Synergistic Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine is an experience-based medicine, which has existed for millennia. However, some, particularly in the West, doubt the effect and synergy of traditional Chinese medicine as its mechanisms are less definitive than western-style scientific medicine. The traditional Chinese medicine treatment of patients is quite different from Western medicine as a whole as its synergism is based on the concept of balance. So, only those formulae under its synergistic principle and some herbs under the same rule, can work effectively on the whole body. Efficient scientific techniques are required to validate this principle. Global interest in traditional Chinese medicine has increased significantly in recent years, driven by global trends in health care. Recognition of its clinical, pharmaceutical and economic values is growing. Some studies on traditional Chinese medicine have proven its efficiency compared to established medical methods. In this article, the current knowledge and research about traditional Chinese medicine synergy has been reviewed. This provides scientific validation that traditional Chinese medicine makes good use of herbal synergistic effects to act through different molecular channels and sites to achieve the intended function. The synergy between Chinese medicine and Western medicine is also widely concerned. This should lead to greater use of the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine for healing.