Categories and Types of Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbs for medicine, also referred to as Chinese herbology is a practice that dates from thousands of years ago. They have been in use to treat a wide range of sicknesses over the years. The bulk Chinese herbs are sourced from diverse plants, leaves roots and fruits and have been tested and proven over time. Modern science is today borrowing a lot to expand on its source scope and to get medicines for many diseases that had otherwise no medication. The herbs are usually categorized into three categories.

Four Natural

The four natural categorization of the bulk Chinese herbs are cold, cool warm and hot. With this classification, the herbs are used to restore natural temperature by causing a change in the internal temperature. This classification is referred to as 'yin' and 'yang'. When one is suffering from cold for example, the person administrating the treatment uses the herbs categorized under cold.

Five Tastes

Under this classification, the herbs are placed into categories depending on the taste. These tastes are pungent, bitter, sour, sweet and salty. The sweet ones are used to bring bodily harmony while the pungent ones are said to increase metabolism and consequential vitality. Bitter tasting ones help to remove excess body heat. Each taste of the herb therefore is used to effect a different bodily function and thereby effecting treatment on the body.

Meridian

The herb's meridian is the body organ that the medication is targeted to affect. Different herbs target the heart, lungs, kidney, blood vessels and so on. Therefore, the person administrating the drug seeks to treat the ailing area by giving the herb that specifically affects the body organs around the area.

The Chinese medicine doctor therefore seeks to optimally use the various categories to best solve or treat the patient. They can either mix the drugs or get the drugs that have the taste, nature and meridian that will specifically meet the need of the patient. There are different bulk Chinese herbs that are still in use in Chinese medicine and that are borrowed heavily by modern medicine. Some of these Chinese herbs are given below.

Ginseng

Giseng has been in use of over a thousand years. It is categorized under 'sweet' and it is used to effectively boost energy of someone who has been weakened by disease. It contains ginsenosides and is used as a stress reliever. There are different species of the Ginseng. The wild Ginseng is not common and much more expensive while the Red Panax variety is more common. They are used to treat a wide range of diseases including constipation, fever, sweating disorder and flashes.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms is one of the bulk Chinese herbs used for medication in many communities and has a wide medicinal purpose. In modern science, the mushrooms have been found to have an immunity boosting effect and is currently used in the manufacture of various medication.

Cinnamon

Referred to as 'gui zhi' in traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon are used to increase warmth in the body and are thus categorized under the warm nature. They also target the blood system and are known to treat different blood related illnesses. It is also known to treat allergies conditions mainly related to blood system.

Source by Lagnajeet Roy