Equivalent doses from teapills, extract and raw herbs

Comment by Archived User

There are many factors that go into the dosage of herbal medicines, including form (raw/powder pill etc), body size, age, condition being treated, patient compliance, and practitioner preference. It is not like many western pharmaceuticals where dosage is based on body weight and that alone. Historically the measurement systems tended to change between dynasties so even when there are historical accounts of recommended dosages the actual amount is likely to have changed and in some cases is effectively impossible to determine.

It is for these reasons that the practice of Chinese/oriental herbs is an art as much as it is a science. The bottom line is that even with a fairly wide variation in dosage most formulas are still effective when they are properly proscribed.