If I understand your post correctly, your 21 years old girlfriend is taking her Mom's " medicine " for arthritis. The " Cows Head Brand " of Tung Shueh ( Chinese meaning circulate blood ) pills is illegal in the USA because it contains undeclared substances / prescription drugs. Other Chinese remedies may also contain drugs with potentially serious side effects. This is not to say all herbal remedies are dangerous - many prescription drugs derived from plants do work ( by good luck ) in human diseases.
I understand trying to convince anyone ( not only a Pinay ) can be difficult. Even if they can be persuaded to visit a doctor, have an accurate diagnosis, and drugs are available for treatment, the cost may be unaffordable where no NHS or insurance exists.
Hopefully you will understand I'm not being " clever " when I say that ALL diagnoses and treatments should be " evidence informed ". That means each diagnosis - whether arthritis, hypertension, or whatever ... - should be accurate. There should then be proof ( from trials on enough patients ) that the treatment actually works without too many / serious side effects.
Your friend's Mom may well have arthritis ( there are several types ) and hypertension ( mostly of unknown cause, see
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....e-ALL-have-it-! ). But it's very unlikely your friend also has these conditions, and nobody should be taking someone else's remedies or prescription drugs.
