What's the difference between Chinese Herbology and Western Herbalism?
Western Herbalism generally recommends a particular herb based on symptom *only* -- without regard to the unique characteristics of the individual experiencing the symptom. Chinese Herbology is often more effective than just symptom-based herbal medicine because Chinese Herbology also recognizes a "pattern" diagnosis that takes into account the whole person, rather than just the symptom. Traditional usages of Chinese herbs is also very safe, because the formulas that are used today are the formulas which have worked best throughout thousands of years of human civilization.
For instance, the herbal formula that helped your co-worker get over a bad cold in less than 48 hours may not be the formula that would benefit you the most in fighting a cold. This is why it is important to consult a professional trained in Chinese Herbology before taking an herb for symptom fill-in-the-blank and then concluding that herbs just don't work.
Furthering the example of treating a cold, I will explain some of the more common traditional Chinese formulas that speed recovery from colds.
Pattern: Wind-Cold occurring in a strong patient living in a cold climate
Symptoms: aversion to cold, shivering, no fever, no sweating, occipital headache, stiff neck, body aches, sneezing, runny nose with clear discharge, possible wheezing, pulses are floating and tight, no change in tongue appearance
Common Formula: Ma Huang Tang (ephedra*, cinnamon, apricot kernel, honey-fried licorice)
*note: Ma Huang (ephedra) was banned by the FDA after being improperly used in extremely large doses as an over-the-counter diet pill.
Pattern: Wind-Cold occurring in a patient who is weakened or prone to catching colds
Symptoms: aversion to cold, shivering, no fever, slight sweating, occipital headache, stiff neck, body aches, sneezing, runny nose with clear discharge, pulses are floating and slow, no change in tongue appearance
Common Formula: Gui Zhi Tang (cinnamon, peony root, fresh ginger, jujube dates, honey-fried licorice)
List of herbs used in Traditional Chinese formulations:
abalone shell
acanthopanax root bark
achyranthes root
aconite
acorus
adenophora
aduki bean
agastache
ailanthus bark
akebia caulis
albizzia
alisma
allium seeds
aloe leaf
aloeswood
alpinia katsumadai
alpinia oxyphylla fruit
alum
amber
andrographis
anemarrhena rhizome
anemone root
angelica pubescent root
angelica root
anomala
anteater scales
antelope horn
apricot kernal
aquilaria
arbor-vitae seed
arbor-vitae leafy twig
arctium
areca peel
areca seeds
arisaema
aristolochia fruit
ark shell
arnebia
aromatic madder
artemesia
asarum
ash branch
asparagus tuber
ass-hide glue
aster
aster root, purple
astragalus
astragalus seed
atractylodes rhizome
aucklandia
baical skullcap root
bakeri
balloon flower
bamboo
bamboo sap
bamboo shavings
barley malt sugar
barley sprout
begonia
belamcanda rhizome
benincasa
benzoin
betel husk
betel nut
biota leaves
biota seed
black cohosh rhizome
bletilla rhizome
bones, fossilized
borax
borneol
broomrape, fleshy stem
bugbane rhizome
bugleweed
bulrush
bungarus
bupleurum
bur-reed rhizome
burnet-bloodwort root
buthus
calamine
calcitum
callicarpa leaf
calomel
caltrop fruit
camphor
cannabis seeds
cantharides
cape jasmine fruit
capillaris
cardomon
cardamon husk
cardamon, bitter-seeded
cardamon, black
cardamon, round, fruit, cluster
carpesium fruit
carthamus
cassia twig
cassia
catechu paste
caterpillar fungus, Chinese (cordyceps mushroom)
cattail pollen
chaenomeles
chain fern rhizome
chebnium
chebula
cherry pit
chiang-huo
chih-ko
chih-shih
chin-chiu
China tree root bark
China root (poria mushroom)
chinaberry, Sichuan
Chinese clematis root
Chinese lovage root
Chinese quince fruit
ching-hao
chivebulb
chrysanthemum flower
cicada moulting
cimicifuga
cinnamon bark
cinnamon twig
cirsium
costanche
citrus
clam shell
clematis
clove flower bud
cnidium
cnidium seeds
cockle shell
cocklebur fruit
codonopsis
cohosh rhizome
coix
coltsfoot flower
coptis rhizome
coral-bean bark
cordyceps
cork-tree bark
cornelian cherry
cornsilk
cornus
corydalis rhizome
costus root
crataegus
curculigo
curcuma
cuscuta
cuttlefish bone
cyathula root
cynanchum root and rhizome
cyperus
cypress
dalbergia heartwood
dandelion
date, Chinese
daucus fruit
deer anler velvet
dendrobium
dictamnus root bark
dioscorea
dipsacus
dittany root bark
dodder seeds
drynaria rhizome
duckweed
earth, ignited yellow
earthworm
eclipta
elm paste
more to be listed soon...