Plum Dragon Herbs was founded in 2009 by Josh Walker and has been under the ownership and leadership of Lisa Ball since 2013. For over 15 years we have been dedicated to providing the highest quality traditional Chinese herbal medicines and dit da jow liniments available anywhere.

We are a small, owner-operated business and Lisa personally oversees product quality, customer service, and the ongoing mission to make authentic, effective herbal medicine accessible to everyone.

Yes. Plum Dragon Herbs is owned and operated by Lisa Ball, who has led the company since 2013. Lisa personally handles customer support as much as possible — she believes staying closely connected to customers is essential to running a great business. You can reach her at lisa@plumdragonherbs.com.

Herb quality is everything to us, and our sourcing standards go far beyond the industry norm. Our suppliers recognized decades ago that the large central herb markets were supplying poor-quality, ineffective herbs, so since the 1990s they have worked directly with farmers and university-trained agronomists across China's premier growing regions — from Jilin and Shandong in the east to Gansu and Sichuan in the west, including Nei Mon, Shanghai, Shaanxi, and Hebei.

Rather than placing orders through government channels and hoping for the best, our partners travel personally to remote growing sites and prepay farmers to grow crops to the exact specifications we require. Herbs are grown in optimal natural conditions — no pesticides, no chemicals, no GMOs — and go through natural curing processes free of sulfites, sugars, or preservatives. Depending on the herb, proper preparation can take anywhere from days to months. There are no shortcuts in this process.

These are long-standing partnerships with growers, inspectors, and quality professionals spanning more than six provinces, coordinated closely with QA teams, research scientists, and U.S. regulatory agencies.

Most of our herbs are not certified organic, and we are transparent about why. True certified organic Chinese herbs are extraordinarily difficult to source — most medicinal herbs worldwide, including many that grow wild in government-reserved regions of China, are simply not cultivated within formal organic certification frameworks.

However, our herbs are grown naturally without pesticides, chemicals, GMOs, or growing agents, and are cured without sulfites, sugars, or preservatives. Our sourcing standards exceed what most certified organic programs require in practice. We are also actively running a pilot program to grow select Chinese herbs organically on U.S. farms, in partnership with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Ag and Rural Maryland Council. More at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/better-medicine-made-a-better-way.

Several things set Plum Dragon apart. We use 100% whole herbs — never powdered herb dust or cheap remnants. Our liniments are made with pharmaceutical-grade neutral grain spirits certified to U.S. Pharmacopeia standards, not rubbing alcohol or artificially flavored vodka. Everything is mixed, aged, and bottled in glass — never plastic, which dissolves over time and contaminates the liniment.

Our formulas are aged to maximum effectiveness in dark, climate-controlled environments, bottled per order so aging continues beyond the formal process. Every bottle is hand-dated. And every herb kit is hand-assembled to order in small batches to ensure freshness. Full details at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/product-information.

Yes. All Plum Dragon Herbs dit da jow liniments are handmade, aged and hand-poured in small batches in the USA. Herb kits are assembled by hand to order in the USA using traditional preparation methods. We never mass-produce or warehouse pre-assembled kits — every order is freshly made.

At Plum Dragon Herbs, we believe that whole plant compounds offer unparalleled health benefits with fewer side effects than most conventional medicine. They are also very affordable and allow people the opportunity to take an active role in improving their overall health.

Dit Da Jow (跌打药) is a traditional Chinese herbal liniment with over 1,000 years of history, originating in the Shaolin Temple. Its name literally means "fall and strike medicine." It is made by macerating 15–20 carefully selected whole Chinese herbs in alcohol and aging the preparation for months to years.

Traditionally used by martial artists and healers, it is applied topically to treat bruising, sprains, muscle soreness, joint pain, and trauma. Plum Dragon Herbs crafts small-batch dit da jow based on classical formulas including the Ho Family Dit Da Jow, made in the USA. For a full overview of our top formulas, how they compare, and how to use them, visit our What is Dit Da Jow page.

While each of our formulas is unique, key benefits of dit da jow include:

• Anti-inflammatory benefits
• Analgesic properties for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains
• Promoting increased circulation, which helps drive out stagnating fluid surrounding injuries
• Conditioning and strengthening properties

Alcohol carries the bioactive herbal compounds deep into subcutaneous tissue — unlike petroleum or oil-based balms which remain at the skin surface. This is what makes dit da jow fundamentally different from products like Tiger Balm or Icy Hot.

For a detailed comparison of how our top-selling dit da jow formulas differ, what each one works best for, and how to use them, visit our What is Dit Da Jow page.

