Clinical Challenges in Using Chinese Medicinal Herbs

Abstract

After acupuncture that has gained popularity and is recognized as the part of the healthcare system in the West, Chinese herbs are also getting more and more attention with the news that Chinese herbs are accepted and used by Olympic athletes, even though they are still viewed as the complementary and alternative healthcare tools. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is developed on the basis of inductive logic thinking that focuses on the similarity through the observation of nature. Under this notion, Chinese herbs develops its own theories different from those of acupuncture, which to some extents can be complicated to understand for clinical use and learning. A pharmaceutical consideration is required in clinical use of Chinese herbs when the desired outcomes are expected for an individual’s conditions. Processing induces expected actions that can vary depending on the factors, such as timing, processing approaches, etc.