The short answer? Yes… And no.
Chinese medicine has been around for a very long time, and there are herbs that are made from endangered species categorized in our Materia Medica (such as rhino horn, which has been largely hunted for its performance enhancing qualities)–however, many of the substances that are associated with endangered species are not available in the US, and even if they were, ethical practitioners do not use them. We learn about these substances so that we can understand where the formulas have come from, but we also learn methods of substitution.
The beautiful thing about traditional Chinese herbal medicine is our ability to cater a specialized formula to an individual’s needs.
I do not use any endangered herbs in this practice.
I also make every effort to avoid any animal products in my herbal formulas when at all possible.
If you have a concern about a particular herb or substance, please let me know. You will also notice that we consider your dietary restrictions and habits on our intake forms. I request that you update us with changes to your dietary habits as those changes arise.