A popular saying about Chinese herbal medicine answered the question “What to Expect from a Doctor of Chinese Medicine” with “Above all else, do no harm”. Among all the medical systems of the world, Chinese herbal medicine is the most highly developed. Over thousands of years, the experience of countless administrators of the system ensured its popularity.

Chinese herbal medicine consists of animal, mineral materials and plant species. They are prescribed in the form of formulae – a combination of herbs – than individually. The combination of herbs enhances the medicinal effects. Unwanted side effects are also neutralized by combining different herbs. The formulae in a Chinese herbal medicine consist of herbs of principal, assisting and directional functions which are combined with herbs to reduce the side effects and induce the digestion of the principal herb.

Tang (decoctions of the boiled teas), San (milled powders), Pign (pills), Wan (tablets) are some of the methods of ingestion of the Chinese herbal medicines. Poultices, soaks, plasters, washes, ointments and fumigants contain the herb for an effective cure.

The legends of Chinese herbal medicines are its flavour and potent odors. To get its fullest experience, boil the herbs and drink the “tea”. According to the combination of the formulae, the boiling time of herb will vary. While the roots of herbs take nearly 20 to 40 minutes of boiling to get its essence, other parts such as leaves and flowers yield medicines within ten to twenty minutes of boiling.

The pills were invented by the Chinese. As it is done today, the doctors of China were prescribing pills right from the twelfth century. The pills are prepared from herbs milled and bound with honey, juice of ginger and water or some other related herbal substance. Extracting the constituents of the herbs can be achieved by using alcohol, glycerin, vinegar or water.

Extracts from herbs should be drunk at room temperature since liquids, which are cold, do not get digested easily. Slowly sip the hot liquid even though it tastes terrible. To overcome the aftertaste, put a drop of lemon juice on the tip of the tongue after swallowing the herbal extract. In order to obtain best results, consume the herbal extract on an empty stomach. Wait for 30 minutes after drinking a herbal extract to eat food or any other additional medicines.

Tinctures of Chinese herbal medicines should be diluted with water in small quantities so that the caustic effect of the solvent is reduced. The four examinations involved prior to prescribing a suitable formula are listening, smelling, tasting, and touching. After these processes, the doctor will decide the best course of action to treat the malady suffered by the patient.

Chinese Herbal Medicine is a kind of medicine that is original in China and existed thousands of years. Today, it is one of the most popular complementary therapies in the world. The therapy can treat various conditions such as asthma, depression, eczema and irritable bowel syndrome. It uses the extracts and essences of flora and fauna within formulas taken as teas, tinctures or capsules.

These formulas often contain up to 15 different herbs. But in a world concerned with ecological sustainability and ethical practices, how can we be sure the products we take are safe and not damaging the environment or wiping out endangered plants and animals?

As western societies have become switched on to the benefits to be had from Chinese Herbal Medicine, the demand for the products has increased. While the Far East looks to supply that demand, there must also be a question of how sustainable that supply is and if strict guidelines on extraction and safety are in place. Although the majority of Chinese medicines do not contain products from endangered species (plant or animal), some have been known to include products derived from tigers, elephants and bears. There are a number of societies around the world that monitor the trade and have set down codes for suppliers to abide by.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species was set up to make it illegal for anyone to buy or sell a product that derives from an animal or plant on the list of critically endangered species. Operation Charm is a joint initiative set up to combat this illegal trade in London and since its launch in 1995 the Metropolitan Police have seized over 30,000 items. Its dedicated Wildlife Crime Unit continues to make arrests and helps prosecute traders across the capital.

Chinese herbal products fall into categories of medicine, food and cosmetics. In the UK, these are monitored and enforced by trading standards agencies where legal requirements are in place to govern their use. Herbal formulas are seen as medicines and therefore must have product licences to be marketed and be safe and labelled in accordance with the Medicines Act of 1968. Some formulas that are exempt from this fall into the ‘unlicensed herbal medicine’ category but still should be safe and labelled correctly.

Anything that is not taken as a medicine is classed as food, a food supplement or drink and this will include things like herbal teas. These foods must meet strict guidelines as set out by the Food Safety Act that includes and governs things such as labelling, ingredients and quality. There should also be no false descriptions or misleading claims for those foods that are called ‘health foods’.

Cosmetics include any product that comes into direct contact with the skin, hair, nails, teeth, lips or genitals and whose purpose is to help protect, clean, perfume or correct. Some cosmetics are exempt from licensing however medicines and cosmetic products generally are licensed and are enforced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

A way to ensure products you buy from a Chinese Herbal Medicine shop be safe and ethical, you should use a local practitioner or outlet that obeys codes and ethics. Then, the practitioner or outlet is using a supplier who has the necessary license to sell Chinese Herbal products.