1. How does TCM view the Universal, World and Human being?
2. How did Chinese Medical Herbs discovered?
3. How did acupuncture start?
4. How does TCM service our modern society?
5. Does Chinese Herbal Medicine safe, is there any contraindication with your drugs?
6. Summary of Medical Materica
7. The action comparison between herbs and acupuncture points
8. What are they about exterior relief herbs in modern pharmaceutical view?
9. What are they about clear heat herbs in modern pharmaceutical view?
10. What is mean of fire –toxin?
11. Summary of herbs relief exterior and clean heat ( For infection )
12. How to memorize Chinese Medical herbs?
13. Find herbs around you---Chinese therapeutic garden: the greenest pharmacy
14. Find your first aid in your kitchen
15. What does Sang Han Len discuss in the view of west medicine?
16. TCM discovered DIC

1.How does TCM view the Universal, World and Human being?

The ancient Chinese scientists believed that the universal was a gas status chaos at its very beginning, pushed by primary power(Yuan Qi), it’s clear part went up to form the heaven, stars, it’s turbid part went down and formed the earth, in between the heaven and earth, there are two kinds of opposite energy Yin energy and Yang energy which respectively comes from the Moon and the Sun, the interaction of Yin and Yang brings different climates(Wind,Cold,Heat,Dryness, Dampness ), and generated every things in the earth and all creatures include Human being our self.

The universal keeps right wise spinning around axis of Sun, Moon and Earth like a huge umbrella, every thing in this umbrella influent on each other and stay in a holistic integrity. The word Universal in Chinese language is Yu Zhou, Yu is a three dimension space concept includes east, south, west, north, upward and downward, and Zhou is a time concept associates to past, present and future time, the universal is a combined concept of space and time in ancient Chinese science..

The universal is endless, and the world is also far from human being’s eye could reach, to definite the world, the holy man Fu Xi who is honored as an emperor by later generations created Ba Gua(eight borders) theory 8000years ago, he also discovered the world consisted of five basic elements(wood, fire, earth, metal, water), which depend on each other and push to each other (Five elements theory), which are fundamentally operated by Yin and Yang (Yin Yang theory), those thoughts are reflected in South Korean’s national flag and profoundly impacted on all kinds of science include TCM.

5000years ago, yellow emperor started to apply those thoughts and theories in TCM to explain human physiological construction function and pathological phenomena, and connection inside the body and outside                                   the body, which was the beginning of TCM theory.

In his great book Yellow emperor’s inner canon which is TCM Bible, he wrote” The world include heaven and earth simulates and obeys the universal laws, and human body simulate and obey the natural world laws”

In the solar system, there are golden star, wooden star, water star, fire star, earth star(Venus, Jupiter, Mercury ,Mars, Saturn), there are five elements in the world, correspondently, there are five inner organs by five elements in human body.

Human body is a small universal , and human being is part of the universal, and being influenced from universal energy, environment(Climate, light and ventilation etc), food water and herbs minerals.etc, even other people in family, neighborhood, workplace etc, that is why in order to keep a balance to be health, we have to keep harmony inside body mentally and physically, and harmony with outside environment, we have to adopt our self to different seasons and climates, we have to check the environment where we live (Feng Shui: wind and water), we have to eat and drink and watch it since it can good and also can be bad to us, we even have to keep harmony with other people, and we do Tai Ji(A traditional energy excise) at mountain or along river in early morning in order to gain energy from the universal.

TCM emphasizes holistism, that makes it’s the most predominate character.

[ Return to Top ]

2.How did Chinese Medical Herbs discovered?

It was about 5000 years ago, much earlier than any means such like paper, turtle shell carved words could be applied, things happen that time can only been handed down by legends, Shen Nong(Divine husbandman in some translations, who was also the inventor of traditional agriculture techniques like plough and hoe, and been honored as fire emperor, the father of the Chinese nation),was a head of his tribal, after received report that his people by chance ate wild fruits, leaves and flowers while they hunting, then their cough, diarrhea etc. disappeared , he got the concept of medicine which was first time in human history, and made one of the greatest decision in human history: to seek medicine by test on people include himself, they used tools like scourge, hook, tasted juice from plants, even minerals and insects and animals whatever they could find, it was so dangerous, many people died, Shen Nong was poisoned seventy two times in one day, and survived since drunk green tea, it is a kind of antidote as a diuretic.

Shen Nong pitied people, later he fund a transparent dog head pig tail like animal, tried herbs on animal, since it was transparent, the meridian tropic could be observed. They succeeded, the exist earliest Chinese herbal medicine book Divine husbandman’s classic of the material medica(Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing) recorded 365 kinds herbs from botanic plants(253), Minerals(45), Zoological(67), the actions recorded are very precise even by modern pharmaceutical perspective, such like herbal ephedra (Ma Huang)works on asthma, thousands years later, it became the first western medicine for asthma, Coptis roots (Huang Lian)works on dysentery, Wormwood(Qing Hao)works on malaria, now it is only medicine works on malaria after Quinine….