Dit Da Jow is used for bruising and contusions, sprains and strains, muscle soreness and overuse injuries, joint pain and stiffness, shin splints, poor circulation, arthritis discomfort, and post-training recovery. It is also used by martial artists to condition the body before training and accelerate recovery after.

Plum Dragon Herbs offers several formulas tailored to different needs — a quiz to find the right formula is available at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/quiz.

Absolutely. While dit da jow originated in martial arts training, it is used by athletes, physical therapists, acupuncturists, people with arthritis, chronic pain sufferers, and anyone who wants to support their body's natural healing process. Plum Dragon customers include qigong teachers, post-surgery recovery patients, people managing fibromyalgia and poor circulation, and everyday people seeking a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals.

A formula-matching quiz is available at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/quiz.

Tiger Balm and Icy Hot are petroleum or oil-based balms that use camphor and menthol to create a warming or cooling sensation at the skin's surface. They mask the feeling of pain but cannot penetrate to subcutaneous tissue where injury actually occurs.

Dit Da Jow is an alcohol-based whole herb liniment that penetrates deeply into tissue, carrying bioactive herbal compounds to the site of injury. Rather than masking pain sensation, it works to reduce inflammation, increase circulation, and support the body's own repair process. Tiger Balm also contains petroleum, artificial fragrances, artificial coloring, and propylene glycol. Plum Dragon Dit Da Jow contains nothing without therapeutic purpose, is aged and stored in glass, and contains zero artificial additives.

Full comparison at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/dit-da-jow-vs-tiger-balm.

NSAIDs like ibuprofen block the COX2 inflammatory pathway entirely, which provides short-term relief but also blocks the restorative inflammation the body needs to actually heal. Chronic NSAID use can lead to muscular degeneration, digestive damage, and reduced nutrient absorption.

Dit Da Jow's whole-plant compounds modulate inflammation more selectively — easing pain and swelling while still supporting the body's healing response. Several compounds also act through the NF-kB inflammatory pathway, which NSAIDs do not address. Full science at our science page.

Yes. While large-scale clinical trials on complete dit da jow formulas are still emerging, the individual herbs in these formulas have been extensively studied. Key ingredients including curcumin, kaempferol, rutin, and astragalus root have demonstrated measurable anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bone-healing, and immune-modulating effects in peer-reviewed research. Multiple studies show curcumin performs comparably to ibuprofen for knee osteoarthritis pain, and kaempferol has been shown to accelerate bone fracture healing in animal models.

Full white paper with references at our science page.

Yes — and that's intentional. The brown color comes from whole herbs steeped for 6+ months; it is concentrated plant matter, unfiltered. The strong aroma is the herbs themselves, with nothing added or masked. Most people find the earthy, deeply herbal scent quite tolerable and it dissipates quickly.

Products that are white, clear, and pleasantly scented have been processed, filtered, and have had artificial fragrance added. Plum Dragon adds zero artificial coloring or fragrance — ever. The brown color and distinct aroma are signs of purity and markers of its herbal authenticity.

As a starting point, we recommend one of our top three formulas:

• Ho Family Dit Da Jow — for battling all types of pain, including nerve pain. Important: Ho Family is contraindicated whenever there is bruising, redness, or swelling — use Bruise Juice instead in those cases.
• Bruise Juice — if you are experiencing any significant inflammation, bruising, redness, or swelling
• Ancestors Advanced Conditioning Formula — for bone degeneration, osteoarthritis, and advanced iron palm training

For a detailed comparison of how all our top-selling formulas differ, what each one works best for, and how to use them, visit our What is Dit Da Jow page.

For a personalized recommendation, take our free two-minute quiz at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/quiz.

Plum Dragon offers two options:

• Premade bottled liniments — aged 6 months to 4+ years, hand-poured in small batches into 4 oz amber glass bottles, and ready to use immediately.
• Herb kits — the traditional route. You steep the herbs yourself in a glass jar with vodka, shake regularly, and brew your own liniment at home. Kits make over a gallon and are more economical. They are usable within 3–4 weeks and reach full potency at 6 months.

A Jug & Jow Combo with everything needed to get started is available at plumdragonherbs.com/products/jug-jow-combo. Complete instructions for brewing your own liniment are provided in our Complete Guide to Dit Da Jow.

Dit Da Jow herb kits are usable within 3–4 weeks of steeping and will have meaningful efficacy during this time. Full potency is reached at the 6-month mark, which is the traditional aging threshold. The longer it ages, the more potent it becomes — traditional formulas were often aged for years.

Plum Dragon's premade bottled liniments are already aged 6 months to 4+ years and are ready to use from day one. Full brewing instructions for herb kits are provided in our Complete Guide to Dit Da Jow.

