Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herb Uses Chinese Herbal Remedies

Ginkgo Biloba

With an estimated 30,000 flowering plant species, China possess a diverse and rich flora to form the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine. At least 5,000 of those plant species are used as medicinal plants in China, and many of those are used as food. The line between medicinal food and medicinal plants is blurry in China, as it is in all herbal traditions.

History In China, traditional medicine is a integral part of the culture going back at least 5,000 years. Soon after the revolution in China, in 1949 Mao Zedong ordered that the Chinese people strive to validate the efficacy of traditional remedies. This lead to the successful integration of TCM and modern Western style medicine that could serve as a role model for us here in the West, where the two systems are at odds. In the 1970s interest in herbal medicine began to reemerge and with it many Chinese herbal remedies began appearing on health food store shelves.

The acceptance of herbal medicine in the West owes a debt to the Asian cultures. Many Chinese medicinal plants are well known, most notably Panax ginseng and Angelica sinensis (dan-gui), which have counterpart species here in North America, American ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and angelica Angelica archagelica. Indeed American gardens are a rich source of Chinese medicinal plants, day lilies, chrysanthemums and peonies to name a few, however these plants are valued here only as ornamentals.

Principles TCM is a combination of energy theories, acupuncture, and herbal prescriptions. The Chinese system distinguishes between plants used as "drugs" and "herbs". While about 500 plants are used as official drugs, there are roughly 4,500 plants used in folk medicine by the people of the countryside. Root drugs are considered most important, followed by seeds and fruits, with leaf drugs considered least important.

Properties The four properties are cold, hot, warm, and cool. The general principle of treatment is to treat heat-syndrome conditions like fever with cold-natured drugs, and patients with cold-syndrome diseases with warm drugs.

Flavors The five flavors of TCM are sour, bitter, sweet, hot, and salty. Acrid(pungent or hot) has the function of expelling cold. Sour has an astringent function. Sweet has the ability to alleviate pain. Bitter drugs help to harden and dry tissue. Salty drugs are able to soften hard lumps, such as tumors. Some herb drugs have more than one flavor, the first or primary one is used to determine its uses.

Trends of herb functions There are four trends of drug functions: lifting, lowering, floating, and sinking. Diseases are also classified by direction, for instance a cough rises from bottom to top. In TCM the practice is to use a herb that moves in the opposite direction as the condition.

Attributive Channels These channels are the particular meridian, organ or group of organs in the body that the herb has a major effect on.

In Western herbalism, we often use 'simples', that is a single herb, to treat a condition. Chinese medicinal prescriptions often use 3 or more herbs and can consist of up to 50 or more herbs. These prescriptions are formulated using a complicated system of the monarch, or main herb, assistants and guide drugs. Because of this complexity, it is not possible for the home practitioner to get the full benefit of Chinese herbal drugs without guidance. In practice I recommend that those who wish to examine this ancient system of medicine do so under the guidance of a Chinese herbal practitioner. This will allow you to get the full benefit of an in person diagnosis, and a comprehensive treatment program that combines acupuncture treatment with herbal prescriptions.

The active chemical components of ephedra, or ma huang, the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine, are found in over the counter allergy and cold medications as over-the-counter decongestants.