From traditional legend , we can get some information: Shen Nong tasting plants was the earliest large scale pharmaceutical experiment on human being and animals, it is first time human activity to seek for medicine from nature, the book Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as matter of fact,is a report or recorder of the experiment.

That is the beginning of Chinese herbal Medicine, it has being contributed greatly to health condition of Chinese nation, directly brings the biggest population in the world, it also spreads to Japan, Korean, Vietnam, Europe, U.S, now Canada, are benefiting more people.

[ Return to Top ]

3.How did acupuncture start?

The human body is a mystery kingdom system, all parts include inner organs and outside skin are connected by fourteen meridians, inserting needles in acupoints on surface of body can unblocks meridian, improve blood circulation, and regulates correspond inner organ to balance the body and bring back the health, this is one of the most important part of TCM: Acupuncture, How did acupuncture start?

Many authorities believe that it can dates back to stone age, In legends, it was started from sharp stone(Bian Shi), to collect jade stone for decorate accessories from Kun Lun Maintain in North West China, people pinched by sharp stone beneath jade, which brought a electric shock feeling alone the limbs, then quite surprise, their pain on joints disappeared, that is how acupuncture start.

Later on, people artificially made sharp stone for needling treatment, unearthed relic has revealed this history, and then people tried using fish bones, then tried bamboo needle, till Xia dynasty, green bronze appeared in China, needle unearthed then became of copper, then iron, now stainless steel.

There must be a bit chaos, that is why authority issued national standard: Nine standard needle (Jiu Zheng) ,claimed it was created by Fu Xi, (see photo below).

Only till yellow emperor’s time(5000years ago), acupuncture theory became systematic and mature, that was the real beginning of acupuncture, that was popular and predominate in north China and in Yellow emperor’s tribal, opposite to Fire emperor’s(Shen Nong) tribal in south where herbal medicine was more popular, only after the two tribal merged, Acupuncture and herbal medicine became in one integrity of TCM treatment till nowadays, it contributes greatly to Chinese Nation, Yellow emperor and Fire emperor are honored as the common father of Chinese Nation, all Chinese call our self as the offspring of Yan Huang(Fire and Huang).

[ Return to Top ]

4. How does TCM service our modern society?

We are living in a high speed spinning modern society, Modern industry has been over using our earth for hundreds years, globalization, urbanization and industrialization are all profoundly influencing our life, as well as our health, the disharmony between nature environment and human body, between people and people, within body, mentally and physically have ever being increased.

Many new viruses appeared like H1N1, birds’ flu, west Nile virus, HIV, many old come back like measles, malaria and tuberculosis, what is the worse is vaccination, antibiotics are loosing its effects since mutation, resistance….

In modern society, we eat more, sport less, much hormones and antibiotics contained  productions from pork, cow, poultry even fish, egg, milk productions are damaging our endocrine system and cardiovascular system, we suffer more from hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, all these become the biggest cause of human death.

With a worsen environment and disharmony inner balance, cancer incidence are increasing, cancer now is one of three top killer of our human being and the anticancer medicine many times kill people before kill the cancer cell.

Nowadays,we all get a relative better salary, but it is not necessarily means a better life, actually millions people in this world are fighting with depression, and taking prozac, and are still fighting.

Infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and emotional disorder remain the top challenges in the modern society, Modern Medicine has never facing such severe challenges in 100 years since antibiotic came and caused a revolution, we thought advanced medical science has solved all problems but actually not,  those new challenges above all relate to a disharmony between environment and human body, and inside body imbalance, exactly happen like TCM assumed in its theories, So, What can TCM do for a modern society?

TCM firstly is a holistic natural medicine, addresses keeping harmony with natural environment, and harmony inside body mentally and physically, approved by 5 thousands years medical practice on billions of people in China and outside China, it is a natural, safe, effective treatment. A number of laboratory and clinic researches demonstrated antibiotics like property of clear heat and toxin herbs, such like Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Da Qing Ye, Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Zhi Zi, Qing Dai, they are antivirus medicines, bacteriostatic or bactericide medicine, more significantly, most of them can relieve toxin by promote body immunity to clean endotoxin, also they are nonspecific anti-inflammatory, antipyretics like medicine, since they are used in combination, no resistance are observed by now, so, there is synergistic effect with chemical antibiotics, and as matter of fact, many antibiotics are botanic sourced at its early stage like SMZ, Tamiflu(the active ingredient is from star anis, Chinese herbal medicine Da Hui Xiang), most recently years, Chinese herbs work very well on H1N1 patients, birds flu patients and flu viruses, and commonly used for colds, flu, herpes, hepatitis viruses, it may be hopeful in bacteria resistance and secondary infection, the perspective is quite good.