Dit Da Jow can be applied four ways: rubbed directly into the skin, applied as a plaster (saturate gauze, tape to skin), used as a poultice with spent herbs, or as a soak for hands, feet, or joints.

Apply 20–30 minutes before training and immediately after training or injury. Let it air-dry rather than wiping for maximum absorption. Apply at least 3 times a day for a couple of weeks for best results. Always apply downward, toward the tips of the extremities. Wash hands thoroughly after application.

Full detailed directions at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/how-to-use-dit-da-jow.

For a minimum of 3 times a day for a couple of weeks. For more information, see our directions & usage page or our Complete Guide to Dit Da Jow.

Ancestors Advanced is a powerful iron palm training liniment. It uses a variety of very strong and rare ingredients geared toward advanced, rigorous iron palm training. Browse all iron palm formulas at plumdragonherbs.com/collections/conditioning-performance.

Some of our classical dit da jow formulas do include animal and insect ingredients, as called for in the original historical recipes. We follow traditional formulas as closely as possible rather than substituting plant-only alternatives, which would change the formula.

For customers who prefer vegan formulas, we offer vegan-friendly options that are clearly labeled. Please check individual product descriptions or contact us at orders@plumdragonherbs.com with questions.

Yes! Plum Dragon Herbs maintains one of the most comprehensive free dit da jow recipe libraries available anywhere online. Browse the full compendium at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/dit-da-jow-recipes. We also sell individual herbs at plumdragonherbs.com/collections/whole-herbs.

Herbs & teas: Store in a cool, dry, dark place. A well-sealed bag or glass jar in your kitchen cabinet works well. Dried fruits and berries contain more moisture than dried roots, barks, and seeds — store these in a refrigerated environment to prevent mold or mildew growth.

Dit Da Jow: Keep well-sealed and out of direct sunlight.

Dit Da Jow is a topical liniment for external use only and should never be ingested. It has no known side effects when used as directed on intact skin. A patch test is recommended before first use — apply a small amount to the inside of the wrist and wait 24 hours.

Do not apply to open or actively bleeding wounds. Consult a physician before use during pregnancy. All of our dit da jow formulas have a blood thinning effect — some mild, some more substantial — so you should consult with a licensed medical practitioner if this is a concern for you.

We are prohibited by law from dispensing any advice on taking herbs as supplements or to help with any ailments. Natural herbs can be very powerful and we always suggest consulting with a licensed professional.

We are not permitted by the FDA to offer treatment advice on diagnosable medical conditions, as this requires guidance from a licensed medical practitioner. That said, the formula most often used for general pain and injuries is Ho Family Dit Da Jow. For a personalized starting point, take our free quiz at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/quiz.

You can reach our customer service team by email at orders@plumdragonherbs.com or reach Lisa directly at lisa@plumdragonherbs.com. We respond to nearly all emails within 24 hours, often within just a few hours.

Yes! We have several ongoing promotions:

• 20% off your first order when you sign up for our email list at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/join-our-email-list.
• Buy 2 Get 1 Free on our premade dit da jow liniments (4 oz. bottles) at plumdragonherbs.com/products/buy-2-get-1-free.
• Jug & Jow Combo — everything needed to make a gallon of dit da jow at home at plumdragonherbs.com/products/jug-jow-combo.

We do not currently offer free shipping. As a small independent company, we are not yet at a volume that allows us to absorb shipping costs or qualify for carrier discounts. However, we do send monthly promotions to our email list with savings of up to 20% — signing up at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/join-our-email-list is a great way to offset shipping costs!

We offer USPS Priority (3-day) and Standard (5-day) shipping on most orders. For international orders, limited DHL Express options are available — however, DHL does not ship liquids, so premade dit da jow liniments cannot be shipped via express international shipping. Dry herb and ingredient orders may qualify for DHL Express internationally.

Yes, we ship worldwide! However, as a small company we are not able to stay familiar with every country's customs and import regulations, so it is the customer's responsibility to ensure that the products they are ordering are accepted through their country's customs before placing an order.

No, we are an online-only store. You can shop our full catalog at plumdragonherbs.com.

Yes, we offer a wholesale program for qualified buyers. You can apply and sign up at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/wholesale-account. We also offer significant price breaks on 100 lbs or more of a single bulk herb item — email us for a quote.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, money orders, and wire transfers.

We stand behind our products with a Quality Assurance Guarantee. Full details on returns and order information are available at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/order-information.

Yes! We offer a free two-minute quiz that matches you to the right Plum Dragon formula based on your type of pain, condition, or training goal. Take it at plumdragonherbs.com/pages/quiz.

You can email us anytime at orders@plumdragonherbs.com or reach Lisa directly at lisa@plumdragonherbs.com — Lisa personally handles most customer inquiries and typically responds within a few hours.