Chinese herbal therapy accounts for the majority of treatments in traditional Chinese medicine. There are more than 13,000 varieties of Chinese herb specimens in clinical practice. Over 90% are plants, including flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, twigs, barks, peels or roots. Herbs are handled and processed in different ways such as steaming, roasting, baking, annealing, rinsing, soaking and boiling with different results. In practice, herbs are used mainly in a form of formula which tailored to each individual patient. There are over 100,000 herbal formulas recorded in the ancient literature.
In Chinese medicine, herbs have four different properties and five distinct tastes. They have ascending, descending, floating or sinking therapeutic effects within the human body. The ascending and floating herbs have an upward and outward effect and are used for activating vitality, including sweats and dispelling exogenous pathogens; while the descending and sinking herbs, having a downward and inward effect, are used for tranquilizing,, causing contractions and so on.
The longstanding use of Chinese herbs proves that they are highly effective, cost efficient, have no toxicity, and little to no side effects. Now many herbs can be obtained in the form of tablets, granules, capsules and injections as well as in bulk for home brewing.
In Chinese medicine, herbs have four different properties and five distinct tastes. They have ascending, descending, floating or sinking therapeutic effects within the human body. The ascending and floating herbs have an upward and outward effect and are used for activating vitality, including sweats and dispelling exogenous pathogens; while the descending and sinking herbs, having a downward and inward effect, are used for tranquilizing,, causing contractions and so on.
The longstanding use of Chinese herbs proves that they are highly effective, cost efficient, have no toxicity, and little to no side effects. Now many herbs can be obtained in the form of tablets, granules, capsules and injections as well as in bulk for home brewing.
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Common Conditions Treated by Chinese Herbs：
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