Chinese Herbal Medicine- A thousand Year old Tradition

Herbal medicine in China has evolved over thousands of years with the oldest records of individual herbs and herbal formulas dating back to the second century BC. Herbs, animal components and minerals have been applied to a wide range of conditions and their combined properties and effects have been studied.

A milestone in Chinese herbal medicine was the classification of 347 substances in the compilation of the Materica Medica or Ben Cao Gang Mu, written in the 16th century by Li Shizhen. The knowledge gathered in this writings still forms the basis of Chinese phytotherapy today because it includes more than 4,000 herbal formulas and also the first classification according to taste, thermal properties and reference to meridians.

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Herbs are classified into different classes based on the basic principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine:

5 flavors: sweet, bitter, sour, salty and hot / spicy

Various plants can also have multiple flavors. Each of the five flavors is related to one Zàng organ and the according element. In addition, it is assumed that each flavor has a special therapeutic effect. For example, the sweet taste is considered to be strengthening and nourishing and is related to the Zàng organ of the Spleen and the Earth element.

4 Thermal characteristics: hot, warm, cool, cold or neutral

Depending on the underlying condition and diagnosis, the thermal properties of the herbs are used for heating or cooling the body. Because herbs are commonly used in combination, different herbs can regulate or enhance their thermal effects.

Relation to Meridians and Zàng-Fu Organs

Each plant usually acts on several Zàng-fu meridians/ organs. This povides a direct reference to the indication or contraindication of the specific herb.

Special therapeutic effect

Herbs are divided/ classified into more than 20 categories according to their specific therapeutic effect and thus facilitate the creation of herbal formulas. For example, there are categories that strengthen or regulate qi or blood, warm the interior, clear heat, resolve phlegm, stop coughing, food retention, etc.

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