This article aimed to explain the reasons why Asian spices including pepper, ginger, and cinnamon were considered as special and valuable drugs with curative powers in the Medieval Europe. Among these spices, pepper was most widely and frequently used as medicine according to medieval medical textbooks. We analyzed three main pharmacology books written during the Middle Ages. One of the main reasons that oriental spices were widely used as medicine was due to the particular medieval medical system fundamentally based on the humoral theory invented by Hippocrates and Galen. This theory was modified by Arab physicians and imported to Europe during the Middle Ages. According to this theory, health is determined by the balance of the following four humors which compose the human body: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Each humor has its own qualities such as cold, hot, wet, and dry. Humoral imbalance was one of the main causes of disease, so it was important to have humoral equilibrium. Asian spices with hot and dry qualities were used to balance the cold and wet European diet. The analysis of several major medical textbooks of the Middle Ages proves that most of the oriental spices with hot and dry qualities were employed to cure diverse diseases, particularly those caused by coldness and humidity. However, it should be noted that the oriental spices were considered to be much more valuable and effective as medicines than the local medicinal ingredients, which were not only easily procured but also were relatively cheap. Europeans mystified oriental spices, with the belief that they have marvelous and mysterious healing powers. Such mystification was related to the terrestrial Paradise. They believed that the oriental spices were grown in Paradise which was located in the Far East and were brought to the Earthly world along the four rivers flowing from the Paradise.
Asia ; Europe ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Phytotherapy/*history ; *Reference Books, Medical ; Spices/*history ; Textbooks as Topic/*history

Through analyzing the origin and evolution of the thunder-fire moxibustion therapy, the mysteries and misunderstandings of it were revealed. As a result, a more objective and comprehensive recognition of this ancient therapy was displayed to the people nowadays. The thunder-fire moxibustion therapy maybe originate from the Taoism magic arts before the Dynasty and became matured in the middle of the Dynasty. Two categories were divided during the long-term evolution in the history. In one category, the peach twig was taken as the moxa material rather than moxa stick and the incantation of Taoism remained. Regarding the other category, the herbal medicine was mixed in the moxa stick and the herbal composition was relatively specified. The incantation was removed. The moxibustion in the first category vanished at the end of the Dynasty. The latter one kept on development from the middle of the Dynasty through the modern times. Additionally, the herbal composition of moxa material has been modified; the indication enlarged and the operation improved. This therapy is still developed and applied by many doctors at the present times.
Acupuncture Therapy ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo analyze the status of reaching meridian research for the Chinese Matria Medica and to raise point-medicine method.

METHODTo review and analyze the studied situation of the corresponding relationships between "materials", as the constituents in the Chinese materia medica (CMM) as reaching meridian material foundation, and "image", as the function states of the zang-fu viscera, to investigate the problems and the measures to solve it.

RESULTThere are imprinting relationships among "materials", as the constituents alike metabolic pathway in the CMM as reaching meridian material foundation, and "image", as the function of the zang-fu viscera related with meridians, and "symptom", the states of them, retroacted, represented and explored by the corresponding meridianed constituents in the CMM as quantitative pharmacologic parameters,also modified by special acupuncture points, finally to establish the new method of reaching meridian according to meridian point-medicine action and also to investigate the relations between the constituents in the CMM and network targets of disease as to kill two birds with one arrow.

CONCLUSIONThere are imprinting relationships among "materials", "image", "symptom" versus CMM, zang-fu viscera function related with meridians, their function status respectively, which are modified by acupuncture merisian points. The point-medicine method for assuring reaching meridian is the most simple way to investigate reaching meridian for CMM, is also a important way to investigate visceral and meridianal manifestations.

