Xanthii Fructus is a traditional medicine for the treatment of nasal diseases in clinic, mainly come from the burs of Xanthium sibiricum with a worldwide distribution. By sorting and studying literature of Chinese medicine and comparing different figures recorded with the morphological description of several species from Xanthium (Asteraceae) in the Flora of China, combining the biological investigation in resource survey, the article pointed out that the burs or the whole herbs of X. mongolicum, as well as X. sibiricum, has been used by the traditional Chinese medicine in ancient time. It provides a reference for further studies in the future.
China ; Herbal Medicine ; history ; History, Ancient ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Xanthium ; anatomy & histology ; classification

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

During its colonization of Korea, the Japanese Empire used the Western medicine as a tool for advertising its advanced culture. However, the medical orkforce available in Korea was insufficient. The Rule for Uisaeng(Oriental medicine practitioner) was an ordinance decreed in 1913 with a purpose of supplementing the medical workforce. As the Oriental medicine practitioners became official medical workforce, the Japanese Empire could mobilize them in a hygienic administration such as prevention of epidemics. The Uisaengs also tried to adapt themselves to the colonial environment by studying Western medicines. However, the distrust of the Japanese Empire in Oriental medicine continued until 1920s. Manchurian Incident in 1931 brought a change. As the relationship with China aggravated, the provision of medical herb became unstable and the Japanese Empire began to encourage using Oriental medical herb following the Movement for Improving Rural Region Economy. An attempt of the Japanese Empire to utilize the medical herb resulted in a plan to make the Oriental medical herb officinal. The goal was to organize and standardize the Oriental medical herb through a research by the Medical Herb Investigation Committee. However, the medical herb on the table was the one verified by the Western medicine. That is, it was not a traditional medical herb that uses the original theory of Oriental medicine. There was a minority opinion arguing that they should study the Oriental medicine itself. However, that argument was also based on the theory and principles of the Western medicine. Even though an attempt to make full use of Uisaengs expanded as the war continued, the major medical workforce that the Japanese Empire relied on was those trained in Western medicine. In other words, the Japanese Empire did not give a full credit to the Oriental medicine during the colonial era. During the colonization, Japanese Empire used Oriental medicine under the nominal reason of lack of medical workforces. In early 1930s, a policy supporting usage of Oriental medical herb was selected. However, it does not mean that the change in policy encouraged Oriental medicine since the medical herb that the Japanese Empire supported was those that were organized and categorized according to the principles in Western medicine.
Colonialism/*history ; Herbal Medicine/*history ; History, 20th Century ; Japan ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional/*history ; Western World/history

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

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

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

"Shengdeng" is its Tibetan transliteration referring to many medicines. Tibetan doctors and pharmacists in different areas use different drugs in formulation and clinical application, which are easily confused. In order to grasp the formula and clinical application accurately, we conduct a literature survey on history and current state of botanical origin and clinical application of "Shengdeng", making clear the application of various herbs named "Shengdeng" and providing reference to all Tibetan researchers and clinical workers in formulation and clinical application.
Drug Therapy ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; history ; therapeutic use ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

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

The incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines is related to the clinical medication safety, so has attracted wide attentions from the public. With the deepening of studies on the incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines represented by 18 incompatible herbs, the incompatibility of theory traditional Chinese medicines has raised to new heights. From the origin of incompatibility theory of traditional Chinese medicines, relationship of herbs, harms of incompatible herbs and principle of prevention to toxic effects of specific incompatible medicines, the innovation and development of the traditional Chinese medicine incompatibility theory was explored. Structurally, the incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines refers to the opposition of two herbs based on seven emotions and clinical experience. The combination of incompatible herbs may lead to human harms, especially latent harm and inefficacy of intervention medicines. The avoidance of the combination of incompatible herbs and the consideration of both symptoms and drug efficacy are the basic method to prevent adverse reactions. The recent studies have revealed five characteristics of incompatible herbs. Toxicity potentiation, toxication, efficacy reduction and inefficacy are the four manifestations of the incompatible relations. The material changes can reflect the effects of toxicity potentiation and toxication of opposite herbs. The accumulation of toxicity and metabolic changes are the basis for latent harms. The antagonistic effect of main efficacies and the coexistence of positive and negative effects are the distinctive part of the incompatibility. The connotation of incompatible herbs plays an important role in the innovation of the traditional Chinese medicine incompatibility theory.
Drug Incompatibility ; Drug Therapy ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; pharmacology ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional