by Eric Brand

It seems only appropriate to follow my recent blog on Thai massage with a post on the common herbal products seen in Thailand. The practice of herbal medicine in Thailand does not rival China or India in its scale or scope, but there are nonetheless many herbal products in use. A stunning number of external products like soap, shampoo, and toothpaste feature herbs, and a variety of cooling teas can be found at street stalls in Thailand.

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As I mentioned in a previous post, massage is a very distinctive aspect of natural healthcare in Thailand, and external applications of herbs are extremely common. A hot pack of ground herbs is often used for massage, and a bewildering number of balms and oils are used. Many balms are made and sold near monasteries, reflecting the historical connection between massage and monks in Thailand.

Understanding the ingredients and the tremendous variation in the balms and external products requires some degree of Thai language skill, because the labels are typically only written in Thai. Without having a Thai friend to read the labels, it is nearly impossible to learn exactly what choices exist in Thai herbal products. While Chinese herbal medicine exists in the Chinese-Thai community, many of the local products use herbs that are unfamiliar to most TCM practitioners. It appears that some of the herbs are used in Ayurveda, some are used in Chinese medicine, and others are local to Thailand itself.

Thai food itself is somewhat medicinal, as many of the spices used in common dishes are themselves items from the materia medica. Items like Thai ginger, chili, piper betle leaf and other distinctive spices have medicinal value, and plenty of Thai food is spicy enough to be classified as "prescription only." The intense aromatic and acrid substances, combined with a local theory of balancing flavors and complementing hot and cold foods, makes Thai cooking a bit similar to TCM formula crafting.

Chili is arguably the most famous spice in Thai cooking. Chili came from the New World, so it has only been used in Asia for the past several hundred years. However, it has become extremely popular in regions like Thailand and Sichuan, China. According to the Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian (Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals), chili is hot and acrid, and enters the heart and spleen. It warms the center, disperses cold, opens the stomach (increases the appetite), and disperses food. It treats cold abdominal pain, vomiting & retching, diarrhea, frostbite, and flat- and welling-abscesses. Chili is contraindicated in yin vacuity fire, cough, & eye diseases.

Chili is a key ingredient in one of the best OTC herbal products that I have tried in Thailand. This product, simply known as Mixture Carminative, is found in Thai pharmacies throughout the country. Produced by "The Government Pharmaceutical Organization," this product is a liquid that contains extremely potent and aromatic tinctures. Every 15 ml contains 1.8 ml of strong compound cardamon tincture, 0.06 ml of strong capsicum tincture, and 0.024 ml of strong ginger tincture. It is intensely fragrant and very soothing to an upset stomach. I brought a bottle back years ago and gave it to an experienced acupuncturist friend; years later, she still keeps the bottle with one dose remaining and claims that it was the best digestive product that she's ever tried. (For a different but similarly potent liquid extract, go to your local Chinatown pharmacy and pick up a bottle of Ji Zhong Shui. This is a highly aromatic formula for nausea and diarrhea that needs to be diluted in water. It is composed of strong extracts, including chili, compounded with essential oils.) Interestingly, Thai pharmacies also sell an herbal product for diarrhea called "brown syrup" that contains an extract of opium along with other herbs; I've never tried it but I would guess that it would be contraindicated in diarrhea due to damp-heat.

Among the most ubiquitious OTC herbal products in Thailand are little pills for cough. Found in 7-11s across Thailand, these little pills have a few variations in their formulas. The label I have in front of me lists wu wei zi, xing ren, chen pi (or qing pi, it only lists citrus reticulata), he zi, and an herb called Phyllanthus emblica. The first several are probably influenced primarily by Chinese medicine (for example, good wu wei zi comes only from Northeastern China). The latter are probably influenced by Ayurveda. He zi (chebule) is prominent in both TCM and Ayurveda, but it is especially important in Ayurveda, where it is used differently than in TCM.

The final herb, Phyllanthus emblica, is very important in Ayurveda but uncommon in TCM. Known in Chinese as Yu Gan Zi, its common English name is Indian Gooseberry. This herb is one of the most commonly used herbal substances in Thailand. According the Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian, its TCM properties are cold, bitter, and sweet. It enters the spleen and stomach, and transforms phlegm, engenders liquid, relieves cough, and resolves toxin. It is indicated for heat effusion due to external contraction, sore throat, diphtheria, and dryness of the mouth due to vexation heat.

The final Thai OTC herbal product that I'd like to mention is Prickly Heat Powder. This is one of the most common substances seen in Thailand, and it is essential for preventing discomfort in Thailand's tropical heat. Similar to baby powder, prickly heat powder is basically hua shi, talcum powder. However, prickly heat powder has cooling and aromatic additions that make it feel slightly tingly and cool on the skin. Many varieties exist, some of which contain Western ingredients like lavender or tea tree oil. The classic recipes contain camphor (zhang nao) and menthol (bo he bing).

Prickly heat powder is used to cover the folds of the skin, where it absorbs moisture to keep rashes at bay. It allows one to move about while feeling less sticky and hot, so the Thais tend to use it extensively. Applying prickly heat powder to your body will not only keep you comfortable and healthy while in Thailand, it will also draw endless smiles from the locals, who themselves are often covered in this miraculous white powder. Please remember that prickly heat powder is best for the limbs and torso, use baby powder for sensitive areas such as the genitals. Nothing will spoil a day at the beach like some menthol in your underwear!