Monday, March 3, 2014

Design Protocol Underlying Chinese Herbal Madicine



We have discovered and inherited a list of useful remedies but the modern medical tool kit happens to be woefully deficient.  We also have an assemblage of additional herbals available to us from other parts of the world which could benefit hugely from the Chinese approach.

Our western approach halts at the herb itself.

The Chinese approach worked up an excellent protocol of applying the herb to (A) target the disease, (B) applying an additional herb or ingredient to modify secondary symptoms such as fever, (C) applying an agent to balance the effects and eliminate toxins, and (D) an agent able to deliver the result to the target area.

This all screams a very sophisticated scientific tradition that we have largely lost and need to replace.  It is also an excellent pharmaceutical research protocol that we need to teach and apply with the many new tools we have created and often failed to work well.

For example I know that a whole line of new drugs where withdrawn from the market some years back.  Their unexpected side effect was to induce heart attack symptoms.  I also know that this side effect was neatly and immediately neutralized by the simple addition of a certain type of ginseng which rebalances the blood.  Thus the active ingredient which may still be important could actually be salvaged.

This is in fact a very powerful pharmaceutical discovery that needs to be addressed.


5 Things About Chinese Herbal Medicine That Will Impress You
By Larry Ong | February 14, 2014



Are you intrigued by Chinese medicine’s profound philosophy, but don’t have much of a grasp on what it’s all about? Here’s a quick guide to what lies behind one major aspects of Chinese medicine: Chinese herbal medicine.

What is Chinese herbal medicine? Just herbs?

As the name suggests, herbs are the main ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine. Indeed, Chinese herbology recognizes more than 3,200 different types of herbs. Some prominent examples are ginseng and astragalus (root is used).
But that’s not all. Chinese herbal medicine also utilizes a slightly less mind-numbing 300 different minerals, insects, sea-creatures, and animal extracts. Cinnabar (ore of mercury), silkworm, seahorse, and rhinoceros horn, are some examples.
The different herb and non-herb ingredients are often combined as formulas, of which there are more than 400 widely known permutations.

So it’s the chemical properties of the herbs that are important, right?

Like Western medication and vitamins, Chinese herbs are chemical agents with illness-treating properties.
But the chemical component of Chinese herbs is not the sole consideration for an effective treatment. Rather, the level of energy output of each formula that goes toward restoring the body’s yin-yang balance is the key determinant.
 [ This is actually a sound idea.  The problem the body faces is one of  internal system balance and its maintenance.  Regressing that should be the first priority always. – arclein ]

With so many herbs and ingredients, how do they know which to combine?

In most cases, four types of herbs are included in the formula, categorized as: “emperor,” “minister,” “assistant,” and “ambassador.” There can be more than one of herb of each type.

These herbs are not casually termed. The “emperor” targets an illness’ main symptoms and underlying causes, while the “minister” treats the accompanying symptoms and their underlying causes. The “assistant” harmonizes the formula and eliminates possible toxins and side effects. Finally, the “ambassador” is there to get the formula to the afflicted meridians and organs.

Before being administered to a patient, these four herb types are made into a decoction (medicinal liquid) or capsule and pill variant. After that, like a proper, functioning bureaucracy, these herbs perform their own roles, and combine for efficient “governance” of illnesses.
[ This is still far superior to our present practice which stops after throwing an ‘emperor’ at the victim and then just allowing it to work or not and allowing the body to figure out how to handle side effects on its own – arclein ]

Is it so different from a regular health supplement I can buy off the shelf?


For those who want to self-medicate, STOP.

Chinese herbal medicine is uniquely tailored to the illness. If a trained Chinese physician does a proper assessment and gives the right prescription, Chinese herbal medicine has minimum side effects, if any.

However, consume the “wrong” herb at the “wrong” time, and Chinese herbal medicine can be harmful.

Take the herb, astragalus, as an example. On its own, astragalus is excellent for boosting one’s immunity and helping prevent bacteria and viral infections. Yet if one has high blood pressure or high fever, astragalus should be avoided as it would instead cause one to develop acute infections.


So how does a doctor of Chinese medicine know what to prescribe?


First, the diagnosis: A patient states his/her illness symptoms, then the Chinese physician ascertains the problem using techniques such as pulse and tongue reading, for example.

The physician will also attempt to determine the emotional state of the patient, since Chinese medicine acknowledges the link between mind and body in the occurrence of illnesses.

Finally, after the determining the level of yin-yang and qi (vital energy) imbalance, the physician will formulate an individualized remedy.




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