Chinese Herbal Medicine is one of the core practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here in the UK, acupuncture is probably the best-known aspect of Chinese medicine, but Chinese herbs have a 3000-year history of use and are routinely used alongside western medical treatments in Chinese hospitals. 

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There are hundreds of Chinese herbs in regular use. Some are plants that we are familiar with here in the UK – mulberry, peony, ginger, liquorice, cinnamon, honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, citrus peel... others are not grown here and have to be imported. In China it is common practice to use animal products, and here in the UK you may find some herbalists who do use some of them, but I do not. I believe there are always plant-based alternatives and only offer plant-based medicine. 

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Although this is an ancient traditional medicine, modern science shows us that plants have a whole range of pharmacological actions; they can contain powerful compounds which are anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-hypertensive, diuretic, hormone-like, laxative, vasodilatory… the list goes on. Many plant compounds have been isolated and synthesised to make Western medicines we are all familiar with such as aspirin or morphine, but when using the whole plant (or part of it) rather than just one isolated compound, side effects can be minimised. 

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Western medicine is amazing, but for many autoimmune illnesses such as Rheumatoid Arthritis or Sjogren’s Syndrome; for post-viral illnesses such as ME/CFS and Long Covid; for chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, migraine, or eczema; and for women’s health, including optimising fertility or managing the transition through menopause, Chinese herbal medicine gives us another way to improve our health, reduce symptoms and have a better quality of life. This can be particularly helpful when Western medicine has nothing more to offer or when Western drugs cause unwanted side-effects. 

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The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) is the main regulating body here in the UK. They set standards in professional training and practice, provide regular safety updates for herbalists, and maintain a list of approved suppliers. By choosing a herbalist who qualified via an RCHM approved course and uses an RCHM approved pharmacy, you can be sure you are being treated safely and effectively.