ABSTRACT
Traditional Chinese medicine views the human body as an organic entity made of various organs that function in a mutually interdependent manner. Pharmacological investigations of Chinese tonifying herbs have demonstrated that Yang/Qi-invigorating herbs can increase mitochondrial ATP generation capacity, whereas Yin/Blood-tonifying herbs can produce immunomodulatory effects and/or enhance the production of red blood cells. The use of Chinese tonifying herbs and herbal products for preventive health has become increasingly popular throughout the world. Herbal products have been increasingly accepted and utilised in the United States for disease prevention and auxiliary treatment. Botanical authentication refers to the comparison between the herbal sample under consideration and an authenticated reference specimen. The evaluation of the quality of Chinese herbs presents a number of difficulties and challenges because of their unique modes of action and complex chemical composition. Chinese tonifying herbs and herbal health products can be classified into four functional categories: Yang-invigorating, Qi-invigorating, Yin-nourishing and Blood-enriching.