TCM is a preventative medicine, for more than two thousands years, TCM realized that oily and fatty sweet food may cause phlegm (Fat) blocks heart vessels result in blood clots, trigger heart attack(Chest Bi), and cerebral vascular accident (Wind stroke), ancient Chinese saying going” Death starts from the mouth”, so, watching food ,keeping movement, consume a bit alcohol to improve blood circulation and using blood mover like Tao Ren,, Hong Hua, Shui Zi , earthworm are core of prevention, the death of cardiovascular diseases drop 40%-60% significantly, TCM is the pioneer of anti-coagulation, much earlier than application of Aspirin.

Botanic is always rich source of anticancer medicine, TCM has used herbs and acupuncture for masses and hardness for a long time, the fact is many anticancer medicine are from Chinese herbs, see ppt below. Botanic chemotherapy/or call Chinese herbal therapy has shown a favorable results without undesired side effects, and worth to continue research.

There are hundreds Chinese Medicine formula for emotional disorders are effectively used in clinic, it is safe and effective, acupuncture is a traditional method by inserting needles to special points, which may promote body produce opium like chemical endorphin, and produce serotonin, it can help body regulate moods.

First at the most, TCM are very popular in China as a conventional therapy, it is spreading to U.S, Canada, Europe even Africa, it has being contributed greatly to China, Japan, Korean and Vietnam, brings a huge population in regions, it definitely can well serve the modern society all over the world.

[ Return to Top ]

8. What are they about exterior relief herbs in modern pharmaceutical view?

A lot of modern pharmaceutical researches have been done on traditional Chinese herbal medicines over past 50 years in China, what are the actions of exterior relief herbs in view of modern medicine? Here are the answers:

(1) Natural antivirus medicines. Herbs relief exterior from wind cold like Ma Huang, Gui Zhi, Xi Xin have inhibitory effect on virus like rhinovirus, coronavirus, influenza, RSV, adenovirus which cause most colds in winter, while herbs relief wind heat like Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Sang Ye, Ju Hua, Bo He have inhibitory effect on rhinovirus, coronavirus, enteroviruses, influenza, those cause colds in spring and summer.

(2) Natural antipyretics medicines: Herbs in this group especially Ma Huang, Gui Zhi work as antipyretics like Tylenol by induce sweating indicate for case with fever due to viruses.

(3) Natural analgesics: Bai Zi, Gao Ben, Qiang Huo, Xi Xin, for case with headache and body ache like Aspirin.

(4) Natural antihistamine: Herbs like Jing Jie, Fang Feng, Chan Tui, for case with running nose, stuff nose, or itch on the eyes, throat, nose, and skin.

(5) Natural anti-congestion Medicines: Xin Yi Hua, Cang Er Zi, Bai Zi, Xi Xin

TCM realized that pathogens which cause cold are airborne, and seasonal, and named them wind cold and wind heat respectively, herbs with actions above are attributed to group of herbs wind cold relief and wind heat relief.

[ Return to Top ]

9. What are they about clear heat herbs in modern pharmaceutical view?

Heat in TCM refers primarily to inflammation due to infection from viruses and bacteria in febrile diseases, it also relates to autoimmune disorder inflammation and the body function hyperactivity mentally and physically.

Herbs for relief exterior from wind heat, are anti-virus medicine, used for case with cold and flu in mostly spring and summer.

Herbs for clear heat and sedate fire like Shi Gao, Zhi Mu are nonspecific anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic, mostly for case heat at qi level with high fever, sweating, thirsty, rapid pulse, for symptomatic treatment like Tylenol

Herbs for clear heat in blood can clear endotoxin, work as anti-coagulation, anti-platelet medicine, can improve capillary blood circulation, prevent shock and multiple organs functional fail, indicate for case complicate with disseminate intravascular coagulation(DIC), a emergent condition during febrile diseases. It can be used also to dermatological diseases like burning, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema with fresh or dark red rash due to heat in blood; Hot flash in menopause due to blood heat; for radical dermatitis due to radiation therapy.

Herbs for clearing empty heat originately are used for recovery period of febrile disease when yin damaged with lower grade fever, it is also used for menopause syndrome and consumptive diseases like malnutriention, tuberculosis and HIV with lower grade fever; Used for yin deficiency with empty heat case due to chemo and radiation therapy; for offsetting side effects from steroids like insomnia, overeating, hypertension; for endocrine diseases like diabetes, diabetes insipidus and hyperthyroidism with yin deficiency and empty heat; for sexual precocity, sexual hyperactivity, sexual addiction.   

Herbs for clearing heat and dry dampness are antibiotic like medicines, it is not only used for gram positive bacteria infection, but also for gram negative bacteria like e-coli infection, for diarrhea or urinary tract infection case due to damp-heat.

