Frequently asked questions

• How hot should the water for the granules be and how much water should I add?

The water should not be hot, but not boiling. The herbal extracts dissolve better this way. You only need a little bit of water to dissolve the herbs in, depending on the dosage, approx. 20-50 ml per dose. The granules can also be swallowed as-is and followed by a drink of water.

• Should the sediment at the bottom of the glass be drunk when taking the granules?

Yes, since the granules don't completely dissolve in water, we recommend to stir the granule infusion well before drinking.

• The taste of the herbs is unpleasant, how can you take the herbs and avoid the taste?

If drinking them can't be tolerated because of the unpleasant taste, they can be encapsulated or pressed into tablets.

• How are raw herb formulas cooked?

Raw herbs are cooked daily or done for several days. They are cooked in a cooking pot, or better still in a pressure cooker, for about 1-2 hours. The different substances partly have different cooking times and are therefore sometimes packaged separately. Detailed cooking instructions are usually sent by LIAN. If this is not the case, please contact your doctor or therapist for cooking instructions.

• How does LIAN ensure the quality of the Chinese herbs?

Quality assurance is extensive and is the top priority for our company. Our quality assurance system is based on:

1. Cooperation with trustworthy partners in China and Taiwan who have GMP accreditation (GMP = Good Manufacturing Practice)
2. Well trained staff in our company
3. A sophisticated analysis and safety concept.

• What are the individual herbs called in German and what do they do?

Your doctor or your therapist will be happy to answer this question. If for some reason this is not possible, we can help you.

• Can I take my herbal mixture during pregnancy?

Be sure to inform your therapist or your doctor of any possible pregnancy, and seek advice from them. There are many herbal formuals that can easily be taken during pregnancy. There are also herbs that you should not take during pregnancy.

• Do Chinese herbal medicines have side effects?

Chinese formulas can sometimes cause mild digestive disturbances such as diarrhoea, flatulence or bloating. These inconveniences can usually be remedied by adjusting the dose or the formula. It is not always easy to tailor the formula exactly to the patient, or to take into account all the disease patterns with the same formula. Report such side effects to your therapist so that he can adjust the formula.

• Can Chinese formulas and Western medicines be combined?

You must provide information about which medications you are taking your therapist or doctors in any case. There are cases where Chinese recipes and Western medicines complement each other perfectly, but there are also known unwanted interactions. It is very important that the therapist knows about the Western medicine and Chinese medicine and takes this into consideration.

• I've heard that ethically questionable animal products are used in Chinese medicine. Is that correct?

Animal ethics is a very important concern for us. Animals which are endangered or extinct are not included in our range. In general, we do not carry any products protected by Cites (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). These are also some plants used in Chinese medicine. Exceptions exist when the protected plants can be cultivated. More information on the topic can be found here: Ecology and animal ethics.

• How is it possible that a repeat order of the same herbal mixture is not identical in appearance, smell or taste?

One or more herbal granules may be from another manufacturer. Depending on the preparation method or the excipients used, the appearance and smell can be different.

Do you have any further questions? Please call us: Tel. 044 786 99 99 or write us an email at info@lian.ch.