There were some changes for the measuring units of medicine in Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern dynasty. The measuring units of length showed decreased usage in medicine measuring, while increased usage of weight units. Weight unit was also used for measuring medicines that had been measured by imitate unit or assessed unit. Besides, some special measuring units for medicine appeared in this period of time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; methods

As an important part of Chinese medicinal materials, uncommon-territorial herbs are also the most complex parts in the herbal medicine markets. Through years of investigation on the key markets of Chinese herbal medicine, the meaning of uncommon-territorial herbs, their historical evolution, origin and characteristics were clarified in this paper, and some countermeasures were put forward for its development.
Biological Evolution ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; Herbal Medicine ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate the herbal medicine of Prunella vulgaris by textual researches, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical medication, exploitation and protection of wild P. vulgaris resources.

METHODTextual research on medicinal works of past dynasties and field work were adopted.

RESULTThe natural distributions of P. vulgaris were concentrated distribution in Sichuan province, Huaihe river basin, and Middle-Lower Yangtze river valley in Chinese history. The indications of P. vulgaris in ancient and modern times were basically identical. While there were difference between the medicinal parts, harvest period and processing methods existed difference between ancient and modern.

CONCLUSIONThree periods that whole grass of P. vulgaris as medicinal parts (from late Ming dynasty to late Qing dynasty and early stage of Republic of China), both whole grass and spicas as medicinal parts (from mid-term Republic of China to 1963), and the semi-maturity or maturity of spicas as medicinal parts (from 1963 to today) existed. The processing method for medicinal parts of P. vulgaris adopted sun drying and shady drying in ancient China, but only the sun drying was only used in modern times.

China ; Drug Therapy ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; history ; Herbal Medicine ; history ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Prunella ; chemistry

Lots of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shares the same Chinese common names "Doukou". Because of similar Chinese names, appearances, functions and original plants, there are still no compromise on the original plants of "Doukou" up to now. Moreover, "Doukou" referred to more than one source of species, that is, it might refer to the Chinese crude drug derived from different plants during different historical periods. In order to identify the original botanical plants of "Doukou" during different historical periods and the relationship between these "Doukou", new bencaological studies of TCM under the name "Doukou" were carried out, which included the studies on literal description, image description, market investigation and systematic botanical research. A suggestion was made to change the Chinese name "Doukou" (Amomi Fructus Rotundus) to "Baidoukou".
Documentation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; history ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history

Forsythiae Fructus( Lianqiao) is classed from near-mature fruit and hyper-mature fruit,which are named as Qingqiao and Laoqiao,respectively. This article was based on the different views of which was better,Qingqiao or Laoqiao. Acorrding to the naming,varieties,habitat,harvesting and processing,used parts,medicinal properties and clinical efficacy,the herbalogical study was carried out. The results showed that Lianqiao had been sourced from the areial part of Hypericum ascyron and H. erectum of Clusiaceae before Tang Dynasty. Beside the former,and the fruit of Forsythia suspensa of Oleaceae was newly used as Lianqiao during the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty. The later had been the only origin of Lianqiao since the Song Dynasty. With the change of the medicinal varieties,the habitats of Lianqiao has also changed. The varieties of Clusiaceae were mainly produced in the Yellow River Basin from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. After the Song Dynasty,they were produced in the south of the Yangtze River. The variety of Oleaceae was mainly produced in Shanxi,Henan,Shandong,Shaanxi,and northern Sichuan from the Tang and Song Dynasties. Currently,Shanxi and Henan have the largest output. Traditionally,there were two commercial varieties including Qingqiao and Laoqiao of Lianqiao based on the harvesting time. In traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) theory,Lianqiao removes evil heat and relieves toxicity,removes swelling and resolves enlarged nodes. Accroding to the effects of Lianqiao,Qingqiao was considered to be better than Laoqiao in TCM clinic. The modern research on main medicinal constituents and pharmacodynamic effects also confirmed the above mentioned facts. This paper can provide literature support for the rationalities of Qingqiao's mainstream medication and assay standard of Lianqiao in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Forsythia/classification* ; Fruit ; History, 15th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

There were 268 kinds of medicines recorded in the book of Lei Gong's Treatise on preparation and broiling of materia medica (Leigong Paozhi Lun). Among these medicines, 178 medicines were prepared with adjuvant medicines, including general and special compatible adjuvant medicines. These adjuvant medicines used in this book can be explained by the theory of "seven-relation compatibility". The author tried to explain the usage and their compatibility of these adjuvant medicines and put forward that attention should be paid to the changes in functions of medicines and the influences of society should be paid attention.
China ; Drug Compounding ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; history

Discussed the former herbal investigation of Flos Lonicerae by herbal investigation and field survey. Descripted and illustrated the Caprifoliaceae or Flos Lonicerae in known ancient Chinese medical books that varied with current Lonicera japonica. At last, conformational description of Caprifoliaceae or Flos Lonicerae in Sushenliangfang was reported.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; history ; pharmacology ; Flowers ; anatomy & histology ; History, Ancient ; Literature ; history ; Lonicera ; anatomy & histology ; classification

Because of many reasons, big changes occur in the varieties of ancient and modern Chinese herbs. Besides a significant increase in the number, there are many other features, such as significant differences among mainstream varieties, partly resolving the chaotic situation of uncoincidence of different herb names, increasing proportion of plant herbs, and herbal multi-polarization, etc.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; history ; History, Ancient ; Pharmacopoeias as Topic ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification

Nanwuweizi( Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus) and Wuweizi( Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus) have long-term history of use as common traditional Chinese medicines since the Eastern Han Dynasty( AD.25-220 year).However their information are always confused in ancient literature because they were both used as " Wuweizi". Nanwuweizi and Wuweizi are faced with problems such as confused distribution of producing areas,unclear source plants and efficacy characteristics,which limit modern resource development and application. Based on ancient literatures of materia medica,this study conducted a systematic review from several aspects,i.e. the name,distribution of producing areas,source plants,efficacy characteristics and processing of the two medicines in ancient time. This study clarified five main aspects,as following,ancient production areas and corresponding modern distribution areas; source plants used for medicinal purposes in ancient time; application period and application scope; efficacy characteristics in clinical application;processing method. This study provides a reference for evaluating the quality and for their clinical application and reasonable development of Nanwuweizi and Wuweizi.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Herbal Medicine/history* ; History, Ancient ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; Schisandra

The administrative area of Han dynasty was basically divided into 13 states. There were very little records about the place of medicine production in literatures. This article tried to outline the basic feature of region of medicine production from the available books of , , and .
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Geography ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history