Herbs for clearing heat fire toxin are anti-virus medicine, and antibiotic medicine, more specially, are detoxication medicine by increasing macrophagic phagocystosis, work as cleaner of endotoxin from bacteria and toxin from virus.

Herbs for clearing summer heat is for sun stroke in summer, or cold, flu, infection in summer with high fever.

[ Return to Top ]

10. What is mean of Heat –toxin?

Heat toxin in Chinese Re Du(heat poison) is the condition that patient have high fever, lethargic, with bad general condition due to toxin from virus or endotoxin from bacteria, especially severe infection even purulent infection like in tonsils, Lung, appendicitis, dysentery, or on skin, or eczema with infection, snake bite…patient are in a poor condition like being poisoned, Herbs for clearing heat toxin work as antivirus and antibiotic, more importantly, as cleaner to toxin from virus and endotoxin from bacteria .

Severe cold, flu and epidemic diseases :like Measles, birds flu, H1N1, Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Da Qin Ye, Ban Lan gen.

Tonsillitis: Ma Bo, Shan Dou Gen, She Gan

Lung abscess: Yu Xin Cao, Qing Dai, Chuan Xin Lian

Appendicitis: Hong Teng, Bai Jiang Cao

Dysentery: Bai Tou Wong, Ma Chi Xian, Qin Pi

Skin infection: Zhi Hua Di Ding, Zhi Bei Tian Kui, Pu Gong Yin, Ye Ju Hua, Lou Lu

Eczema infection: Bai Xian Pi, Tu Fu Ling

Sexual transmitted urinary tract infection: Tu Fu Ling

Snake bite: Bai Hua She She Cao, Ban Zhi Lian

[ Return to Top ]

12. How to memorize Chinese Medical herbs?

Memorize the PinYin name in Chinese and herbal actions are core of Chinese Herb logy, but it is always the biggest headache for students especial students out of China, become the biggest obstacle for their herb using in future practice, do we have a short cut? Here are some tips from Dr.Xiao:

(1)There is a regulation to name the herbs, it is always after the producer, botanic medical part, growth characters, shape, colors, smell, discoverer and legends, action, so, know the way of name is helpful.

Producer: Chuan - Sichuan province Chuan Xiong, Chuan Niu Xi, Chuan Lian Zi

Zhe– Zhe Jiang province Zhe Bei Mu

Zhang - Xi Zhang (Tibet) Zhang Hong Hua, Zhang Da Huang

Qin- ShanXi province Qin Pi

E Jiao from E count, Dang Shen from Shang Dang count, herbs imported from broad named Xi (west direction): Xi Gua(watermelon), Xi Yang Shen(America Ginseng), from minority area Hu: Chai Hu, Hu Huang Lian, Yin Chai Hu, or Yi, Xin Yi Hua, or Fan: Fan Xie Ye

Parts of plants or Animals, Minerals

Ye: leave, Zi Su Ye, Sang Ye, He Ye, Da Qing Ye

Hua: flower, Ju Hua, Jin Yin Hua, Xin Yi Hua

Fruit or seed: Guo/Zi, Bai Guo, Cao Guo, Cang Er Zi, Wu Wei Zi

Nuts: Tao Ren, Hu Tao Ren

Meat like: Rou, Rou Cong Rong, Long Yang Rou, Rou Gui

Zhi or Teng: stem, Gui Zhi, Gou Teng, Ji Xue Teng

Gen or Shen: Ge Gen, Lu Gen, Xuan Shen, Dang Shen, Ren Shen

Jiao: Horn, Xi Jiao, Shui Niu Jiao

Shi: Mineral, Shi Gao, Hua Shi, Han Shui Shi, Chi Shi Zi

Growth character:

Xia Ku Cao: Summer wither grass

Ban Xia: Middle summer harvest

Dong Cong Xia Cao: Winter worm summer grass

Sang Ji Shen: Hosted bush on mulberry tree

Shape: Gou Teng, Stem with hook

Ren Shen, Human body shape root

Long Yan, dragon eye

Colors: Hong, red, Hong Teng, Hong Hua

Dan, fresh red, Mu Dan Pi, Dan Shen

Chi, dark red, Chi Shao Yao, Chi Xiao Dou, Chi Shi Zhi

Huang, Yellow, Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Huang Bai, Da Huang

Bai, white, Bai Zi, Bai wei, Bai Shao, Bai Jiang Can

Qing: green, Qing Dai, Da Qing Ye, Qing Xiang Zi

Zhi: purple, Zhi Su Ye, Zhi Hua Di Ding, Zhi Bei Tian Kui, Zhi Cao

He: black, He Zi Ma

Jin: Golden, Jin Yin Hua Silver: Jin Yin Hua

Smell and Taste:

