Herbal medicine is one of the important resources which can be mobilized for the attainment of WHO's goal of health for all by the year 2000. It has contributed significantly to man's struggle against disease and has been an important component of health care systems for thousands of years. 

China has a long history of herbal medicine and has developed a unique system for using it. It is noteworthy that the use of many plants has withstood the test of time and the safety and efficacy of some of them have been established by means of modern tests in a scientific framework.