Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbology is considered to be the main root of all the TCM modalities. What are Chinese herbs? Some say they are barks and roots. However, the everyday tern "Chinese herbs" is not limited just to barks and roots; this simple term has been enriched and broadened to include many other medicinal agents. In fact, it includes animal as well as mineral products. The development of the TCM materia medica has gone from the original 364 entries when it was first formally compiled around the fourth century AD to almost 6,000 entries today.

For thousands of years, Chinese medicinal plants have played an important role in disease prevention and in the treatment of the Chinese people. Currently, their importance and significance have been recognized by the Western world and they are now well received by the general public. How do they work you might ask? The answer to that question is well beyond the scope of this document. Briefly, herbs have basic qualities or energetics, such as the nature or property, the taste, its direction, functional site, etc. These qualities are all taken into consideration when formulating an herbal prescription, which usually includes many different herbs to achieve a balance. All of this is based on the diagnostic principals of TCM, which includes the system of Yin and Yang, meridian theory, organ diagnosis, therapeutic strategy, organization of prescription and the selection of herbs as noted above. All of this in order to balance and regulate the body holistically.

There is a lot of confusion regarding Chinese herbs and their side effects on the liver and kidneys. Please give us a call with any questions you may have.

View our herb photo journal

See the practitioners at CIM in action. View the herbal pharmacy and herbal prescription.