These herbs may be somewhat tonic but are perhaps, not as nutritive and somewhat more therapeutic. They are most often combined in formulas where according to the direction of the formulation, they can work together tonically or therapeutically. The last category of herbs is known as the Inferior class. These are most akin to pharmaceutical drugs in that they are most often used for treatments of specific purpose, duration and dosage. Inferior herbs can be toxic if misused.
Antibiotics are narrowly focused toxins.
Certain botanicals are of a similar dynamic. Traditional Chinese Medicine, for the last 5,000 years has systematically tested, combined and tested further, all imaginable combinations and dosages, on billions of people, observing and noting the results, and refining their system of herbal medicine further. Hence, Tonic herbs earned a special, almost reverent status early on, reserved in antiquity for Imperial rulers, sages and mystics. Tonics can, in fact, come in many forms - liquid, powder, encapsulated, tablet or a raw botanical. They contain a wide array of active and sub-active ingredients that have very profound nutritive value.