Buying a herb at a chinese herbalist is really no differnet than buying a drug a drugstore. The only difference is at the drug Store the herb is packaged nicely and the drug is approved by the FDA as a cure.
The stuff at the chinese herbalist you have to rely upon what the person behind the counter tells you, but its not gurateed because the FDA did not approve it.
There is definalty proof that some alternative medicine works (Some of it may be the placebo affect person thinks stuff works so it actually works)