Though the work was revised over the centuries that followed, authorities say that the herbal wisdom it contains is "as popular and useful today as when it was written."

"The observations that the ancient Chinese sages made about medicinal herbs were very wise, and they stand the test of time," says Zoe Brenner, a licensed acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner in Bethesda, Maryland.

"In Chinese medicine, hundreds of medicinal herbs are used in thousands of combinations," says Christina Stemmler, M.D., a Houston physician who integrates TCM and acupuncture with Western medicine and previously headed the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. While some Chinese herbs, like astragalus and ma huang, sound distinctly exotic, others are as familiar as licorice and cinnamon.

But treating with Chinese herbs is a healing art that takes years of study to practice effectively, notes Brenner. "Chinese herbs are rarely used singly or to treat single symptoms. That's because your headache is caused by a variety of imbalances within your system; the herbs that I prescribe to treat it are selected and blended just for you.Brenner contends that endorsements given to some Chinese herbs as cure-alls are misplaced.

"Folk remedies refer to dang gui (also known as dong quai) as a panacea for women's reproductive problems. Though this herb can be highly effective, it should be compounded for your particular condition, probably in combination with other herbs," says Brenner. "Taking it on your own could worsen your symptoms."