Aromatic: Xiang, Ding Xiang, He Xiang, She Xiang

Acrid: Xin, Xi Xin

Bad odor: Chou, Chou Wu Tong

Fish smell: Yu Xin Cao

Sweet: Gan, Gan Cao

Sour: Suan, Suan Zao Ren

Tasteless: Dan, Dan Dou Ci, Dan Zhu Ye

Five flavors: Wu Wei Zi

Actions: Fang Feng, Prevent wind

Yi Mu Cao, Benefit mother(after birth)

Yuan Zhi, Future ambition

Bu Gu Zhi, Tonify bone fat

Gu Chui Bu, Bone broken tonic

Xu Duan, Connect the broken

Yang Qi Shi: Yang genital erect stone

Yi Zhi Ren: Improve intellecture seed

Discoverers and legends: He Sou Wu, Du Zhong, Qiang Huo, Bai Tou Wong

(2)Memorize actions by five elements

By colors

White enter the Lung: Shi Gao(white tiger), Bai Jie Zi, Bai Qian, Bai Guo

Blue enter the liver: Qing Dai, Qing Hao, Qing Pi

Red enter the Heart: Chi Shao, Dan Shen, Mu Dan Pi, Hong Hua

Yellow enter the spleen: Huang Lian, Da Huang, Huang Qi

Black enter the Kidney: He Zi Ma, He Sou Wu

By tastes

Acrid enter the lung: Ma Huang, Xi Xin, SHen Jiang, Bo He

Sour enter the liver: Bai Shao, Mu Gua, Wu Mei

Sweet enter the spleen: Gan cao, Da Zao, Huang Qi, Dang Shen

Salt enter the Kidney: Long Gu, Mu Li

Bitter enter the heart: Huang Lian

(3)Memorize action by the property

Shape: Ren Shen is human body shaped root, then can tonify qi whole parts of body, Li Zi He, Ju He are seeds like testicle, so, can treat hernia, Gou Teng is plant hook, so,can hold liver wind and yang, Song ji is joints of pine tree, so, can treat arthritis.Ji Nei Jin is membrane of chicken stomach, so, it enters stomach for food stagnation.

Growth environment

Grows in shadow side: with yin energy, cold in nature, can clear heat Huang Lian, Huang Qin, Huang Bai, Ku Shen.

Grows in river, lake, swamp, can generate body fluid and promote urination: Lu Gen, Ge Gen, Che Qian Zi, Ze Xie, Dan Zhu Ye

Middle hollow can induce sweating: Ma Huang, Cong Bai, Mu Ze

Twig can penetrate and unblock: Gui Zhi, Sang Zhi

Cortex can move water under skin: Fu Ling Pi, Shen Jiang Pi, Da Fu Pi, Dong Gua Pi

Core can clear heart: Lian Zi Xin, Lian Qiao Xin, Zhu Ye Xin, Mai Dong Xin

Nuts moisture intestine: Huo Ma Ren, Yu Li Ren, Gua Lou Ren, Bai Zi Ren

Vine can unblock: Hai Feng Teng, Luo Shi Teng

Seeds brighten eyes: Jue Ming Zi, Qing Xiang Zi, Tu Si Zi, Gou Qi Zi

Stem can move qi: Su Gen, He Gen

Leaves can disseminate: Zhi Su Ye, Sang Ye, Jin Jie, He Xiang Ye

Root can tonify: Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Dang Gui, Sha Shen, Xi Yang Shen, Shu Di, Shan Yao, He Sou Wu, Yu Zhu

Organs tonify organs: Tiger eye can brighten eye(protected now), sheep thyroid treat hypothyroidism, cow pancreas treat diabetes, placenta for the premature, pig large intestine treat colitis with Huang Lian.

Joints treat arthritis: Song Jie

Stones treat hernia: Li Zhi He, Ju He

(4)Remember by pair herbs: like Ma Huang Gui Zhi, Jin Yin Hua Lian Qiao, Sang Ye Ju Hua, Jin Jie Fang Feng, Xing Yi Hua Cang E Zi, Hong Teng Bai Jiang Cao, Bai Hua She She Cao Ban Zhi Lian…

(5)Remember by groups(see summary)

(6)remember by making song, poem, couplet

……

There are many ways may help you, however, the most commonly used herbs no more than 120 kinds, which is not that big task to remember even there are more than5000 kinds in pharmacopoeia, if you do not remember right after learning, it is not that big matter, since we are going to review again and again in formula study, in clinic courses study, you will finally memorize after using those herbs in clinic practice.

