Instant herbal soup for elderly approved

A traditional herbal soup for the elderly said to enhance their immunity and alleviate degenerative symptoms has been approved by the city’s drug authority to be made into soluble granules to make it more convenient for patients, officials from Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine said on Friday.

Using modern processing techniques, the granules are said to maintain the soup’s effects but can be transported more easily and are safer and more hygienic than traditional herbal soup.

Huanjingjian is a herbal soup developed from an ancient prescription dating back to some 800 years ago and renovated by Dr Lin Shuimiao in the hospital in the 1970s based on traditional Chinese medicine theories as well as Western medicine and modern medical ideas.

“We use a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine to target common problems among the elderly like poor immunity, sleeping disorder, osteoporosis, hypertension and other chronic diseases,” said Lin. “Many people see alleviation of symptoms.”

Hospital officials said its geriatric department has focused on the prevention and treatment of elderly people’s chronic diseases through a combination of TCM and Western medicine in recent years.