The dried roots of the herb ginseng spp. (Araliaceae) have been used for centuries in Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea. The oldest Chinese pharmacopia, Sheng-nong Ben-cao Jing, listed ginseng as a tonic with a myriad of effects (anti-aging, liver tonic, vital energy replenishment) and prescribed for...

Traditional medicine includes the knowledge and practices that rely exclusively on practical experience and observations handed down from generations to generations, either verbally or in writing. Traditional systems of medicine in India are culturally acceptable and usually inexpensive. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Burn trauma, accident wounds and chronic wounds remain major problems in many countries. In the United States, approximately 2.5 million people with burn injury seek medical care with 80,000 hospitalisations and 12,000 deaths annually. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Acupuncture is a component of the health care system of China that can be traced back for at least 2500 years. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body that are essential for health. This article is...

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) are derivatives of natural products that have been used for centuries in China to treat a variety of human disorders, including immune-mediated disorders. The development of immunosuppressive agents with high efficacy and minimal toxicities has been the focus of novel drug research. This article is available...

Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) is an example of an alternative remedy proposed in the management of burn injuries. Developed in the late 1980s at the China National Science and Technology Centre in Beijing with its clinical use reported originally from China,1 MEBO is a petrolatum-based ointment containing sesame...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon but serious and debilitating disorder seen in children and adults. By definition, it is an elevation of the pressure in the pulmonary artery to above a mean of 25 mmHg at rest, or 30 mmHg during exercise. This article is available only as...

Chinese medicine individualises its treatment plan and practice and refutes any general law. Therefore, Chinese medicine practitioners do not have the tradition of research. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Complementary and alternative medicine practices and products are often believed to be holistic and natural cures for many aliments. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most commonly used forms of complementary medicine in our culture. Rather than treating just the disease condition alone, TCM philosophy strives to...