Chinese Herbal Medicine

The medicinal properties of some plants were discovered accidentally thousands of years ago and since then Mankind has actively sought out these plants.

Every herb has its own properties which include its energy, its flavour, its movement and its related meridians to which it connects. It includes four natures and five flavours that have the effects of lifting, lowering, floating or sinking meridian tropism and toxicity.

The combination of herbs prescribed depends completely on the symptoms and the imbalance in a person's energy.

Usually cold or cool herbs will treat fever, thirst, sore throat and general heat diseases. Hot or warm herbs will treat cold sensation in the limbs, cold pain and general cold diseases. Pungent herbs are generally used to induce perspiration and promote circulation. Sweet herbs relieve pain and slow the progression of acute diseases; harmonise other herbs or reduce toxicity and provide nourishing deficiency. Sour herbs constrict, obstruct and solidify. These herbs are good to stop perspiration or diarrhoea for example. Salty herbs soften hardness, lubricate intestines and drain downward. These herbs are used to treat hard stool with constipation or hard swellings as in diseases like goiter. Bitter herbs induce bowel movement; reduce fevers and hot sensations, re-direct rebellious Qi, dry dampness and clear heat. They can also nourish the kidneys and are used to treat damp diseases.

After a herb is absorbed by a patient it can move in 4 directions:

1. Upward towards the head,
2. Downward towards the lower extremities,
3. Inward toward the zang-fu organs or
4. Outward towards the superficial regions of the body

Upward movement herbs are used for falling symptoms like prolapsed organs. Downward moving herbs are used to push down up surging symptoms like coughing and vomiting. Outward moving herbs are used to induce perspiration and treat superficial symptoms that are moving towards the interior of the body. Inward moving herbs induce bowel movements and promote digestion

Today, there are over 450 substances commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine - most are of plant origin though some animal and mineral substances may also be used. You may find some in your kitchen, such as ginger, garlic and cinnamon, while others such as chrysanthemum and peony flowers, are more likely to be found in your garden! Many of the substances used will be unfamiliar to you and have names like chai hu (bupleurum), di huang (rehmannia), and huang qi (astragalus). Some substances that were used traditionally are no longer part of modern professional Chinese herbal medicine practice. For example, other substances with similar actions have replaced traditional remedies that are derived from endangered species.

Chinese herbal medicines are prescribed either singly or made into formulae that take into account the individual therapeutic action of each herb and well as the effects when combined together. A well-constructed formula maximises the effectiveness for treating a particular condition, while counteracting and minimising the unwanted effects of an individual herb. Sometimes this correlates directly with a western medical diagnosis but mostly not. For example six people may have a western diagnosis of peptic ulcer, but depending if pressure makes it worse or better, heat helps or cold does, whether eating makes it better or worse. These things will depend on which Chinese medicine diagnosis they are given and which formula of herbs which could be any of six different formula

In addition to providing effective treatment for a wide range of health disorders, Chinese herbal medicine may also be used to assist with general health maintenance and disease prevention. By strengthening and enhancing normal body functions, the immune system is boosted and a general sense of well-being promoted.