Chinese herbal medicine is a very subtle and complex system involving hundreds or thousands of possible ingredients that are chosen from to create a formula that is specific to each individual.  No two people, and no two diseases are alike.  In order to successfully treat an illness using Chinese herbal medicine, a multitude of signs symptoms and other findings go into the matrix of diagnosis upon which the formula is produced.  The herbs can be given in pill form, powder for tea, raw herbs to be cooked at home, or precooked and packaged by the pharmacy.  I only order from the most reputable and diligent pharmacy that I know of, you can look them up: kamwo.com