Reading is the fundament,

Understanding is the base,

Repeat is the shortcut,

Interesting is the media,

Imaging is the power,

Simplifying is the assistant,

Grouping is the bridge,

Card is the warehouse,

Application is the key.                Dr.Xiao 1999, Telaviv, Israel

[ Return to Top ]

13. Find herbs around you---Chinese therapeutic garden: the greenest pharmacy

A Chinese classic garden usually consists of architecture, pond or small lake, rock mountain and a lot of gardening plants like lotus, bamboo, flowers, shrubs and trees, a few wild animals as fish, white crane. it is real a beautiful landscape and a captivating place for retreat and refuge from city stress. Try to image, after swamped by mid-day work, nestle in grape-vine covered arbor, sniff floral aroma, listen rain strike on lotus leafs or shower in peaceful wind from bamboo forest, surely, you will get slow down, feel great purified, deeply relaxed, recharged and finally healed by this natural serenity.

Not only those, a Chinese garden can be a magic green pharmacy, surprised? you want to know? now, come alone with me, I would like to share my herbal knowledge to you:

1. Honeysuckle flower:(jin yin hua): a most common perennial green vine, approved natural antibiotic like plant in clinic and vitro, against bacteria including: staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pneumoniae and certain viruses, Used to treat infection, especially upper respiratory and skin infection.

2. Dandelion (pu gong ying): a natural antibiotics like plant, shown an in vitro bactericidal effect against staphylococcus aureus, smashed fresh dandelion clinically used in mastitis with very good result.

3. Chrysanthemum flower (ju hua): a natural antibiotics like plant, used to treat upper respiratory infection especially when complicated with eye infection, also used for hypertension , recently found in lab as an antioxidant, used to prevent age-linked illness like hypertension and keep good eyesight.

4. Peony (mu dan pi): as a national flower, always the best choice for horticulture, it is a approved weak antibiotic like plant, also a agent to improve capillary circulation of blood, used for infection with circulation disorder case, also for trauma, for menstrual disorder and hypertension.

5. Cape jasmine fruit or gardenia (Zhi zi ): a natural wide broad spectrum antibiotic plant, and a tranquilizer, used for respiratory infection, gallbladder and eye, skin infection , its oil extraction is very effective on skin burning and bleed.

6. Selfheal (xia ku cao): a winter blooming flower, it is a important natural antihypertensive and anti-fibrosis herb, commonly used in clinic for hypertension, scrofula, lipoma, swollen gland, goiter.etc. a weak antibiotic plant as well.

7. Purple aster ( zi wan ): a common horticulture plant, but a strong antitussive agent, about strong as1/4 codeine, smash aster with apricot (xing ren) and honey, used in sublingual administration, cough can be relieved for 4 hours.

8. Chinese pink dianthus (qu mai): a natural antibiotic and diuretic, used for urinary tract infection and relief of related symptoms include: pain, burning, since very common in garden, it is a very useful self-medication at home.

9. Perilla (zi su): a delicious vegetable, but more importantly, is a useful herb whole plant, leafs(zhi su ye) used for common cold in winter, stem( su gen ) is very effective for morning sickness during pregnancy, and seeds(su zi)is one of the most important antiasthmatic and antitussive herb, used for asthma and bronchitis.

10. Eupatorium (pei lan): a very aromatic flower, used to improve lowered appetite due to gastritis, and stomach viruses, and treat foul breath with a effective result.

11. Lotus (he ye): a well known symbol of kindness from Buddhism, and the most common plant in pond or lake in a Chinese garden, also has pharmaceutical property like lowering high cholesterol level in blood and diuretic, for losing weight and hypercholesterolemia case is undispensable medication, also for summer strike and diarrhea with dehydration and electrolytes disturbance . Lotus seed (lian zi) is a natural tranquilizer and sedative, has being used to irritability and insomnia for hundreds years.

12. Spirodela or duckweed (fu ping): growing in water pool, actually is a strong aspirin-like natural diaphoretic, used for common cold in summer with fever.

13. Aloe (lu hui): a popular yard plant, pharmaceutical property include: purgative for constipation, hypertension, antibiotic like action against bacteria's and parasites like roundworm, pinworm , antifungal effect over many dermatomycoses for skin health, improving healing of skin wound and burning.

14. Bamboo: bamboo walled garden not only separates you and outside noisy world, but also itself is a medication in many ways: bamboo sugar (tian zhu huang) which produced inside canal after honeybee bite is a good natural tranquillizer and anticonvulsion agent since contains silicon, common used for cerebral vascular accident (wind-strike), dried bamboo sap (zhu li) is a very effective and good taste expectorant and can help improve repair injured nervous for paralysis and hemiplegia, bamboo shaving (zhu ru) is a common expectorant and antiemetic plant in clinic.

15. Apricot: a juicy fruit, its kernel (xing ren) is a excellent antitussive herb used for common cold, bronchitis even asthma, it can work by simply mixing smashed apricot and honey, use it in sublingual way.

16. Loquat (pi pa ye): a common fruit tree in horticulture, its leafs is a antitussive, a expectorant and antiemetic, for cough ,used together with apricot and

17. Chinese quince fruit or chaenomeles (mu gua): a good taste fruit, a good food ingredient to make beef tender, not only so, it is good medicine for arthritis, stops vomiting and diarrhea, stops calf cramp due to electrolytes disturbance since its contains rich electrolytes.

18. Coral-bean or erythrina (hai tong pi): a garden tree with beautiful flower,its bark is a analgesic for arthritis, also a diuretic for edema, lotion or gargle used for itching skin or toothache, fish bone blocking at throat , used as an natural local anesthetic.

19. Mulberry tree: a tree just like a green pharmacy, the leaf (sang ye) is commonly used in common cold in summer, the bark (sang bai pi) is antitussive, antiasthmatic and a diuretic, used for bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, especially case with facial or legs edema due to heart function failure. Mulberry stem (sang zhi) is an anti-inflammation agent, used for arthritis case. Mulberry fruit (sang shen) can improve production of blood for anemia, also a natural antioxidant for elderly to improve eyesight and hearing.

20. Cinnamon tree: its flower is very fragrant, cinnamon twis (gui zhi) is a anti-virus agent used for common cold in winter, bark of cinnamon can strengthen digestion, alleviate abdominal pain, relief diarrhea.

21. Magnolia: its flower (xin yi hua) is a strong anti-congestion agent since aromatic property, used for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, or common cold with nasal symptoms magnolia bark (huo po) is a natural gastrointestinal dynamic agent. Often used for abdominal distention clinically.

22. The last one is Semen ginkgo bilobae (bai guo), if you have elderly in your home or you want longevity very much, do not forget plant ginkgo in your garden, this oldest plant has been in our earth million years, you could see this from other name botanic panda bear or longevity tree, it is very strong antioxidant, like a cleaner to your capillary circulation of blood in brain and heart, lowering cholesterol in blood, used for almost all kinds age-linked illness like hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and Alzheimer's, it is also a strong anti-platelets activate factor agent, used to reduce bronchial hypersensitiveness for treating asthma, ( actually, traditional Chinese medicine has being used ginkgo to treat asthma for more than 2000years).

We could make a long long list like rose (mei gui hua) regulates menstruation, beauty face, Prunus mume fruit (wu mei) stops coughing, stops diarrhea, curcuma (yu jin) is for mood swing, lily bulb (bai he) for insomnia during menopause, peach kernel (tao ren) for coronary atherosclerosis since it is an aspirin like antithrombosis agent ... more than 300 kinds could be listed.

Blessed with great nature gifts, we have a green pharmacy just in our garden, well, yet, if you want to know more that knowledge or to use that, you have to consult a Chinese medicine doctor or take a course in a traditional Chinese medicine school.

[ Return to Top ]

14. Find your first aid in your kitchen

I am not kidding, you may find your first aid in your kitchen, that maybe the easiest

Access, do not forget, a lot of food ingredients are Chinese herbal medicine, while

you call your doctor, you do better not being disturbed to try something you can do at

home, here are the emergency formulas we have being used for 2000 years:

Fever, chilly due to cold or flu: five piece green onion(white part with root), five sliced ginger piece(with skin), 2 table spoons brown sugar, 2 liters water, cook till boiled, smaller fire, continue cook for another 5 minutes, drink it like tea, then sleep with heavy blanket till sweating, you will awake up like a new.

Birds flu or H1N1: no panic, add star anis 10 piece in your chicken soup, drink it, what you may not know is that the active ingredient of Tamiful is refined from star anis, a very popular food ingredient in China and France for coffee and vine, and Tamiful is only medicine for Birds flu or H1N1.

High fever: a warm water shower may be the best choice, but rub with alcohol like vodka on front head, arm pitch, palms and soles(not on left chest where the heart located) will lower temperature very fast.

Cough: severe cough disturbs sleep, smashed apricot with mint and honey, keep in mouth and swallow slowly will relief cough.

Stomachache: half kilogram kitchen salt, add 2 table spoons black pepper, wrap with a clean tower, warm up in microwave owen, and apply as hot compress on belly for 20 minutes, mostly pain gone in minutes.

Dehydration due to diarrhea: 2 table spoon rich, fry in a wok till color become yellow, add 2 liter water, cook till boiled, change to be smaller fire, continue cook a another 30 minutes, put salt into soup in proportion: one standard cola bottle(1.8L)soup, one cola cover salt, and drink it till urine come, mild dehydration even moderate one can be corrected in this way within 1 hour, recommended by world health organization.

Hiccup: Hot compress with salt in same way like stomachache, just add clove powder 1 table spoon in salt, apply on epigastria region for half hour, mostly hiccup gone.

Hernia: Hot compress with salt in same way like stomachache, just add fennel powder 2 table spoon, apply on the location.

