The Chinese patent formulas presented by Herbs West are quite effective.  Often, patent formulas are used alone in acute problems at recommended package doses with remarkable effect - particularly colds, trauma, fever and pain.  In chronic problems of deficiency (qi, blood, yin, yang, etc.) they are often the therapy of choice.

Patent formulas are usually taken at least thirty minutes before or after meals with a glass of water or tea.  Exceptions are noted with individual formulas.  WHEN TASTE PERMITS, THEY ARE BEST ABSORBED IF CHEWED.

Patent formulas are valuable as adjunctive therapy to acupuncture, chiropractic, and therapeutic massage, as they often help to allow healing to take place at an accelerated pace.  Caution is always advised when taking any herbal preparation.  It is advised to see a professional Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and to read sources for education in understanding the dynamics of using these special formulas.

ABOUT HERB NAMES

Some names of formulas contain words like tang, pian, wan, and san. Often these names are part of the original herb formula name. Below are some translations of some of the more common designations associated with Chinese Medicine:

Tang: literally means herbal soup. Most herb prescriptions were formulated using bulk herbs cooked together like a soup.

San: means powder. Some prescriptions called for powdering loose herbs then adding hot water, or in some cases adding honey to the powder to make herbal pills.

Wan: are small pills, usually black, now made by reducing the water content of the tang until the pill is firm and solid. An example is Si Wu Tang Wan.

Pian: is a larger pill, more the size of vitamin pills, an example is Bi Yan Pian. Pian are manufactured by freeze-drying the herbal soup mixture (tang) and then tableting it, using standard manufacturing techniques.

Su: are concentrated pills. The active ingredient is concentrated by modern methods to increase potency. An example is Huang Lian Su Wan.

credits:
Chinese Herbal Patent Formulas by Jake Fratkin
Chinese Patent Medicines by Mark Taylor