Since the barefoot doctors (paramedics) have been grafted into the public Health Service, mass preventative campaigns with public participation of barefoot doctors have led to a reduction in the mortality of infectious disease.
Chinese doctors were using Ephedra 5000 years ago for asthma. For an equal length of time they used Quinghaosu effectively for malaria. The Chinese first recorded goose-grease as the perfect base for ointments, its penetrating power endorsed by modern scientific research.
While Western medicine appears to have a limited capacity to cure eczema, a modern Chinese treatment evolved from the ancient past is changing the lives of many who take it. The treatment was brought to London by Dr Ding-Hui Luo and she practised it with crowded surgeries in London’s Chinatown.
Chinese herbalism now has an appeal to general practitioners looking for alternative and traditional therapies for various diseases where conventional treatment has proved to be ineffective.
See entry: BAREFOOT DOCTOR’S MANUAL.
Address. Hu Shilin, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. ... chinese medicine
Habitat: Introduced from China; cultivated all over India, up to an altitude of 1,800 m.
Folk: Surajkaanti (Assam), Dasbaha, Dasbichandi (Bengal).Action: Rhizomes—expectorant, deobstruent, resolvent, used in tonsillitis, chest and liver complaints (antiviral against pneumonia).
Presence of alkaloids is reported from the plant, glucoside, belamcan- din from the roots. The leaves and flowers contain a glycoflavone. The seeds tested positive for leucoantho- cyanins.... belamcanda chinensisHabitat: Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim, Assam, and Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Action: Plant—emollient, resolvent. Used as a poultice in erysipelas and for tumours in the breast. Root—used both externally and internally for enhancing blood circulation especially when blue spots and blotches result from blows. The powdered root, mixed with tea, is given to parturient women. Leaves—used for poulticing pimples. The juice is used asa gargle for inflammations of the throat.... gynura pseudo-china
Habitat: Nepal, Chota Nagpur and Khasi hills at altitudes of 9001,500 m.
Action: Plant—used in China for fevers and asthma. Root—considered depurative and antirheumatic in Indo-China. The plant is one of the constituent of a tincture formulation used for the treatment of scars.
The rhizomes of the plant are reported to contain the polyfructosan, lobelinin.... lobelia chinensisHabitat: Cultivated chiefly in Kannauj, Kanpur and Hathras.
English: Bengal Rose, Monthly Rose.... rosa chinensisHabitat: Native to China; now cultivated mainly in Northern Bihar, particularly in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts, and Saharanpur, Dehra Dun, Muzaffar- nagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Gonda, Basti, Faizabad, Rampur, Bareil- ly, Bahraich, Kheri and Pilibhit districts of Uttar Pradesh.
English: Litchi, Lychee.Action: Fruit—refrigerant during summer. Leaf—used in bites of animals.
Litchi aril contains: total sugars (as invert sugar) 12.1-14.8; reducing sugar 9-13.7; non-reducing sugar 1.0-3.4; acidity (as citric acid) 0.22-0.36%; and ascorbic acid 34.5-45.4 mg/100 g.The plant contains levulinic, malic, citric, lactic, malonic, fumaric, suc- cinic, phosphoric and glutaric acids.The Bark contains friedelin and stig- masterol.Litchi seeds are prescribed in Malaya for neurological disorders and orchi- tis. In seed lipids, fatty acids cyclo- propanoic 42.0; oleic 27.0, palmitic 12.0 and linoleic 11.0%, have been determined.... litchi chinensisHabitat: The Himalayas from Garhwal to Bhutan, North Bengal, Bihar and Khasi, Aka and Lushai hills.
Folk: Bhui-lukham (Lushai).Action: Plant—anodyne, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory.
The plant contains the flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol and hydrolys- able tannins, besides gallic acid, methyl gallate and ellagic acid.The flavonoids and tannins showed antioxidant activity. Ellagic acid suppressed increase in lipid peroxidation induced by CCl4 and Cobalt-60 irradiation and this effect was more than that of alpha-tocopherol. Gallic acid showed anti-inflammatory activity against zymosan-induced acute footpad swelling in mice.... osbeckia chinensisHabitat: Throughout India and the Andamans.
English: Senega.Folk: Meradu, Maraad, Negali (Maharashtra). Maraad (Nepal).Action: Root—antiasthmatic; used as a substitute for Senega obtained from the American plant Polygala senega. (In Chinese medicine Senega refers to P. tenuifolia Willd.)
Key application: Senega Root— in productive cough, catarrh of the respiratory tract and chronic bronchitis. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO.)Senega yielded lactonic lignans, their glycosides and flavonol glycosides. The root gave arctiin, afzelin, myricitrin and rutin. A triterpenic saponin was also obtained from the plant. The root contains salicylic acid, methyl salicylate and senegin (a sapo- nin mixture).Senega is used for chronic bronchitis, catarrh, asthma and croup, as an infusion.Related species are: P. chinesis Linn., synonym P. glomerata Lour; P. tele- phioides Willd., synonym P. brachys- tachya DC. non-Bl., found throughout the plains of India. Both the plants are used as expectorant, antiasthmatic and anticatarrhal.Toxic constituents of Polygala senega root are: triterpene saponins—6- 16% senegasaponins A-D with agly- cone presenegenin or senegin. Sapo- nins irritate GI tract mucosa and cause reflex secretion of mucous in the bronchioles.A French patent is used against graft rejection, eczema and multiple sclerosis as an anti-inflammatory drug.... polygala chinensisHabitat: The temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan at 1,3002,400 m.
