AIDUS & E-FONG HEALTH SOLUTION (CANADA)
AIDUS & E-FONG HEALTH SOLUTION (CANADA)
About TCM- Herbal Formula


                                 About  Herbal Formulas

The unique characteristic of Chinese herbal medicine is the degree to which formulation is done. In other
forms of herbal medicine, especially western herbal medicine, herbs are often delivered singly or
combined into very small formulas of herbs with the same function. In contrast, Chinese herbalists rarely
prescribe a single herb to treat a condition. They create formulas instead.
A formula usually contains at least four to twenty herbs.

Herbal formulas can be delivered in all manners of preparation. Pre-made formulas are available as pills,
tablets, capsules, powders, alcohol-extracts, water-extracts, etc. Most of these formulas are very
convenient as they do not necessitate patient preparation and are easily taken. However, the
concentration of the herbs in these products is low and don't allow the practitioner to adjust the
contents or dosages. These products are usually not as potent as the traditional preparation of
decoction. Decoction is the traditional method of preparing herbal medicine. A decoction is a
concentrated form of tea. The practitioner weighs out a day's dosage of each herb and combines them
in a bag. A patient is given a bag for each day the herbal formula will be taken. The herbs are then boiled
in water by the patient at home. The boiling process takes from 30-60 minutes and the resulting
decoction will be consumed several times during the day.

Another modern way of delivering herbs is through granulated herbal extracts, which are highly
concentrated powdered extracts. These powders are made by first preparing the herbs as a traditional
decoction. The decoction is then dehydrated to leave a powder residue. Practitioners can then mix these
powders together for each patient into a custom formula. The powder is then placed in hot water to
recreate the decoction. This eliminates the need to prepare the herbs at home, but still retains much of
the original decoction's potency.