A single drug against a single cause?

The nature of Tibetan Medicine as multi-compound formula is difficult to understand from a scientific mindset. Why so? On the one hand modern science is in its foundations strongly influenced by Greek philosophy Aristotle ()384 BC-322 BC) already proclaimed the existence of a single proper cause fro all observed phenomena:. Later the medieval physician Paracelsus (1494-1541) stated that "against each disease there exists a plant". These concepts paved the wary for modern pharmaceutical science: diseases are treated with single active compounds. In modern "rational" Phytotherapy this results in herbal products containing only one single herb.

On the other hand, the overall concepts of Tibetan medicine are largely unknown. In modern medicine, a medical indication has to be defined in Western medical terms. Introducing concepts of Tibetan medicine into modern medicine entails not only a linguistic translation but a profound understanding of both Tibetan and Western medical concepts and terminology. A close collaboration of experts in these fields is therefore necessary.