The Herbs

    Nature has not changed much since the dawn of Chinese herbal arts over 5,000 years ago. Neither have the underlying theories and basic techniques of traditional Chinese medicine, which are patterned after nature. Of course, new herbs, new prescriptions, new applications, and new insights based on the age-old knowledge are being developed every day by contemporary practitioners.

    The best Chinese herbs grow naturally in China among the craggy mountainsides and deep valleys of the wild. They provide the richest sources of wild flora and fauna which depend on nature, not man for gowth and propagation. Many of these cannot be cultivated. Instead, they must be sought in their wild, natural surroundings. The unique geography and climate which prevail in areas of harvest seem to suit the requirements of many of the most useful herbs. Some plants thrive in extremely harsh conditions, and this environmental adversity seems to be the source of their potency. Some of the more potent herbs, such as ginseng root, leave the soil in which they are found totally depleted, and nothing else will grow in the same spot for many years after the herb is gathered.

    The southern provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Guangdong, also abound with the natural flora and fauna which provide the raw materials for herbal remedies. Cultivated herbs which depend on artificial seed selection, grafting, fertilisation, irrigation, and other human help grow well in the temperate lush regions of south China. The cultivation of  medicinal plants is a major agricultural industry in this region of China. Varieties of of Chinese medicinal plants grow elsewhere in the world, such as ginseng from Minnesota and North Dakota, however, plants that grow elsewherecan have very different pharmeceutical properties, and it takes centuries to determine their natural affinities and pharmacodynamic effects.

    Northern China is home to many of the potent tonic plants, such as ginseng, Astragalus membranaceus, and Lycium chinense. It is also in the north where where the famous spotted deer is found: everything from the velvet and horns to the blood and the bile of the spotted deer is used in Chinese medicine. Today, spotted deer are raisedon large ranches in Manchuria and other northern provinces to meet the great demand for one of the most potent and popular tonics- spotted deer horn. The horns are cut from the live deer- a painful process for the animal- so that the same herd can be used to produce the precious material year after year.

    The parts of the plant used for medicinal purposes differ in each variety of herb. In some plants, only the roots are medicinally useful; in others only the stems, flowers, seeds, or  leaves are used. There are also plants which are used whole and ones whose every part is used for widely different purposes. For example, the roots and stems of the herb ma huang (Ephedra sinica) contain the bronchial asthma preventitive, ephedrine, but the joints have a completelyopposite action and are used for totally different purposes. Since some plants mature at different times of the year, it is important to gather the medicinal plants of each variety at just the right time.

    After the herbs have been gathered they must be processed properly for maximum drug efficacy. The first step is to sort the herbs. On a typical day of herb gathering, the picker's basket will contain a variety of plants and plant parts, depending on which plants and parts are in season and mature that day. Dirt, impurities, and non-medicinal parts are first removed from all the plants. Then the plants and parts with different uses are separated. Afterwards, they are ready for drying. Most are dried in direct sunlight, which indures the best storage. If the weather does not allow this, herbs may be dried indoors next to a fire. Aromatics such as mint are dried in the shade. Animal parts must be steamed first to kill parasites, eggs and germs before drying.

    When the herbs are thoroughly dry, the plants are sliced in to conveinent sizes and shapes for storage. Thick roots, rhizomes, and woody vines areshaved into thin slices. Barks and leaves are shaved into long, fine strips. Whole plants are divided in to sections. Flowers and seeds are stored and shipped whole. Upon arriving at an herbal shop, they are stored in wooden drawers , ceramic vessels, and glass bottles, always in a cool, dry, well-ventilated space.

    The following is a list of some vital Chinese medicinal herbs which are arranged into their essential funtional effects as it is done in many Chinese herbal handbooks. If you would like to view them in both their natural and medicinal form, just click on the name of the plant. Included will be :

          -Latin botanical name     -Common English name, if available -Chinese name

          -Natural distribution                        -Parts used                     -Natural Distribution

          -Nature: essential flavor, essential energy     -Natural affinity: organs and meridians affected

          -Essential pharmacodynamic effects  -Chinese therapeutic uses -Average daily dosage

          -Remarks

The following Western Medical terms appear in the descriptionsof the herb's pharmacodynamic effects:

Analgesic: producing a state of not feeling pain while retaining full consciousness and other sensations

Anaesthetic: producing a state of not feeling pain or any other sensation; in general anaesthesia, loss of conciousness is induced

Anthelmintic: killing and\or ejecting intestinal worms and parasites

Antidote: counteracting poisons and other toxic substances

Antiphlogistic: counteracting inflammation

Antipyrectic: reducing fever

Antiseptic: killing or inhibiting the action of microorganisms (germs)

Antispasmodic: relieving or preventing spasms

Antitussive:reducing the severity and frequency of coughs

Aphrodisiac: arousing or increasing sexual desire

Astringent, styptic: contracting body tissue and blood vessels to check the flow of blood

Carminative: causing gas to be expelled from the stomach and intestines

Cathartic: inducing the evacuation of the bowels; medium strength

Demulcent: soothing irritated or inflamed mucous membranes

Diaphoretic: inducing or increasing perspiration

Digestive: siding digestion and distribution of nutrients

Diuretic: increasing the secretion and flow of urine

Emmenagogue: stimulating the menstrual flow

Emollient: softening; soothing

Expectorant: causing or easing the bringing up of phlegm, mucus, and sputum from the respiratory tract

Emetic: induces vomitcing

Hemostatic: stopping the flow of blood

Laxative: inducing the evacuation of the bowels; mild form

Purgative: inducing the evacuation of the bowels; strong, drastic, form

Refrigerant: cooling and reducing heat and fever

Sedative: tending to soothe and reduce excitement, nervousness, irritation, and other forms of overstimulation

Stimulant: increasing the activity of vital processes and organs

Stomachic: tonifying the stomach to improve digestive functions

Tonic: restoring or increasingmuscular tone of damaged or weak tissue; stimulating vitality; promoting vital functions

Click Any of the Following to View

[Reid, 63-68, 80-159]