Seven guideline for preventing herb side effects

[Guest guest]

On pages 36-37 of issue #6, 2005 of Gan Su Zhong Yi (Gansu Chinese

Medicine), Yang Wen-yong and Zhang Xiao-long published an article

titled, " Observations on Preventing Adverse Reactions [When Using]

Chinese Medicinals. " Yang and Zhang give seven pieces of advice that I

thought CHA members might be interested in. The following is a very

loose translation and paraphrasing.

 

1. Treatment with Chinese medicinals should be based on pattern

discrimination.

 

This, in turn, should be based on the four examinations. This means

that vacuities should be supplemented, repletions drained, cold

heated, and heat colded, etc. This is professional Chinese medicine's

basic heteropathic methodology.

 

2. Use medicinals like using a weapon.

 

Yang and Zhang explain this as meaning to prescribe Chinese medicinals

with care. In particular, they advise great care when prescribing

Chinese medicinals which are toxic. However, they also say that such

care also extends to supplements which can cause disease if prescribed

unnecessarily. In sum, they say that one must pay attention to a

medicinal's nature and functions and then prescribe on the basis of

CM's heteropathic methodology, thus restoring balance to the body's

yin and yang.

 

3. When dispelling evils, do not damage the righteous.

 

This means that one must determine formulas, dosages, and length of

administration so as not to damage the patient's righteous qi while

combatting and dispelling any evil qi. Evil qi is generally treated by

attacking and draining methdologies which, if inappropriately applied,

may damage the righteous qi.

 

4. Strike the disease [and] then stop.

 

In other words, don't use attacking and draining medicinals too long.

Once they have achieved their effect, they should be suspended. As an

example, if exterior-resolving meds achieve perspiration in an

exterior condition, then their use should be stopped.

 

5. One should follow the prohibitions for using and combining Chinese

medicinals.

 

6. One should use the correct processing of medicinals to strengthen

their intended effects and reduce their toxicity and potential for

adverse reactions.

 

7. One should base their practice on the clinical experiences of

generations as found in the CM literature.

 

This means that one should be aware of and follow the traditional

teachings on the use of medicinals contained in the famous books of CM

which contains hundreds and thousands of years of recorded clinical

experience. Drs. Yang and Zhang think that this is extremely important.

 

Basically, Drs. Yang and Zhang are saying that, if you prescribe

Chinese medicinals according to traditional teachings and clinical

norms, you should not have much worry over side effects and adverse

reactions. I think this is good to remember when so many Western

practitioners of CM have been panicked by their biomedical

counterparts/competitors/adversaries. IMO, we need to stand firm in

and on our tradition, increase our knowledge and understanding of that

tradition, practice according to the standards of that tradition, and

not be spooked.

 

Bob

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Bob, for translating this piece and expressing your

important message to CM herbalists. Too many of us feel as if we are

on the defensive when using Chinese internal medicine.

 

 

On Sep 30, 2005, at 1:09 PM, Bob Flaws wrote:

 

> Basically, Drs. Yang and Zhang are saying that, if you prescribe

> Chinese medicinals according to traditional teachings and clinical

> norms, you should not have much worry over side effects and adverse

> reactions. I think this is good to remember when so many Western

> practitioners of CM have been panicked by their biomedical

> counterparts/competitors/adversaries. IMO, we need to stand firm in

> and on our tradition, increase our knowledge and understanding of that

> tradition, practice according to the standards of that tradition, and

> not be spooked.

>

> Bob