I love stories like this because I use herbal remedies, when I can, especially when there is proven science behind it!!! Chinese and U.S. researchers are creating a new drug with centuries old Chinese medicine!!  Here is a case of using a compound from the roots  of a plant grown in China and Siberia.  It has been used as a pain reliever (analgesic) to calm chest, abdominal and menstrual pain.

Now researchers from the University of California, Irvine and China are looking to see if it can help with neuropathic pain.  Fifty million people suffer from neuropathic pain that comes from nervous system damage caused by inflammation.  Normally it is treated with non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen and in severe cases drugs like morphine are used to relieve the pain.

At UC-Irvine, special mice that had an altered gene helped the researchers look at pain relief.  These mice had a hard time walking normally, but when they were given the herbal compound, they moved around like nothing was wrong!!  Ancient Chinese secret…pain relief!!!

Check out the story at www.rdmag.com/print/news/2014/01/chinese-herbal-compound-relieves-inflammatory-neuropathic-pain