South Austin Community Acupuncture

Directions to new location For new patients About our clinic About acupuncture About us Links Blog Home	About herbs Herbs are an integral part of Chinese medicine and often prescribed along with acupuncture as part of a treatment protocol. Chinese herbs are most often combined in a formula of several herbs. They typically are not used singly like Western herbs. This is one of the unique features of Chinese herbal prescribing. Emphasis is placed on differential diagnosis according to traditional methods and tailoring a formula to an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Herbal formulas are created not just for the control of symptoms but also for a transition to health promotion. This is called treating the root and the branch. There are several ways of administering herbal formulas - herbal pills and tablets, tinctures, powdered extracts, and dried raw herbs that are decocted to make a tea - to name a few. Prescribed according to the standards of modern Chinese medicine, Chinese herbs are generally very safe and effective. Their toxicity is generally very low, even compared to many commonly used over the counter medications. Chinese herbal medicine in the United States The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently revised its research protocols to support clinical trials of Chinese and other herbal treatments. In 2004 the FDA showed its support for the testing of Chinese and other herbs by releasing its first-ever guideline for clinical trials of plant mixtures. The agency is even allowing researchers to experiment with plant materials in clinical drug trials without first identifying their active ingredients. Previously, botanicals could be used in clinical trials only if their active ingredients were identified. But with Chinese medicines, that's difficult if not impossible, as multiple herbs are employed. In experiments using botanicals, the FDA is also allowing anecdotal evidence of the safety of an herbal remedy in lieu of safety tests on animals. The hope is that the FDA guidelines will foster a new wave of promising research using ancient remedies and that the federal agency's support for testing of botanical drugs will "give a stamp of credibility" to traditional Chinese medicine in this country. ©South Austin Community Acupuncture 321 W. Ben White Blvd., Suite 204B - Austin TX 78704 Tel.(512)707-8330 info@acupunctureworldheadquarters.com

About herbs

Herbs are an integral part of Chinese medicine and often prescribed along with acupuncture as part of a treatment protocol.

Chinese herbs are most often combined in a formula of several herbs. They typically are not used singly like Western herbs. This is one of the unique features of Chinese herbal prescribing.

Emphasis is placed on differential diagnosis according to traditional methods and tailoring a formula to an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Herbal formulas are created not just for the control of symptoms but also for a transition to health promotion. This is called treating the root and the branch.

There are several ways of administering herbal formulas - herbal pills and tablets, tinctures, powdered extracts, and dried raw herbs that are decocted to make a tea - to name a few.

Prescribed according to the standards of modern Chinese medicine, Chinese herbs are generally very safe and effective. Their toxicity is generally very low, even compared to many commonly used over the counter medications.

Chinese herbal medicine in the United States

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently revised its research protocols to support clinical trials of Chinese and other herbal treatments. In 2004 the FDA showed its support for the testing of Chinese and other herbs by releasing its first-ever guideline for clinical trials of plant mixtures.

The agency is even allowing researchers to experiment with plant materials in clinical drug trials without first identifying their active ingredients. Previously, botanicals could be used in clinical trials only if their active ingredients were identified. But with Chinese medicines, that's difficult if not impossible, as multiple herbs are employed.

In experiments using botanicals, the FDA is also allowing anecdotal evidence of the safety of an herbal remedy in lieu of safety tests on animals.

The hope is that the FDA guidelines will foster a new wave of promising research using ancient remedies and that the federal agency's support for testing of botanical drugs will "give a stamp of credibility" to traditional Chinese medicine in this country.

321 W. Ben White Blvd., Suite 204B - Austin TX 78704

Tel.(512)707-8330

info@acupunctureworldheadquarters.com