The traditional Chinese medicine is a method of healing. As a major aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine plays an important role in this system. It focuses on restoring a balance of energy, body, and spirit to maintain health rather than treating a particular disease or medical condition.

There are over 6,000 different medicinal substances which have various properties that help to balance out disharmonies. About 600 different herbs

are widely used today. Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant based, but some preparations include minerals or animal products. They can be packaged as powders, pastes, lotions or tablets, depending on the herb and its intended use. Different herbs have different properties and can balance particular parts of the body.

Human beings have been using herbs to maintain health and treat illnesses for centuries. By 200 BC, traditional Chinese medicine was firmly established and Chinese herbal medicine developed as part of Chinese culture. 200 or 300 years later, a listing of medicinal herbs and herbal formulations and their uses had been developed.

It was Shennong, a mythical person, who first used herbs to treat illness. It is said that he had tasted hundreds of herbs. Some 365 medicines of which

252 of them are herbs were listed in the “Shennong Emperor's Classic of Materia Medica”. This book is considered today as the oldest book on oriental herbal medicine.

In the Compendium of Materia Medica” by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, there were nearly 2,000 herbs and extracts listed. It is still used today for consultation and reference. By 1990, the latest edition of “The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China” listed more than 500 single herbs or extracts and nearly 300 complex formulations.

Which herbs are most commonly used for treatment?
Most Chinese herbs are usually used to help build and strengthen the body. According to the theories of traditional Chinese medicine, a large amount of plants can be used as herbs. In Chinese herbology, there are 50 “fundamental” herbs. The most commonly used herbs are Ginseng (人參, ren shen), wolfberry (枸杞, gou ji), Angelica sinensis (當(dāng)歸, Dong Quai), bupleurum (柴胡, chai hu), coptis (黃蓮, huang lian), licorice (甘草, gan cao), ephedra sinica (麻黃, ma huang) and rehmannia (地黃, di huang).

Ginseng

The use of ginseng can be traced date back to two thousand years ago. It is highly regarded because it helps boost energy, reduce stress and increase endurance. The Chinese have always placed a high value on ginseng and have used it for centuries. It is said that the use of ginseng will add a decade of years to a human life.

Ginseng can be classified into two types: red and white. Red ginseng is the

most popular form of ginseng and it is usually packaged as a liquid or tea. It is processed with steam and is believed to be more effective, while white ginseng is unprocessed and dries naturally.

Wolfberry
The wolfberry is a deciduous woody perennial plant. It is one of the most important traditional medicines in China. Chinese people have used wolfberry for their nutritional benefits for centuries. In the texts from ancient times, including the “Compendium of Materia Medica”, we can find many records about wolfberry. The fruits of wolfberry have been used as general

tonic, to protect the liver, improve vision and to promote longevity. The leaves of wolfberry may be used to make tea, together with the bark of wolfberry root in traditional Chinese medicine.

Wolfberry fruits were very popular for their vision improvement properties in ancient China.? Modern Chinese scientists found wolfberry fruits reduce dark adapting time and improve vision under subdued light.

Angelica sinensis

Angelica sinensis, also known as Chinese Angelica, has been used for thousands of years as a spice, tonic, and medicine in China, Korea, and Japan. Today, it is still used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is usually combined with other herbs. It remains one of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine. In most cases, angelica sinensis is used primarily for health conditions in women. That’s why it is also called “female ginseng”.

According to many recent studies, angelica sinensis is used to improve blood circulation. At the same time, it plays an important role for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, heart disease and high blood pressure.