Chinese Herbal Medicine & Formulae 3

General Information
Duration 1 semester (14 teaching weeks)
Level Year 2, Semester 4
Unit Weighting Unit Credit Points: 10 credit points
Total Course Credit Points: 320 credit points
Student Workload Number of timetabled hours per week: 4
Number of personal study hours per week: 6
Total workload hours per week: 10
Prerequisites/ Corequisites CHM203 Chinese Herbal Medicine and Formulae 2
Academic Details
Description This unit is a further development of CHM203 Chinese Herbal Medicine and Formulae 2 and advances the student’s knowledge and understanding of TCM herbal formulae. In this unit the student will study different formulae classifications, construction and applications. Students are required to describe and critique the main methods of Chinese herbal formulae preparation and their administration. An integral part of the study of herbal formulae is knowledge of the practice of formula construction and modification, the hierarchy of constituents within formulae and their functions. A total of 120 (minimum) commonly used medicinal formulae are studied throughout this unit and CHM203. As in all units dealing with Herbal Medicine and Formulae students are taught the cautions and contraindications for their application including the methods and procedures of formula preparation, administration and instructions to patients/clients.

Students will learn about restricted and scheduled herbs and their use throughout the study of this subject in accordance with Australian regulations and the SUSMP. The importance of a commitment to the appropriate reporting of adverse events will be emphasised and the desire to achieve excellence in the practice of Chinese herbal medicine and to contribute to improving both the quality of life of patients and the wellbeing of the community and the environment will be a key feature in the teaching and learning of this unit.

Students will be referred constantly and appropriately throughout the course to the TGA and CMBA guidelines on the use of herbs vis-à-vis the various regulatory instruments and the management and reporting of adverse events.

Learning outcomes Upon completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe and demonstrate the preparation and administration of formulae and critique the principles for combining substances in formulae and analyse the composition of major formulae
  2. Evaluate and analyse the functions, primary therapeutic applications, contraindications, modifications and preparation requirements of the main herbal formulae in TCM
  3. Compare and contrast the composition, function and indications of the principal formulae of the same category and identify the appropriate formula to achieve a particular therapeutic effect
  4. Provide appropriate instructions to patients/clients (incl. preparation, required dosage and self-administration of herbal formulae, and what they should do in the event of an unexpected reaction) in the simulated settings.
  5. Demonstrate working knowledge of restricted and scheduled herbs and their use in accordance with Australian regulations and the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP), the importance of a commitment to the appropriate reporting of adverse events, and necessary referral when appropriate
Unit requirement To successfully complete the unit, students must: attend 80% of all the lectures and tutorial classes; attempt all assessment tasks including summative and formative assessments and achieve at least 50% of the total marks, and achieve a mark of at least 40% in the final examination.
Assessment Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions & Case Study (30%)

Assessment 2: Presentation (20%)

Assessment 3: Final examination (50%)

Prescribed text * The prescribed and recommended readings are subject to annual review.

John K.Chen &Tina T. Chen. (2009). Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. LA: Art of Medicine Press.

Bensky, D. & Barolet, R. (2009). In Scheid V. (Ed.), Chinese herbal medicine: Formulas &strategies (Rev. ed.). Seattle, WA: Eastland Press.

Recommended readings Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (2013).Updated Listing of Restricted Chinese Herbs. Available at http://www.chinesemedicineboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines.aspx (Accessed 27/06/2013)

Deng, Z. J., Li, J. &Lian, J. W. (2003). Chinese Herbal Formulas. Beijing :  China Chinese Medicine Press

National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee (NDPSC). (2010). Standard for the uniform scheduling of Medicines and poisons. Canberra: Australian Government. Available at http://www.tga.gov.au/industry/scheduling.htm(Accessed 27/06/2013)

Ou, M. (1992). Chinese-English manual of common-used prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine Guangzhou, China: Guangdong Science and Technology Press.

Sionneau, P. (1997). Dui yao: The art of combining Chinese medicinals (B. Côté Trans.). (1st ed.). Boulder, CO: Blue Poppy Press.

Advisory Committees on Medicine and Chemicals (2013). Australian regulatory guidelines for complementary medicines. Available at http://www.tga.gov.au/industry/cm-argcm.htm(Accessed 27/06/2013)

Advisory Committees on Medicine and Chemicals (2013). Standard for the uniform scheduling of medicines and poisons. Canberra: Australia. Available at http://www.tga.gov.au/industry/scheduling-poisonsstandard. htm(Accessed 27/06/2013)

Advisory Committees on Medicine and Chemicals (2013). The poisons standard. Available at http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012L01200 (Accessed 27/06/2013)

TGA (2013). Substances that may be used in listed medicines in Australia. Available at

http://www.tga.gov.au/industry/cm-listed-substances.htm (Accessed 27/06/2013)

TGA (2013). Reporting medicine and vaccine adverse events. Available at http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/problem-medicine.htm (Accessed 27/06/2013)

UPCOMING INTAKES