Chinese herbal medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is a tradition refined over two thousand years, and many modern medicines trace their origins to plants first catalogued in the Chinese pharmacopoeia. This page describes what a prescription is and how it is prepared.

A formula made for you

Rather than a single herb, a Chinese herbal prescription typically combines 8–16 herbs, selected according to a Traditional Chinese Medicine assessment of the individual. Your formula is reviewed and adjusted at each appointment. Putting one together is the part of the tradition that takes the longest to learn.

How you can take your herbs

• Traditional decoction — dried raw herbs brewed into a tea, taken twice daily. The classical method.
• Concentrated granules — modern preparations made in GMP-certified facilities; dissolve in hot water. Convenient for busy days.
• Capsules or tablets — for those who would rather skip the taste of herbal tea.

Sourcing and quality

Our herbs are approved for supply in the UK and quality-controlled, sourced mostly from specialist growers, and tested for harmful bacteria, heavy metals and chemical contaminants. We never use endangered animal or plant products.

Safety — please read

Herbal medicines are active substances. They can cause side effects, and they can interact with prescribed medicines.

• Tell us about everything you take — prescribed medication, over-the-counter remedies and supplements — before a formula is prescribed.
• Tell us if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding.
• Tell your GP or consultant that you are taking Chinese herbs, particularly if you are under a hospital team or taking medication for a long-term condition.
• Stop taking the formula and contact us and your GP if you feel unwell while taking it.

We will decline to prescribe where we do not think it is appropriate.

What we do not claim

We are not able to tell you that Chinese herbal medicine will treat or relieve any medical condition — the clinical evidence required to support claims of that kind does not exist. What this page describes is the tradition, how a prescription is put together, and how the herbs are sourced and tested. If you want treatment with evidence of effectiveness behind it, speak to your GP.

Watch: an introduction to Chinese herbal medicine

Video courtesy of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture UK (ATCM), of which Dr Zhang is a member.