Buy organic bulk herbs, spices, oils and teas at Mountain Rose Herbs Detail Astragalus Astragalus membranacous syn. A. propinquus The Chinese knowledge of the astragalus is much older than here in the West dating back at least 2,000 years. In traditional Chinese medicine (*TCM), astragalus is one of the 50 fundamental herbsand is used in numerous Chinese prescriptions in fu-zheng therapy. Fu-zheng refers to treating disease by either enhancing or promoting the defense mechanism or normalizing the central energy. It is considered sweet and mildly warm, tonifying of the qi. Detail Barberry, Common Berberis vulgaris L. Both Chinese goldthread (native to the mountains of Szechwan province in China) and the barberry known in Europe and North America are rich natural sources of berberine. Berberine is bright yellow and somewhat bitter, and has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine Detail Bitter Melon Momordica charantia The easiest place to find bitter melon is an Asian food market. Bitter melon can be taken in whole fruit form or as a momordica extract, tincture, or juice. The latter forms are most likely to be available from practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Detail Club Moss Lycopodium clavatum, An ingredient in the Traditional Chinese Medicine remedy Qian Ceng Ta, club moss has been used for centuries to treat fever and inflammation. More recently Qian Ceng Ta was found to contain a substance called huperzine a (HupA.) Hupezine A appears to shield brain cells from injury and it may be useful in treating strokes and epilepsy. Detail Codonopsis Root Codonopsis pilosula As a cooling herb, codonopsis is useful in any illness in which "spleen qi deficiency" a deficiency of digestive energies, is the underlying cause. Mountain Rose Herbs (2008-06-21) Detail Coptis Coptis chinensis Coptis is used in TCM, and is better known in Asia than in North American herbalism that relies on native herbs like goldenseal. Detail Corydalis Corydalis bulbosa Corydalis is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a pain reliever. Corydolis is a relative of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and according to Chinese research, Corydalis has an analgesic effect approximately 1 % that of the strength of opium. Mabey, Richard ,48 Detail Datura Datura spp Flowers and seed of Datura were used to treat skin eruptions, colds, and nervous disorders. It was mixed with cannabis in wine to use as a narcotic for surgical procedures. Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofman, Christian Ratcsch Plants of the Gods 1992 Detail Dong Quai Angelica sinensis For over two thousand years, since the writing of the Divine Husband's Classic of the Materia Medica, Chinese herbal medicine has used dong quai to help women return to their natural hormonal and emotional states after the accumulation of toxins and emotional injuries in the energy organ known as the liver. Mountain Rose Herbs (2008-16-06) Detail Ephedra Ephedra sinica Ma Huang has a 5,000 year history of use in Chinese medicine as an asthma treatment and is traditionally prescribed in TCM as an effective treatment of hay fever, edema, arthritis, colds, asthma, bronchitis and hives. Detail Epimedium Epimedium grandiflorum TCM practitioners use this herb used to increase the Yang energies, for instance, it would be used to enhance male sexual performance. Recent research has confirmed that Yin Yang Huo can increase sperm production and stimulate sexual desire. Detail Fo-Ti Root Polygonum multiflorum In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fo-ti is one of the herbs used to nourish the heart and calm the spirit. Do not however go to a Chinese herbalist and ask for fo-ti, for you will get only a curious look. The Chinese know the plant root as he-shou-wu. Over the centuries he-shou-wu's reputation has bordered on the mythical for its power to produce longevity, increase vigour, and promote fertility. Detail Ginger Zingiber officinale The Chinese names for ginger Gan-jiang dried ginger, and Sheg-jiang, fresh ginger, mean to defend, suggesting that ginger helps protect the body from cold. Pulverized fresh ginger applied as a poultice to the head two to three times a day was once used as a (Chinese)folk treatment for baldness, and fresh ginger rubbed on the affected area is a folk remedy for virtiligo. The juice squeezed from the fresh root has also been used in the treatment of burns. In modern China ginger is probably used in half of all Chinese herbal prescriptions. Chinese healers believe than even moderate amounts of ginger tea strengthen the lungs and the kidneys. Detail Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo biloba L. The earliest know reference to gingko is in the Chinese Materia Medica, in apx 2,800 B.C and the seeds and root have been used in TCM for thousands of years to combat mental decline. Detail Ginseng Panax ginseng In Chinese traditions, American ginseng is considered to be more yin, helping to reduce the heat of the respiratory and digestive systems. Asian ginseng is stronger and more yang, a heat raising tonic for the blood and circulatory systems, as understood in TCM. 1 Grades of ginseng. Not all ginseng is created equal. Wild ginseng, like many other herbs is preferred over cultivated varieties. Cultivated ginseng comes in two varieties, white and red. The red is cured by steaming which gives it its colour and reputedly a warmer nature than the white. Most Korean ginseng is of the red variety and is stronger or more yang in nature than that from China. 