Chinese herbal medical practitioners learned many centuries ago that by combining herbs they could achieve a better outcome for their patients. Many of the herbal combinations that are used today are derived from ancient herbal combination formulas.

The ancient Cinnamon Combination formula includes cinnamon, peony, licorice, and ginger. It was believed that the combination of the cinnamon and the peony increased circulation to the skin where disease was thought to enter the body. The ginger and the licorice were thought to increase the powers of digestion and increase the body's healing energy.

The Ginseng and Tang-kuei Ten Combination was also an ancient Chinese combination. This herbal combination contains astragalus, ginseng, atractylodes, hoelen, licorice, cinnamon, tang-kuei, peony, and rehmannia. It was believed that the astragalus, ginseng, atractylodes, hoelen, and licorice helped with digestion, increased energy, fed the internal organs, and improved the immune system. The cinnamon was used to warm the metabolism and the tang-kuei, peony, and rehmannia were meant to nourish the blood.

The Minor Bupleurum Combination is another ancient combination designed by ancient practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine. The herbs used in the Minor Bupleurum Combination are bupleurum, ginseng, ginger, hoelen, and licorice. The ginseng, ginger, hoelen, and licorice were included to aid in digestion and increase energy. The bupleurum was meant to harmonize the circulation between the internal and external body and to relieve the stress in the chest and the abdomen, as well as, reduce inflammation.

Today many of these ancient formulas are still in use either as they have been for centuries or with small adjustments made to them by modern Chinese herbal medical practitioners. Research that is being done using clinical trials conducted in China is finding ways to make modifications to these ancient formulas and use them to treat modern day ailments.