1st Edition

The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes

By Joseph P. Hou, Youyu Jin Copyright 2005
    842 Pages
    by Routledge

    842 Pages
    by Routledge

    A modern reference guide on the benefits of incorporating traditional Chinese medicine into modern-day therapies!

    The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes is an easy-to-follow introduction to the history of traditional Chinese phytomedicine. This useful guide clearly explains the basics of this unique medical system and describes in detail the therapeutic properties and use of medicinal herbs and herbal recipes. The book includes a bibliography, glossary, contact information for herbal dealers and Oriental medicine schools, and an indexed list of 300 commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs and 245 herbal recipes.

    In The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes, you will find the fundamentals, evolution, and development of the herbal formulas of the 4,000-year-old Oriental Materia Medica, also known as ben cao. The book contains 11 sections documenting the therapeutic applications, dosages, precautions, and modern research findings of 138 of the most popular medicinal herbs. In addition, this resource provides 101 of the most frequently prescribed master recipes by famous ancient physicians, including their origin, ingredients, actions, indications, and modern clinical uses.

    The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes offers an in-depth education on:

    • tonic herbs
    • herbs that adjust the yin and yang of the body
    • herbs that invigorate circulation of vital energy, qi, and blood
    • herbal tranquilizers
    • herbal diaphoretics
    • herbal expectorants, antitussives, and antiasthmatics
    • herbal pain killers
    • herbs which regulate digestion and elimination
    • herbal diuretics
    • herbal antipyretics, antimicrobials, and detoxicants
    • antitumor herbs
    The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes provides up-to-date information on the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as how to use Chinese medicinal herbs in conjunction with Western conventions. This comprehensive reference will benefit healthcare practitioners who want to include Oriental medicine in their practice, and anyone who is interested in Chinese herbs or patients for whom conventional medicine has offered no relief.

    • Foreword (Zhou Jinhuang)
    • Preface
    • Acknowledgments
    • Guide to Chinese Pin Yin Phonetics and the Wade-Giles System
    • Authors’ Note
    • Introduction: Western Medicine versus Traditional Chinese Medicine
    • Modern (Synthetic) Medicine versus Herbal (Natural) Medicine
    • The Healing Benefits of Chinese Herbs
    • The Future of Chinese Herbal Medicine
    • PART I: THE MYTH AND TRUTH ABOUT CHINESE MEDICINE
    • Chapter 1. The Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine
    • Early Medical Philosophy
    • The Essence of Chinese Medicine
    • Methods of Diagnosis and Differentiation of Syndromes
    • Treatment Methods
    • Chapter 2. The Development of Ben Cao and Herbal Recipes
    • The Evolution of Ben Cao
    • The Evolution of Herbal Recipes
    • PART II: THE PRACTICALITIES OF CHINESE HERBAL REMEDIES
    • Chapter 3. Practical Herbalism
    • The Benefits of Medicinal Herbs
    • Practical Herbalism
    • How Medicinal Plants Are Processed
    • Chemical Components of Medicinal Plants
    • Properties of Medicinal Herbs
    • Dosage of Herbs
    • Factors That Influence the Efficacy of Herbs
    • How Chinese Medicinal Herbs Are Used
    • Chapter 4. Effective Herbal Recipes and Patent Medicines
    • Herbal Recipes (Formulas, Prescriptions)
    • How Herbal Recipes Are Modified
    • Patent Medicines and Modern Pharmaceutical Herbal Preparations
    • Quality Control and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) of Herbal Products
    • Where to Buy Chinese Herbs and Patent Medicines
    • PART III: THE HEALING POWERS OF MEDICINAL HERBS, PAST AND PRESENT
    • Chapter 5. Miraculous Tonic Herbs: Strengthening the First Line of Defense and Fortifying the Immune System
    • Ginseng Root; Radix ginseng; Ren shen
    • Siberian Ginseng; Radix Acanthopanax senticosus; Wu jia shen or Ci wu jia
    • Astragalus Root; Radix Astragali; Huang qi
    • Codonopsis; Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae; Dang shen
    • Licorice Root; Radix Glycyrrhizae; Gan cao
    • Chinese Yam; Rhizoma Dioscoreae; Shan yao
    • Schisandra Fruit; Fructus Schisandra; Wu wei zi
    • White Atractylodes; Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephala; Bai zhu
    • Chinese Angelica Root; Radix Angelica sinensis; Dang gui, Tang kuei, Dong quai
    • Processed Rehmannia Root; Radix Rehmanniae Preparata; Shu di huang or Shu di
    • White Peony Root; Radix Paeoniae Alba; Bai shao
    • Polygonum; Radix Polygoni multiflori; He shou wu or Shou wu
    • Chapter 6. Herbs That Adjust the Yin and Yang: Defending Homeostasis and Harmony of the Body
    • American Ginseng; Radix Ginseng Quinquefolium; Xi yang shen or Hua qi shen
    • Ophiopogon Root; Radix Ophiopogonis; Mai men dong or Mai dong
    • Lycium Fruit; Fructus Lycii; Gou qi zi
    • Polygonatum Root; Rhizoma Polygonati; Huang jing
    • Glehnia; Radix Glehniae; Bei sha shen
    • Asparagus; Radix Asparagi; Tian men dong or Tian dong
    • Epimedium; Herba Epimedii; Yin yang huo or Xiang ling pi
    • Eucommia Bark; Cortex Eucommiae; Du zhong
    • Psoralea Fruit; Frutus Psoraleae; Bu gu zhi
    • Cordyceps; Cordyceps sinensis; Dong chong xia cao
    • Morinda Root; Radix Morindae officinalis; Ba ji tian
    • Cistanche; Herba Cistanches; Rou cong rong
    • Cuscuta; Semen Cuscutae; Tu si zi
    • Cornus; Fructus Corni; Shan zhu yu
    • Curculigo Rhizome; Rhizoma Curculiginis; Xian mao
    • Pilose Antler; Cornu Cervi Parvum; Lu rong
    • Chapter 7. Herbs That Invigorate Circulation of Vital Energy, Qi, and Blood: Preventing Discomfort and Pain, and Cerebral and Coronary Heart Diseases
    • Tangerine (Orange) Peel; Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae; Chen pi
    • Immature Bitter Orange; Fructus Aurantii Immaturus; Zhi shi
    • Cyper

    Biography

    Joseph P. Hou, Youyu Jin