2 Detail Ginseng, Siberian Eleutherococcus senticosus Known in China as wu-jia-pi, eleuthero has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years, to balance vital energy and vitality and to treat respiratory and other infections. In traditional Chinese medicine, eleuthero is considered good for vital energy (qi/ch'i), used for sleeplessness with many dreams, lower back or kidney pain, deficiency of yang in the kidney or spleen, lack of appetite, and to enhance overall resistance to disease or stress. For treating rheumatoid arthritis and making muscles and bones strong, one prescription mixes wu-jia-pi with sweet rice wine. Detail Goji Berries Lycium barbarum A yin cooling tonic. Goji berries are valued in Chinese medicine and are used to strengthen the immune system, as a sexual tonic, improve vision, and as a liver and kidney tonic. Detail Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum In Traditional Chinese medicine, honeysuckle flowers are among the important herbs for clearing heat and relieving toxicity. Mountain Rose Herbs Detail Jasmine Jasminum officinale For centuries in Egypt, India and the Orient, only the privileged upper classes were permitted access to the precious oil known as an aphrodisiac Detail Jiaogulan Gynostemma pentaphyllum The Chinese named the plant xiancao, "herb of immortality, due to the long life spans of those in Southern China who consumed it. Jiaogulan received only passing mentions in the classical Chinese medical texts, that were written mainly from the perspective of central and northern China. Detail Kudzu Pueraria lobata In traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as gat-gun,ge gan, kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. TCM uses kudzu in treating the symptoms of high blood pressure such as headache and dizziness (although kudzu has little or no effect on blood pressure itself). Kudzu powder is also taken internally on a regular basis to prevent recurrences of colds sores, shingles, and genital herpes. Mountain Rose Herbs (2008-06-24) Detail Licorice Glycyrrhiza glabra In traditional Chinese medicine Gan-cao (licorice) is used in prescriptions for weak spleen and stomach energy, for coughs, sore throats, asthma, carbuncles, swelling with pain, sores with toxic matter, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, hysteria, and as a detoxicant for food or medicine poisoning, as well as to "mediate" or "harmonize" the poisonous character of toxic medicinal plants. Steven Foster and Yue chongxi . Herbal Emissaries Detail Maitake mushroom Grifola frondosa Traditional Eastern medicine valued maitake and other mushrooms as an adaptogen, an aid to balance out altered body systems to a normal level, especially the immune system Detail Motherwort Leonurus caridica L. Li Shi-zhen lists the uses of the seeds and herb in the 1596 Ben Cao Gang Mu. He noted that it helped to stimulate circulation, benefit the eyes, quiet the nerves, and regulate the menses, among other uses. Steven Foster Detail Oolong Tea Camellia sinensis Oolong tea was first produced in the Wuyi Mountains at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. Oolong (also spelt Wulong, or Wu Long) is literally 'black dragon' tea, but they say the name originally had nothing to do with dragons; rather, it was named after its discoverer Wu Liang. Detail Orange Citrus sinensis, C.Nobilus Bitter orange, Citrus aurantium, has been used for thousands of years in ancient Chinese medicine to treat used chest congestion and stimulate gastrointestinal functions. Detail Rehmannia Rehmannia glutinosa Three separately prepared products from the root are used as di-hunag. Sheng-di-huang, or dried rehmannia root, consists of freshly harvested roots that are baked slowly until nearly dry, then kneaded into round balls. Xian-di-huang, or fresh di-huang, consists of the crude root, newly harvested, and cleaned roots. Shu-di-huang, or prepared rehmannia root, refers to the dried roots that have been steamed to a black color, and then redried. Steven Foster and Yue chongxi Detail Reishi Ganoderma lucidum Cordyceps is another immune-modulating medicinal mushroom that possesses anti-tumor properties and stimulates tumor necrosis factor, a cytokine protein that destroys cancer cells. The name cordyceps in Chinese literally means "winter bug summer herb." It is an antlered fungus that grows in insect larvae, usually before the insect's cocoon is formed. Cordyceps relieves conditions that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) associates with the kidneys, including high cholesterol and ringing in the ears. The herb is an aphrodisiac that has been used as a cure for impotence. Detail Schisandra Schisandra chinensis Schisandra fruitis a very widely used male tonic and adaptogenic in China. Its Chinese name is wu-wei-zi, which means five taste fruits. Schisandra has an usually sour, sweet, bitter, warm, and salty taste, hence the name "five taste". The herb is considered balanced in TCM by virtue of this distribution of flavors. Detail Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora The root of a related species, Baikal skullcap(S.baicalensis) is used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve colds, fever, high blood pressure and insomnia among other problems. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that skullcap is most useful for draining fire from the upper burner, for patterns of symptoms including high fever, irritability, thick mucus, or hot sores and swelling. The herb is used to dry dampness from the stomach or intestines, treating any kind of digestive upset that stifling the urge to drink fluids or causes inflammation of the urinary tract. Skullcap also treats the symptoms of emotional excess rising in the body to cause blushing, flushing, irritability, or headache. Mountain Rose Herbs (2008-07-012) Detail Tea Camellia sinensis Chinese legend dates green tea back to 2737 BC. Green tea is currently being studied for its beneficial uses, and as a treatment for a number of different conditions and illnesses Detail White Peony Paeonia albiflora Chin-shao-yao refers to white flowered peony, Paeonia albiflora, Mu-sao-yao, which may be Paeonia officinalis in some cases. The plant is found growing wild, and is culitivated for its root which is much prized by Chinese doctors. It is used as a tonic, alterative, astringent and general remedy in the diseases of women. It is specially recommened in pregnancy. Peony is said to be anodyne, diuretic and carmative. It has special action upon the speen, liver, stomach and intestines and is prescribed in nosebleed, wounds and other hemorrhages. Tree peony or Mou-Tan, Paeonia moutan is known as the king of flowers. The bark of the root is the part used medicinally for fevers, colds, nervous disorders, hemorrhages, headaches and menstrual difficulties. Li Shih-Chen (Translated by F.Porter Smith & G.A. Stuart, M.D.Dover 1973) Chinese Medicinal Herbs (1578) Detail Yarrow Achillea millefolium In China, yarrow is used fresh as a poultice for healing wounds. A decoction of the whole plant is prescribed for stomach ulcers, amenorrhoea, and abscesses. Mabey, Richard ,40