boiling up loose herbs at home. This has resulted in the now widespread use
of concentrated powder and granule extracts. These products are proving
popular with both western patients and in Chinese cities where the pace of
life has recently increased significantly. Although there is no doubt that
these products make the process of taking herbal medicine much easier and
therefore patient compliance has certainly improved, traditionalists argue
that the effectiveness of these products is less than when using raw herbs.
Until more comparable research is undertaken it will remain a matter of
practitioner preference.
One of the major advantages of these products is in the microbiological
quality. Traditionally made powders are produced from grinding the raw
herb and can have very high microbial loads. As a result of the heating steps
involved in the manufacture of concentrated extracts, the microbiological
loading will be close to zero. These products can be stored for several years
without microbial spoilage.
Western CHM
The use of CHM has been continued in the traditional manner by physicians
and pharmacists serving Chinese communities around the world.
In many western cities the Chinatown districts support herb shops and
practices with remedies imported directly from Asia, and practitioners
trained by the old system of long apprenticeship. Increasingly, local western
practitioners are training in their home countries to satisfy the growing
interest for CHM. In particular, acupuncturists seem to be extending their
practice. Many are taking a 2-year postgraduate course accredited by
the European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association
(EHTPA) and offered by many colleges and universities around the UK,
which covers around 200 herbs and 100 classic formulae.^196
Examples of Chinese herbs used in the UK
Examples of herbs used in TCM formulae in the UK are listed in Table 6.5.^195
With the introduction of these new dosage forms modern manufacturing
and testing facilities have developed. Since March 2005 factories in China
must be GMP certified and companies who failed to reach the standard have
been closed down.
As relations are further developed between Europe and China it is likely
that UK inspectors will also travel to China in order to assess suitability for
the European market. This will be a challenging and exciting development.
176 | Traditional medicine