tonics vs. supplements

[Guest guest]

Alon and others,

 

It is interesting to me that there isn't really much in the way of

classification of herbs in Western medicine like what we call supplementing

(tonic) herbs. There are two recent exceptions they are adaptogen and

trophorestorative. Demulcents is another category used in Western herbal

medicine, this is similar to yin supplementing.

Many of our supplementing herbs are food-like and slow/gentle in action. Many of

those herbs were not used by Western herbalists of the past. American Ginseng

was said to be nearly useless by the Eclectics. Solomon's Seal (yu zhu) was

barely given a mention by most herbalists.

There are a few herbs, but relatively few, used in Western herbal medicine that

I would feel good calling supplementing from the Chinese perspective. Hawthorn,

Wild Oat, Siberian Ginseng, Marshmallow..........

 

Hope this helps,

Thomas