Herbs, Allergies, modifications and the future of TCM

February 17, 2010

I didn't get a chance to respond to Hugo and Z'ev and their thoughts about

allergies and reactions to toxins. I actually agree with both of you completely

that TCM is one of, if not the, safest form of healing. I just wanted to

clarify that there are things that need to be addressed. I don't know if anyone

remembers Jin Bu Huan or Zhang gan ling. They were both popular and both caused

either severe liver damage or death. Jin Bu Huan was a purified single herb

used for insomnia. Zhong Gan ling was a patent medicine that was said to be

better then Yin Qiao San, until someone took it for over a week and died. It

turned out to have a either a drug or a herb that was toxic.

Both of those problems would have been avoided if people prescribed herbs as

they were trained, meaning prescribe a formula with organic herbs or a GMP

prepared product based on signs, symptoms and TCM pathology. Unfortunately many

people want a quick shortcut like a western drug to address a specific problem.

I admit I do it sometimes by prescribing patent medicines for certain problems,

i.e. Shi Li san for urninary problems.

I remember being in school and many of my teachers would add herbs to formulas

based on modern research, This herb lowers cholesterol. This herb treats T-cell

function, This herb is anti-viral etc. Do we do the same thing when we " add a

herb to activate blood " in a formula?

Is this good? I don't know, but I do know that the more research that is done

the more we will advance in our knowledge and that is good, but look at Next

Pharmecutical products. They purify Magnolia and Phellodendron ( Hou Po and

Huang Bai, I think) and get products that treat specific western conditions. I

hear their product Seditol, which is based on the above herbs and suan cao ren

is amazing for insomnia. I have a patient that brought me a " drug " his

rheumatologist prescribed called Limbrel. It was actually a " medical food "

with magnolia etc used as a cox 2 inhibitor / anti inflammatory.

Will we as traditional practitioners use these products? Should we? Should we

ingore them? I am really not sure, but I know it is tempitng.

Ken Cherman, L.Ac.

February 18, 2010

Ken/Nahum,

You are undoubtedly correct about Jin bu huan and some versions of Zhong gan

ling. I spoke out publicly about this problem several years ago, i.e.

adulteration of certain mainland Chinese herb products with pharmaceuticals.

Add to these examples " extra strength " yin qiao san with chlorpromazine. I

actually was personally poisoned by Jin bu huan. I had taken it to try to sleep

after injuring my neck (while unpacking a moving van) on arriving in San Diego

20 years ago. I woke up 3 hours later with severe palpitations, a rapid pulse,

and unable to breathe normally. I was going to go to the emergency room, but

needled myself and took some gan cao, and the symptoms alleviated so I didn't

need to go. I called Ted Kaptchuk the next day and he informed me that Jin bu

huan was not an herbal, but a drug product.

I wouldn't call such products Chinese herbal medicine, but crude drugs at

best.

Companies like the ones you describe below may make wonderful products from

Chinese herbs, but they are also crude drugs, and may have more side effects

than the synergistic herbal formulas that are the mainstay of Chinese herbal

medicine. Chinese medicine is not specific herbs, or the use of needles for

acupuncture. One can use acupuncture or Chinese herbs allopathically, according

to pharmacology, neurology, or anatomy/physiology without any reference to

Chinese medical principles. It is the principles and philosophy of Chinese

medicine that is definitive, not the substances used. If they are not used

according to the principles of yin yang, five phase, and pattern

differentiation, then we are no longer practicing Chinese medicine.

On Feb 17, 2010, at 2:29 PM, kncherman wrote:

> I didn't get a chance to respond to Hugo and Z'ev and their thoughts about

allergies and reactions to toxins. I actually agree with both of you completely

that TCM is one of, if not the, safest form of healing. I just wanted to clarify

that there are things that need to be addressed. I don't know if anyone

remembers Jin Bu Huan or Zhang gan ling. They were both popular and both caused

either severe liver damage or death. Jin Bu Huan was a purified single herb used

for insomnia. Zhong Gan ling was a patent medicine that was said to be better

then Yin Qiao San, until someone took it for over a week and died. It turned out

to have a either a drug or a herb that was toxic.

>

> Both of those problems would have been avoided if people prescribed herbs as

they were trained, meaning prescribe a formula with organic herbs or a GMP

prepared product based on signs, symptoms and TCM pathology. Unfortunately many

people want a quick shortcut like a western drug to address a specific problem.

I admit I do it sometimes by prescribing patent medicines for certain problems,

i.e. Shi Li san for urninary problems.

>

> I remember being in school and many of my teachers would add herbs to formulas

based on modern research, This herb lowers cholesterol. This herb treats T-cell

function, This herb is anti-viral etc. Do we do the same thing when we " add a

herb to activate blood " in a formula?

>

> Is this good? I don't know, but I do know that the more research that is done

the more we will advance in our knowledge and that is good, but look at Next

Pharmecutical products. They purify Magnolia and Phellodendron ( Hou Po and

Huang Bai, I think) and get products that treat specific western conditions. I

hear their product Seditol, which is based on the above herbs and suan cao ren

is amazing for insomnia. I have a patient that brought me a " drug " his

rheumatologist prescribed called Limbrel. It was actually a " medical food " with

magnolia etc used as a cox 2 inhibitor / anti inflammatory.

>

> Will we as traditional practitioners use these products? Should we? Should we

ingore them? I am really not sure, but I know it is tempitng.

>

> Ken Cherman, L.Ac.

>

Chair, Department of Herbal Medicine

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

San Diego, Ca. 92122

February 18, 2010

Zev,

Well said. Another note, PCOM appears to have been bought by another

corporation. Has this changed in how the school has operated up till now? Have

any admin positions changed hands? Just curious, as their is no mention on the

website or the school's catalogs.

Michael W. Bowser, DC, LAc

> Chinese Medicine

> zrosenbe

> Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:34:07 -0800

> Re: Herbs, Allergies, modifications and the future of TCM

>

> Ken/Nahum,

> You are undoubtedly correct about Jin bu huan and some versions of Zhong gan

ling. I spoke out publicly about this problem several years ago, i.e.

adulteration of certain mainland Chinese herb products with pharmaceuticals. Add

to these examples " extra strength " yin qiao san with chlorpromazine. I actually

was personally poisoned by Jin bu huan. I had taken it to try to sleep after

injuring my neck (while unpacking a moving van) on arriving in San Diego 20

years ago. I woke up 3 hours later with severe palpitations, a rapid pulse, and

unable to breathe normally. I was going to go to the emergency room, but needled

myself and took some gan cao, and the symptoms alleviated so I didn't need to

go. I called Ted Kaptchuk the next day and he informed me that Jin bu huan was

not an herbal, but a drug product.

>

> I wouldn't call such products Chinese herbal medicine, but crude drugs at

best.

>

> Companies like the ones you describe below may make wonderful products from