Chinese Herbal Medicine (Kampo in Japan) has an history of thousands of years in China and most of Eastern Asia. Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant based, but some formulas include minerals or animal products.
Chinese herbal medicine focuses patients condition, not their disease. It focuses on restoring a balance of energy and body to maintain health, rather than treating a part of body. Therefore, it plays more important roles in closing the gap between modern medicine and demand of patients.
In the present day, 148 traditional prescriptions are coverd by public health insurance in Japan (unfortunately not in Australia).
The herbs that have been recommended are traditionally considered safe in the practice of Chinese medicine, but occasionally (as with all health treatments) may be associated with possible adverse reactions in individual cases.