Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a health care system in which patients (treat) with natural plant, animal, and mineral remedies (药物). It is assumed, for a person to be healthy, yin and yang forces should he in balance. Imbalance causes illness or injury. TCM is about (restore) the balance between yin and yang forces in patients. It has been a major part of traditional Chinese culture and continues to play vital role in medical treatment in China today.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80 percent of the world's population depends for its primary health care needs medicines from plants and animals. This is especially true in countries where traditional medicines are (wide) used.
Increasingly, however, modern medicines also contain substances from animals and plants. Given growing populations, increasing wealth, and the spreading (popular) of natural remedies around the world, the demand for these medicines and remedies (rise) now. The rising demand, (combine) with reduced habitat, has caused an alarming increase in the number of plant and animal species used for medicinal purposes at risk for many years. For instance, TCM uses about 1,000 plant and 36 animal species, including the tiger, rhinoceros, and sea horse, are all in danger.