Folk: Tatri, Arkhar (Punjab).Action: Galls—astringent and expectorant. Used in ointments and suppositories employed in the treatment of haemorrhoids, swellings and wounds. Fruits— spasmolytic. Used for colic, diarrhoea and dysentery.
Dry galls contain 50 to 80% tannin (in the form of Gallo tannic acid); small amounts of fat, resin and gum. The stem-bark contains 10.5% tannin. The fruit contains tannin, gallic acid and potassium acid salts, together with small amounts of aluminium, calcium, magnesium and iron acid salts of malic, tartaric and citric acids.The heartwood contained the flavo- noids, pongapin, tetramethoxyfisetin and demethoxykanugin, and a diben- zoylmethane, ovalitenone.Rhus hookeri Sahni & Bahadur, synonym R. insignis Hk. f. is found in Sik- kim Himalaya from Nepal to Bhutan at 1,600-2,000 m and in Khasi Hills at 1,500 m. Juice of the plant is a powerful vesicant. The fruit contain a fat similar to that found in the fruit of R. javanica.... rhus chinensisHabitat: A large, climbing shrub or small tree occurring throughout India, including the Andaman Islands.
English: Saptrangi.Ayurvedic: Saptachakraa, Swarn- muula, Saptarangi.Folk: Ingali (Maharashtra), Modhuphal (Bengal), Cherukuranti (Kerala).Action: Roots—used in diabetes. Also used for amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and genito-urinary and venereal diseases.
The root bark contains proantho- cyanidins, consisting of monomeric leucopelargonidin, its monomer, dimer and tetramer; triterpenoids (friedelin and its derivatives), mangi- ferine, phlobatannin, and glucosidal tannins.The stem yielded gutta, dulcitol and proanthocyanidin consisting of dimer of leucopelargonidin.Dosage: Root—50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... salacia chinensisHabitat: Japan, China and Cochin China.
Ayurvedic: Chobachini, Chopachi- ni, Dweepaantar-Vachaa, Madhus- nuhi, Hriddhaatri.Unani: Chobchini.Siddha/Tamil: Parangi chakkai.Action: Tubers—used as alterative in venereal diseases, chronic skin diseases and rheumatic affections. Used as official sarsaparilla. (China of homoeopathic medicine is Peruvian bark, not Smilax china.)
Sarsaparilla (Smilax species) is used in Oriental as well as in Western herbal for its alterative, gentle circulatory stimulant and mild testosterone activity.The root is known for its steroidal saponins. Pro-sapogenin-A of dioscin, dioscin, gracillin. Me-protogracillin, Me-protodioscin and its 22-hydroxy- analog; besides beta-sitosterol gluco- side, smilaxin, two furostan and one spirostane glycosides have been isolated from the root.Dosage: Root—50-100 mg powder. (CCRAS.)... smilax chinaAction: antispasmodic, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, anti-emetic, carminative, anti-putrescent, aromatic, febrifuge, mild analgesic.
Uses: Flatulent dyspepsia, colic, irritable bowel, diverticulosis. Influenza and colds. Leucorrhoea (5 drops oil in honey before meals). Lung affections: chest rub. Loss of weight and malaise. Deficiency of stomach acid. Snakebite.
Preparations: Thrice daily, or more frequently in acute cases.
Tea: Quarter to half a teaspoon in each cup boiling water, hot tea or other beverage.
Tincture BPC (1949). Dose 30-60 drops (2-4ml).
Inhalant: Inhale steam from 20-30 drops oil or essence in 1 pint boiling water, with head covered. Chest-rub. 5 drops oil in 2 teaspoons Almond or Olive oil.
Not a front-line remedy. Much used to flavour medicines and toothpastes. Avoid in pregnancy. Combines well with Ginger (equal parts). ... cinnamon, chinese
To harden gums: 5-10 drops Tincture Myrrh in tumbler of water as a mouth rinse, freely. To inhibit plaque: chew sticks of Marshmallow root, Liquorice root, or Orris root. Saliva from such chewing inhibits lactic acid; reduces adherence of Saliva mutans.
Mouth wash. Leaves of Comfrey, Sage or Walnut. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes.
Marie Treben’s Mouth Rinse. Equal parts, Ladies Mantle, Oak bark, Sage, Knotgrass. Mix. 2 teaspoons to cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Strain off.
Bloodroot makes a mouth wash for reducing plaque and blocks enzymes that destroy collagen in gum tissue. (American Herbal Association)
Cider Vinegar. 2 teaspoons in glass of water. Sips throughout the day.
Diet. Alfalfa tea. Sugar-free, salt-free diet. Reject foods known to contain additives. Supplementation. Vitamin C (1 gram daily). Calcium. Dolomite. ... gums, receding