Same pills without the bones

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information, Sharon.

I did a search for an herbal formula like the Fong Ton pills, but

without the tiger bones. I found this website. Pills can be ordered

on-line.

http://www.dragonslist.com/store/herbs/index.php?groupid=4

From a brief look, I believe these pills contain all the ingredients

of the other pills, except the tiger bones. This is mentioned in

the text below. I hope this information will benefit someone. I

myself will use these instead of the others in the future.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Text from " The Dragon's List " website.....

In ancient China, body discomforts or pain was thought to be caused

by energy blockages or poor blood circulation. Body pain was

described in terms of familiar weather-like conditions such as Wind,

Damp, Cold or Heat. Pain that came and went or changed location was

considered a Wind blockage. People who could anticipate changes in

the weather because of achy joints had pain caused by Damp or Cold.

When joints felt hot or inflamed it was said there was Heat in the

body. Early Chinese herbalists recognized that certain herbs

countered these symptoms by improving the circulation of the blood

and energy in the body. Specific formulas and recommendations for

these types of discomfort were recorded and passed on through

generations of medical practitioners.

The Tung Shueh Pills take advantage of this empirical knowledge to

improve blood and energy movement in the body. Below are summaries

of the actions of the 18 herbs found in Tung Shueh Pills. Rhizoma

Homalomenae is known in China as Quian nian jian or " thousand years

of health " . It is an important herb for treating joint poin that

moves in the body or pain that is affected by the weather.

Traditional herbalists say it strengthens the tendons and bones. It

has a strong tonifying action and is also used for pain and swelling

due to traumatic injuries. In China it is widely used for treating

the elderly. It is traditionally combined with Achyranthis.

Note: Some Tung Shueh formulas use Tiger bone. Since Tigers are an

endangered species we feel it is inappropriate to use it.

Homalomenae is the plant equivalent of Tiger bone. Fructus

Chaenomelis Lagenariae helps relax the sinews and opens up the

acupuncture meridians that, when blocked, cause pain. It is one of

the more effective herbs for relaxing the tendons. It is beneficial

for joint pain due to changes in weather and for pain in the lower

extremities. Fructus Psoraleae is helpful for painful or weak lower

back and extremities. Plastrum Testudinis strengthens the bones.

Radix e Sinesis is an important herb for stopping pain due

to poor circulation. It is used for chronic joint pain affected by

the weather. Pyritum is said to promote the healing of bones and

tendons and is used for swelling and pain caused by physical

injuries. Cortex Cinnamomi is said to disperse cold in the body and

alleviate pain. It is used for joint pain caused by wet and cold

weather changes. incense promotes the circulation of energy in

the body. It alleviates pain and is used for joint pain that moves

in the body and pain that is affected by damp weather. Commonly used

with Myrrha. Myrrha circulates the blood and alleviates joint pain

due to energy blockages. Rhizoma Curcuma is especially helpful for

painful shoulders. Benzoinum is a resin from trees. It stimulates

the circulation of blood. Radix Jurineae is an energy circulating

herb. Semen Benincasae is useful for draining damp energy from the

body. Damp energy creates joint pain that feels heavy, distended or

swollen. Radix Morindae strengthens the tendons and bones. It is

useful for back and leg pain. Cortex Eucommiae strengthens the

tendons and bones. It is good for painful lower back and knees.

Radix Dipsaci is known in Chinese as Xu Duan or " restore what is

broken " . It is good for sore and painful lower back and knees,

stiffness in the joints and weakness in the legs. Radix Achyranthis

Bidentatae is good for the tendons, bones, and joints. It is often

used with Eucommiae for pain and weakness of the lower back and

extremities. Flos Carthami (safflower) is said to alleviate pain. It

also harmonizes the blood.

TUNG SHUEH PILLS come in 500 mg. tablets packed 90 tablets per

bottle. Suggested use is 3-9 tablets per day. Made in the U.S.A.

with Chinese herbs.

Sharon wrote:

I hope you I didn't contribute to you feeling under attack. I

certainly understand the pain many of us with autoimmune conditions

have is very great and I have often felt desperate at times for

relief. I was only trying to educate people who may not know about

how endangered tigers are and to point out that if some other

medication works just as well, there is no need to contribute to

their extinction.

For example, today I had an e-mail from someone in the group who

wrote: " What type of tigers are in this medication?I don't think

Bengal tigers are endangered....in fact, there are sanctuaries full

of them in the US. People buy them, but are not able to control them

or afford adequate living space as they become larger. Perhaps this

is how they are able to distribute the meds.... The ingredients

come from bengals.. "

In answer to that question I sent the following response:

" ...It is estimated that there are less than 3,000 Bengal tigers

left in the wild....Some cultures believe that powdered tiger bones

have medicinal values. Unfortunately, tigers are in high demand to

supply this market. "

( from Seaworld: http://www.seaworld.org/AnimalBytes/tigerab.html )

Here's what the Oakland zoo has to say about Bengal Tigers:

BENGAL TIGER: have been hunted heavily by man for sport, skins, and

as a source of traditional medical products. Superstition has

surrounded tigers for centuries; necklets of claws are thought to

protect a child from " the evil eye " , whiskers have been considered

either a dreadful poison (Malaysia), a powerful aphrodisiac

(Indonesia), or an aid to childbirth (India and Pakistan) and the

bones, fat, liver and penis are prized as aphrodisiacs or medicines.

The tiger populations of the Indian subcontinent have suffered a

serious decline in the last 50 years. It is estimated that some 200

tigers yet survive in Nepal, and perhaps 4000 in India, up from a

low of 2000 in the 1970s.

A government program, called Project Tiger, established nine

sanctuaries designed to provide ample habitat and prey. However,

small isolated parks may promote inbreeding and the future of the

Bengal tiger is still in question. A new threat by the burgeoning

population growth is human competition for the tigers' prey base of

large hoofed mammals.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of poaching for the

escalating Chinese and Korean markets, in spite of a Chinese ban on

tiger products in 1993 and South Korea's joining of CITES. See

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/ed/endang.species.oakz.html

See also http://www.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/tigers.htm for a

discussion about The Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species (CITES) and the Bengal Tiger.

I wish you well,

Sharon