Parasite: to stomachache from round worm, put few piece of Szechuan paper, a popular Chinese food ingredient, in mouth, in minutes, the pain will be stopped since it is anesthetizes like anti-parasite medicine, if you do not have it, a vinegar drink also can make it quiet . If it is tapeworm, raw pumpkin seed will be your choice, pinworm, hookworm, trichmonas vaginalitis, cooked garlic is the right remedy.

Vomiting: Ginger juice is a natural antiemetic, drink with bit warm water, suites case like acute gastritis, stomach virus.

Poisoned: swallow some poisons by mistake, while call 911, take half table spoon salt in 200 cc water and drink it to induce vomiting, afterward, drink green tea or mung bean soup which are antidote will be life save step.

Burning: Get burning at home, go to take bit sesame oil, rub on the location, it is miracle treatment for most of mild burning.

[ Return to Top ]

15. What does Sang Han Len discuss in the view of west medicine?

From TCM perspective, Zhang Zhong Jing contributed on two aspects: one is created treatment on syndrome differentiation system, since then TCM independent from simple symptomatic treatment, he became the pioneer; other aspect is that Zhang Zhong Jing created 113 formulas, before him, the most popular way to use herb was single herb, since him medicine in formula way are much more effective and much less side effect, it influenced later generations doctors fundamentally, Sang Han Len became the classic bible like book of formulas, and Zhang Zhong Jing became the father of formulas.

What does Sang Han Len discuss in the view of western Medicine?

(1) Sang Han Len is the first time in human history systematically study infection diseases mainly on Cold, flu and other epidemic diseases.

(2) Sang Han Len described common regulations of those diseases, include its onset, development and prognosis.

(3) Recorded the detailed early stage common symptoms and signs(Tai Yang Jin Zhen), and uncommon complications include acute nephritis(Tai Yang water retention), and kidney function fail (Tai Yang blood retention)due to cold, flu or other infection diseases. His formulas Ma Huang Tang, Gui Zhi Tang, consisted of antivirus medicine, anti-inflammatory, antipyretics, analgesics, antihistamine, antitussives, are the earliest formula remedy for cold and flu, effectively work till now. Apply diuretic for nephritis(Wu Ling San), and Anti-coagulation treatment for kidney function fail are quite advance even by the modern medicine’s eye nowadays.

(4) Yang Ming stage recorded the transition from viruses to complicated with bacteria infection, with bronchitis, pneumonia or others due to inflammation, the common symptoms and signs are high fever, profuse sweating, very thirsty, rapid pulse, Bai Hu Tang probably is the earliest anti-inflammatory remedy in the history. YangMing Fu Zhen recorded infective intestine paralysis obstruction due to severe infection’s toxication, Da Cheng Qi Tang is antibiotic and anti-inflammatory and purgative, this method we still use and it works.

(5) Zhang Zhong Jing observed that extraneous pathogens can cause digestive disorders include dysentery, acute gastritis, enteritis, and chronic gastritis, chronic enter-pathy, Bai Tou Wong Tang was probably first remedy for dysentery in the world, and Li Zhong Tang is typical effective formula for chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, its modified formula Huang Lian Li Zhong Tang ,the combination of cold and heat remedy was very hard to understand untill recently years, Huang Lian ,a natural antibiotic, has inhibitory effect on helicobacter pylori’s, which is main cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers, discovered 1996(Noble prize 2004), leaded a revolution of treatment, greatly improved prognosis of those diseases.

The question left is how Zhang Zhong Jing Knew that?

(6) Zhang Zhing Jing recorded the heart function fail and kidney function fail during infection diseases in Shao Yin stage, botanic based card tonic formula Si Ni San was the first rescue remedy, today it is still very important patent for emergency room, Zhen Wu Tang is still a common used formula for chronic kidney function fail.

[ Return to Top ]

16. TCM discovered DIC

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), also known as consumptive coagulopathy, is a pathological activation of coagulation (blood clotting) mechanisms that happens in response to a variety of diseases. DIC leads to the formation of small blood clots inside the blood vessels throughout the body. As the small clots consume coagulation proteins and platelets, normal coagulation is disrupted and abnormal bleeding occurs from the skin (e.g. from sites where blood samples were taken), the digestive tract, the respiratory tract and surgical wounds. The small clots also disrupt normal blood flow to organs (such as the kidneys), which may malfunction as a result.

DIC can occur acutely but also on a slower, chronic basis, depending on the underlying problem. It is common in the critically ill, and may participate in the development of multiple organ failure, which may lead to death.

DIC mostly caused by septicemia from bacteria infection, date back to almost 2000years ago, TCM already described DIC symptoms and signs, and created formula Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang to treat it by Zhang Zhong Jing, till Wen Bing time, it became more systematic and more detailed.

TCM emphasizes to apply anti-coagulation and anti-platelet by cooling blood and moving blood circulation while clear heat and toxin(antibiotic and detoxication), which is very scientific, TCM was the first discovered DIC, and the right treatment.