A look at how the use of physical treatments such as acupuncture, qigong and related practices, as well as chemical treatment using Chinese medicinal materials for the prevention and cure of illness.

An introductory text aimed at practitioners of Chinese medicine and orthodox medicine, and other interested healthcare professionals, this book focuses on the conditions for which traditional Chinese medicine may be appropriate and its wider use healthcare. The book divides the subject into three sections: key issues in Chinese medicine, special aspects of clinical and scientific practice, and the progress of TCM and related practice in selected countries and regions. Special features include discussions of the use of TCM in cancer research, issues of toxicity, procedures for identification of Chinese herbal materials using DNA fingerprinting, and more.