During the last few years, there have been reported cases of kidney failure in Belgium and in Britain in connection with the use of Chinese herbal medicine. This was due to two herbs being contaminated, at source, by toxic varieties from the same plant families. The now-banned herbs are tetrandra root and akebia, which are, of themselves, perfectly safe. There have also been some reports of shops passing off Western steroid cream as Chinese herbal cream. For this reason, it's important to consult a qualified practitioner.

Traditional Chinese herbs can be as powerful as Western medicines, and should be treated with just as much respect or caution. Any medicine may be harmful, if used in the wrong way.

Is there any research into mental health and TCM?

There has been very little research, in the West, into the effects of TCM on mental health. However, more and more research is now being done into its success in treating physiological problems. Some research about mental health has been published in China, but this does not meet standard Western research criteria. Taken together, however, it points to some promising results, which may be worth further research. It suggests that some Chinese herbal medicine formulas have been beneficial in treating schizophrenia and in alleviating the side effects of psychotic drugs. Acupuncture was also reported to alleviate the symptoms of dementia.