The standard dose of herbal extracts for an average adult is 6–10 grams per day. In treating acute or severe cases, the dosage may be increased up to 20 grams per day. Since not everybody is an “average adult,” the fundamental concept in dosing is to realize that one size does not fit all. Every person is unique and must be treated individually.

The principle behind the Age-To-Dose Dosing Guideline is assessment of the maturity of the organs’ ability to metabolize, utilize and eliminate herbs. This detailed chart is especially useful for adjusting dosages for infants and younger children. The recommendations are taken from Herbology, published by Nanjing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The principle underlying the Weight-To-Dose Dosing Guideline is based on gauging the effective concentration of the herb after it is distributed throughout the body. This dosing strategy is especially useful for patients whose body weight falls outside of the normal range. All calculations are based on Clark's Rule in Pharmaceutical Calculations, by Mitchell Stoklosa and Howard Ansel.

These two charts provide the herbal practitioner with a handy reference for calculating dosages for those patients who fall outside the definition of an ‘average adult.’ It is still important to keep in mind, however, that these charts serve only as a guideline--not an absolute rule. Every person is unique and must be treated as such. One must always remember to treat each patient as an individual, not as a chart!