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|17 |18 |19 |20 |21 |22 |23 |review| |As with Western
medications and dietary supplements, there are controversies
over the therapeutic functions of many Chinese herbal medicines
(CHM). These controversies add greater discomfort for
disbelievers of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in using CHM,
whose quality and safety are largely unregulated. The
controversies over the use of ginseng is a case in point. Some
TCM practitioners believe that ginseng is a stimulant while
others do not totally agree (see Slide 17). A few of them have
even said that the herb has many faces. While mounting evidence
supports the use of ginseng as a highly effective healer for
numerous types of illnesses, many health professionals forewarn
about the adverse or opposite effects that can be caused by
long-term use of this herb. Also, by nature, the promotional
literature tends to exaggerate the actual pharmaceutical
functions of many CHM, especially since their sale and us