Chinese herbal medicine is based on a system of herbal combinations that have developed from over 3,000 years of empirical observation, practitioner experience, and, more recently, clinical trials. Each herbal medicine prescription is comprised of many herbs tailored to the individual patient.

A key to success in TCM is the treatment of each patient as an individual. Chinese herbology often incorporates ingredients from all parts of plants, such as the leaf, stem, flower, root, and also ingredients from animals and minerals.