Herbs Used In Chinese Medicine

Herbal medicine is an intimate part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Following diagnosis and initial treatment, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) will write an herbal formula for the patient to use.

Herbs are classified into three groups. The first group is "food herbs" and the other two groups are "medicinal herbs". Food herbs are used in Chinese medicine for general fortification, illness prevention and to maintain good health. Medicinal herbs are given to each patient based on the patient's constitution, medical condition and the environment in which he/she lives. Medicinal herbal therapy works well with acupuncture because it provides the nutritional support for the energy need to do the "re-programming" and "re-balancing" that is a part of acupuncture.

To understand the use of herbs in Chinese medicine, one has to understand "formulas". Formulas are based on principles, which contain four or more herbs. Very few Chinese herbs are used by alone. The reasons that are given for the use of combined herbs is that the combination benefits the affect on the secondary issue with the illness, prevents side effects by balancing out the effects of each herb, and to strengthen the total effect on the pathology of the illness. Each role in the formula has a role with a design much like the one for the monarchical form of government with a king or emperor at the top and ministers or deputies next, and last are assistants or adjutants. Each herb has a hierarchy of importance and a role to play in the healing process. Any herb can fill any of the necessary roles in the formula. The "King Herb" is the herb, which has the most direct effect on the imbalance/pathology. The "Minister Herb" is the one that is directed at the main imbalance/pathology and also to the secondary imbalance/pathology. The "Assistant herb" consists of three types of herb:

Helpful Assistant - which strengthens the effect of the King.

Corrective Assistant - which is used to reduce or eliminate the harsh or toxic effects of the King or the Minister herb.

Opposing Assistant - to decrease the effect that the King herb has when there is a complex combination of imbalances or pathologies.

There can also be a Guide, Envoy or Messenger Herb with the role to focus on actions of the other herbs in the formula to channel them to particular areas of the body.

Herbs are selected for the formula also based on a KMAG template of characteristics that include the herb temperature, 5 elements taste associated with the herb, direction of the herb and channels from which the herb enters that can affect the connected organs and regions of the body.

Herb temperature can be hot, warm, neutral, cool or cold. The 5 elements of taste are water, which is salty; wood, which is sour; fire, which is bitter; earth that is sweet and metal which is spicy. The direction of the herb can be up, down, outward or inward.

The use of Chinese medicinal herbs is complex and should not be undertaken except with the advice of a professional.