herbal tutor users

[Guest guest]

For those who are using the herbal tutor software from RMHI, I have

found it helpful to select the " TCM Herbal Tutor Help " command from the

Help menu. This file has very useful information on searching the

databases. It may not be apparent when opening a search window, but

the data entry allows for full boolean operations. In other words, you

can insert AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, +, -, ( ) in order to refine your

search. If the search results are not adequate on the first try, just

click search and the same window will open allowing you to add or

remove any parameters until you hone in on the results you need.

 

For example, if you want the search to prioritize a pattern and chief

complaint, you can put a + in front of those terms.

 

+ liver qi OR spleen qi

+ epigastric OR stomach OR abdominal

 

 

I then could add other symptoms or patterns of lower priority without

the + command.

 

 

fatigue; damp heat; loose stool OR diarrhea; pain

 

wiry; greasy

 

My search would yield a variety of formulas ranked by relevance. I

could then simultaneously peruse the ingredients of the top 10 formulas

displayed in pinyin. A careful search using this method got me in the

right ballpark every time. I took ten cases used in one of my classes,

a mixture of complex multipattern chronics and simpler acutes. Each

time the software provided choices that provided a solid foundation to

craft a complex multipattern formula.

 

from the search above, some of the top choices were tong xie yao fang,

xiao yao san, si ni san, zhong man fen xiao tang, zuo jin wan

 

no surprises there for those who have already internalized all these

rx, but quite useful for the neophyte to get a handle on things.

 

Also, for medical practitioners, the clinical notes section of the

database can be searched for western diseases associated with certain

patterns (such as damp heat diarrhea formulas in ulcerative colitis)

 

admittedly, there is a learning curve to entering the search

parameters, but I think its well worth it, especially for anyone who

hasn't already memorized every formula and its functions. :-)

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbs

 

 

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