Although about
80 % of the medicinal substances used are of plant origin,
another 16 %
are animal substances and 4 % are derived from minerals. The
newest
Chinese "Materia Medica" (the complete listing of medicinal
substances),
compiled in 1977, lists a total of 5,767 substances. Of
these, about 300
are widely used with 150 of them considered indispensable
for a
well-stocked pharmacy. Not all of these substances are
native to China,
about 20 % were introduced through trade from other Asian
countries, India
(e.g. frankincense and myrrh) or the Americas (e.g. American
ginseng).
Where do Chinese herbs come from and how are they grown?
Chinese herbs coming to the US are grown primarily in China
or Taiwan or
other Asian countries. The Chinese have developed refined
methods of
cultivation for large yields of high quality herbs. Contrary
to common concerns, Chinese herbs are usually grown organically
(pesticides only
work for more cultivated plant species and are not
affordable for Chinese
farmers) and generally not irradiated.
Some raw materials are grown outside of China, imported for
processing and
may be exported again.
What about animal substances? I'm a vegetarian!
There has been some controversy regarding the killing of
endangered animal
species and their trade on the black market (e.g. tiger
bone, rhino horn),
but such substances are excluded from import to the US and
their use would
be considered unethical by American practitioners. With the
vast number of
substances available, substitutions can easily be made (e.g.
buffalo horn
for rhino horn).
The same applies for substituting plant materials for animal
materials for
clients who object to the ingestion of animal parts. A
responsible
practitioner will disclose ingredients and get the client's
approval
before mixing a prescription.
How are Chinese herbs being taken?
The classic way of ingesting Chinese herbs is to make a
decoction from raw
dried materials. This means that the herbs are cooked at a
low boil for a
long time and then drunk as a tea. This is a very potent,
although tedious
and time-consuming method. And Americans often object to the
strong taste.
A popular form that maintains the versatility and potency of
decoctions,
but is convenient to take and usually better tasting are
extract granules.
They are dried (dehydrated) decoctions that come as a gritty
powder that
is mixed with hot water to make an instant drink. They come
both as
premixed formulas and single herbs.
In addition, commonly used formulas from both classical and
modern
prescriptions are available as tablets, pills, powders,
liquid extracts,
syrups, medicinal wines, herbal plasters and liniments.
Can I just pick up something in Chinatown or at the health
food store?
Chinese "patent medicines", found in Chinatown or Asian
grocery stores,
are readily available over-the-counter and very inexpensive.
A number of
problems have been associated with them such as incorrect
labeling,
undisclosed addition of pharmaceuticals, illegal import and
contamination
with heavy metals. Recently the FDA has tightened controls.
The
professional community monitors their manufacturing and
trade. Many
practitioners, including me, use them selectively.
Chinese herbs found in health food stores frequently come as
single herbs
or as tinctures, both of which is "non-traditional". They
can be very
helpful, however, they may be contraindicated for your
condition and have
potential side effects with long-term use. In case of doubt
or for a
complex condition check with a trained practitioner.
Why do many Chinese herbs taste so bitter?
The active ingredients of Chinese herbs are frequently roots
and barks
compared to the leaves and flowers that are dominant in
Western herbal
teas. They need to be cooked for a long time to extract the
active
ingredients. However, because the strongest medicinal
ingredients are
found in roots and barks, Chinese herbs tend to be much more
potent.
How does the practitioner pick the right herbs for me?
Chinese medicine diagnosis is made based on "discrimination
of patterns of
disharmony". The practitioner will take a thorough health
history, ask
questions regarding all body functions, feel the wrist
pulse, look at the
tongue and palpate certain body areas. The various findings
are combined
into a composite diagnosis regarding which body systems are
in disharmony,
based on Chinese medical theory. All medicinal substances as
well as foods
are classified and described according to several
categories, e.g. their
flavor, their energetic temperature and their therapeutic
properties.
Why are Chinese herbs combined instead of being given
individually?
Chinese herbs are usually combined into a "formula" of two
to twenty
different substances. They are combined in such a way that
they enhance
each other's beneficial effects and eliminate potential side
effects.
In addition, complex conditions or a variety of problems can
all be
addressed with just one formula instead of various different
supplements.
Both the symptoms and the underlying pattern of imbalance
can be treated
with the same formula.
Hundreds of "classical" formulas have been described in the
literature
that were composed by famous doctors. A practitioner can
select one that
fits that client closely and, if needed, can also modify it
by adding or
subtracting ingredients and adjusting dosages. The result
will be an
individually matched prescription.
What is the training for Chinese herbal medicine in the USA?
Chinese herbal medicine in the United States was long
practiced in Asian
immigrant communities, while acupuncture colleges have added
herbal
programs only for the past decade or so. A majority of
colleges now offer
herbal training with a minimum of 450 hours, which is
prerequisite for
taking the national certification exam in herbology given by
the National
Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine (NCCAOM).
While the NCCAOM acupuncture exam is standard requirement
for licensing in
most states, the herbal exam is only mandatory in a few. It
is not
required in Maine, therefore many practitioners may not have
opted to take
this exam, although they have the required training. Those
who have passed
the exam have earned the title Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM),
Diplomate of Chinese
Herbology of the NCCAOM.
A number of acupuncture colleges offer an herbal track only
as elective.
Some older practitioners who studied acupuncture before
herbal programs
were introduced have taken short postgraduate programs of
150 or less
hours. So make sure to inquire regarding herbal training
when seeking out
a practitioner.
"Prescribing" of Chinese herbs is not limited to licensed
acupuncturists;
other health professionals may recommend Chinese herbal
supplements, and
health food stores offer them over-the-counter for
self-prescribing.
Although this may be helpful for day-to-day problems, for
more complicated
or chronic conditions I strongly advise that you consult
with a trained
and qualified practitioner.
Are Chinese herbs being researched?
Since the Chinese revolution and the founding of the
people's republic the
body of medicinal substances has been subject to chemical
analysis and
ongoing research on medical efficacy. New therapeutic
effects have been
discovered based on this research and many traditional herbs
are now being
used for contemporary diseases like high blood pressure,
diabetes, cancer,
Aids and many more.
Are Chinese herbs toxic and do they have side effects?
If Chinese herbs are prescribed by a qualified practitioner
and the
formula matches the pattern, they are virtually without side
effects. Most
Chinese medicinals have very low toxicity. Toxic parts of
plants are
removed or processed to eliminate toxicity. Herbs with
potential side
effects are combined appropriately and given in small doses
only (e.g. Ma
Huang or Ephedra, a very controversial herb due to its abuse
in overdose
for weight loss is very safe in the dosage and combination
within a
Chinese herb formula).
The most common side effect may be some bloating because of
the cloying
nature of tonic herbs. This can easily be corrected by
adding digestive
herbs into the prescription.
Can I take Chinese herbs with my vitamins or homeopathic
remedies?
Herbs may be combined with other supplements, although many
herbs have
some nutritional value and you may find that you may not
need as many
vitamins. Some American supplements combine vitamins &
minerals with
Chinese herbs for particular needs.
From a Chinese medical viewpoint, herbs can safely be taken
along with
homeopathic remedies. The therapeutic strategy used is very
different, so it
may be better to choose one approach and stick with it.
Chinese herbs are
more natural – and in my bias much more nourishing.
Can children take Chinese herbs?
Yes, in reduced dosage. Special prepared medicines for
children in smaller
sized tablet form are available.
What do Chinese herbs treat and when are they indicated?
Chinese herbs treat the full range of human illnesses. An
acupuncturist
will use herbs to enhance the acupuncture treatments on an
individual
basis.