Multiple Drug Resistance and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Multiple drug resistance is a major issue in contemporary medicine. Many common bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics, and Chinese medicine practitioners often treat patients after an unsuccessful course of antimicrobial therapy, where residual infection and symptoms persist. This course will cover the major species of multidrug resistant bacteria, viruses, and fungi with a comprehensive review of herbal medicines that can treat these conditions effectively and with minimal toxicity. Clinical examples will illustrate the most important points regarding history taking and optimal prescribing strategies.

Upon completion of this course, practitioners will be able to:

• Identify the most common multiple drug resistant infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi
• Learn the herbal medicines that can effectively inhibit the growth of these pathogens when conventional pharmaceuticals have failed
• Learn the mechanisms of multiple drug resistance in cancer, hypertension, and depression and know clinically useful Chinese herbs for these specific conditions