Throughout human history up until current century,
herbal medicine has served as primary form of medical care. Herbal
medicine is a highly powerful method used to treat specific pathological
conditions. Each individual herb has different properties (hot, cold,
sweet, bitter, sour etc.) and enters into different channels. Herbal
preparation is usually composed of 6-14 herbs which work together. For
example a formula for a chronic dry cough condition will contain herbs
which will act to stop the cough as well as strengthen & moisten the
lungs.
There are more than three hundred herbs that are commonly used today in
herbal pharmacies and most of them have a history which goes back at least
2,000 years. In China & Japan a great number of scientific studies have
shown and documented the effectiveness of the herbs analyzing their active
components. There are several modern drugs which have been developed from
herbs, such as treatment for hepatitis made from schizandra fruits and
licorice roots.
Herbal preparations are prescribed according the unique individual Chinese
medical diagnosis for each patient. Very often the formulas may change
over the course of treatment as symptoms and conditions are changing. The
herbs can be used in conjunction with acupuncture treatments or alone. The
herbs come in different forms and can be taken as pills, capsules, powders
or decoctions (teas).
