TRADITIONAL
CHINESE MEDICINE AND POPULAR HERBS IN THAILAND
-Dr.
Rabindra Pandey
Medical Officer, Department of Ayurveda
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a medical
system developed from the experience of Chinese people
over thousand of year in their struggle against diseases.
It is developed as early as 4000 yrs ago. The essential
characteristics of Traditional Chinese medicines are
concept of wholism and treatment determination based
on syndrome differentiation.
Traditional Chinese medicine recognizes
two key elements to health and well being. The flow
of vital energy known as qi and the basic harmony between
the forces of yin and yang in the body. The ancient
Chinese believed that 'They are born with a certain
amount of qi the dynamic force that animates us and
our lives. The qi is universal; it exists and manifests
itself all throughout nature. The energy is capture
(Primarily through the foods we eat and the air we breathe)
and circulated in our bodies through invisible channels
called meridians. The qi flows form one meridian into
the other and is seen as body movements. The body may
also store some of the energy for future use. The amount
and quality of this life force is determined by heredity
but is influenced by the way we liver our lives. We
add to our eating the right food, supporting it with
proper exercise and breathing clean air. On the other
hand, we can deplete our qi by inappropriate habits
and life styles. The stresses and excesses that can
block the flow of qi are: the six excesses: wind, cold,
heat dampness, dryness and fire; The seven moods; joy,
anger, anxiety, obsession, fear, horror, and sorrow,
intemperance in eating and drinking, too little or too
much sexual activity: too little or too much exercise,
work and contemplation. Energy varies not only in quantity
but also in quality. For everything in the universe
contains within itself. The seed of its opposite and
everything is governed by the opposite yet complimentary
forces of yin and yang. These two principles of nature
define each other and constantly transform into the
other in a mutually controlling and mutually dependent
interplay which is the very force of all life. Yin is
nurturing, feminine and dark, cool, quiet and passive
like the night, Yang is motivating, masculine and bright,
warm, noisy and active like the day. Yin and yang coexist
in a fluctuating harmony, one flowing into the other
as night into day into night. In traditional Chinese
medicine, therefore, illness is an energy imbalance,
and excess or deficiency in the elemental energies,
the qi in the body. Death is the absence of total depletion
of this energy. Illness also results when the basic
harmony between the forces of yin and yang is distributed.
Our health is a reflection of our relationship to these
universal energies and the natural elements of life.
From a philosophy of nature, traditional Chinese medicine
has evolved into a complex system of examination and
diagnosis of health and diseases. Its courses of treatment
include herbal preparations, food therapy, breathing
and physical exercises, massage (Tuina manupulation)
as well as Acupressure, Acupuncture, Moxibuston and
Cupping therapy. Basically traditional Chinese medicine
is preventive and health promotive medicine using a
wholistic approach to health.
In Thailand, practise of herbal medicine
is widely using as preventive, promotive, curative as
well as in food products. BAY-sweet Laurus nobilis,
CATNIP- Nepeta cataria, BUABUK (Cenetella asiatsica),
Pennywort, CHA-PLU (Piper sarmentosum) as expectorant
and carminative, CURRY (helichrysum angustifolium),
GUICHAI ( Allium tuberosum), GANG DANG/GANG KHEO (Whan)
in soap, GA-PRAO (Ocimum sanctum) as carminative, antidiarrhoeal,
antihelmetic, HORAPAH (Ocimim basilium) as antispasodic
useful in gastritis, indigestion and constipation, KHAMI
KHAO (Curcuma petiolata) as antidiarrhoeal, antiemetic
and antipyretic, KHA ( Languas galanga) in anorexia
and indigestion, LEMONBALM (Melissa officinalis) as
aromatic and cosmetic, LAMB'S EAR (Stachys) byzatina)
as herbal art, MARJORAM (Sweet Origanum marjorna) as
aromatic, cosmetic and decorative, MANGLUK (Ocimum basilicum)
as laxative and carminative, MERIGOLD MINT/TEX. As (Tagetes
lucidia) as culinary, medicinal and ornamental, carminative,
antiflatulent and locally application in headache and
sprain. PAKSHEE (coriandrum sativum) as aromatic, decorative
& medicinal value, OREGANO (Origanum) as health
food item, PRIKKEENOOH (calsicum fritescens) Thai pepper
as expectorant, antihelmenthics, carminative, counter-irritant
and antipyretic, PINEAPPLE SAGE (Saliva elegan rutilans)
as decorative and culinary, ROSEMARY (Rosemerinus officinalis)
as aromatic, cosmetics, culinary, decorative and medical
value mixed with soap and perfumes, SORREL (Rumwl acetosa)
as food items, TOEY (Pandanus) as aromatic leaves, TAKRAI
(Lemon grass, Cymbopogon citratus) as carminative, diuretic,
THYME (Thymus vulgaris) as antiseptic, TUM-LEUNG (Coccinia
grandis) locally use as antipyretic, anti-inflamatory
and antidiabetic, MAKUE (Thai egg plant) using in the
Thai curry and dishes etc. Specially in Thailand, herbal
medicines are popular for health food, drink and in
cosmetic items. In Thailand, traditional medicine specially
herbal medicine is practising since ancient period.
(Article prepared during training &
tour of Beijing & Thailand).