Acupuncture Points ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; history ; therapeutic use ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; history ; Meridians ; Phytotherapy ; history

In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the registration of proprietary Chinese medicines (PCMs) in China over the past century by examining published literature and historical data. We will examine this evolving administrative practice for PCMs registration in China, which is divided to the following five stages: (1) initial measures (1915-1948); (2) early development (1949-1965); (3) provincial approval and trial implementation of the "approval number" system (1966-1984); (4) legislation and cleanup (1985-1999); and (5) centralized national approval (2000 until now), offering a panoramic view on the characteristics of PCMs registration management in China.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; history ; Government Regulation ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Phytotherapy ; history

To clarify the origin and application development of the traditional Chinese medicine " Zi-hua Qianhu" and " Qianhu", the medicinal literatures of past dynasties and modern researches were analysed. The plant Angelica decursivum was used as a substitute for traditional Chinese medicine "Angelica sinensis Radix" for a long historical period, it is used incorrectly for traditional Chinese medicine "Qianhu" due to origin research in modern times. The plant origin of "Qianhu" is Peucedanum praeruptorum. There are significant differences in clinical applications and chemical composition of the two drugs. The same efficacy description of "Zi-huaQianhu" and "Qianhu" could not stop "Zi-huaQianhu" used as "Qianhu" in practical application. Therefore, we need to further research for the plant A. decursivum, delimit its medicinal attribution.
Angelica ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; pharmacology ; History, 21st Century ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Pharmacopoeias as Topic ; history ; Phytotherapy ; history

Zuotai is an essential part in Tibetan patent medicine, which plays an important role in treating diseases. This paper introduced the invention, preparing process, use, effectiveness, and safety of Zuotai, aimed to provide an insight for traditional Chinese medicine when using heavy mental within Chinese patent medicine.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; therapeutic use ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; history ; Mercury Compounds ; chemistry ; history ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; history ; Tibet

In this paper,the name,origin,producing area,harvesting and processing changes of Paeonia lactiflora used in classical prescriptions were studied by textual research of herbal medicine and field investigation. Chinese herbaceous peony wasn' t distinguished before the Northern and Southern Dynasties; Tao Hongjing proposed that there were two kinds of P. lactiflora in the Northern and Southern Dynasties,but they were not clearly defined; since the Song and Yuan Dynasties,the method of distinguishing P. lactiflora by flower color and root color was proposed. In the Ming Dynasty,people put forward the criteria similar to modern ones,that is,to divide red peony and white peony by means of harvesting and processing,and to continue for future generations. Since modern times,different growth patterns and processing methods have been used to classify red peony and white peony. Paeoniae Radix Alba has gradually formed three major cultivation genuine producing areas: Hangzhou,Sichuan and Bozhou,while Paeoniae Radix Rubra in modern times has praised the wild medicinal materials produced in Inner Mongolia,Toronto and other places. According to textual research,Paeoniae Radix Alba was highly praised in Song Dynasty. When people in Song Dynasty revised the previous literature,they changed " Shaoyao" into " Baishao" and continued to use Paeoniae Radix Alba for future generations. Therefore,the origin of P. lactiflora in classical prescriptions before the Song Dynasty should be determined by the combination of prescription function and prescription meaning evolution; After the Song Dynasty,the origins of " Red Paeonia Root" and " White Paeonia Root" in prescriptions are basically the same as those in today's prescriptions,which should be recorded in ancient prescriptions. For the medicinal flavor of " Paeonia Root" recorded in prescriptions after the Song Dynasty,the origins can be determined by functional domination and the evolution of prescriptions.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Paeonia ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal

According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010ed), Chishao,Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Baishao,Paeoniae Radix Alba are both from the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. In recent years, it is known from the studies that Chishao and Baishao must have the resemblance in the chemical composition, but the differences have related to the ecological environment and the processing methods, this makes their functions be different, athough they derive from the same original plants. This review explores the material basis and functions differences based on the analysis of the relationship in Chishao and Baishao on characteristic index function and the genetic background and the analysis of the clinical and pharmacological effects. It may provide more scientific data for identification and establishment of new quality control methods of the Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra in the future.
Animals ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; therapeutic use ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; history ; Quality Control

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

Integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine (integrative medicine) is the advanced scientific thinking system in order to settle the relationship between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, which is advocated based on the convergence of traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the scientifization of traditional Chinese medicine. The establishment of the guideline of integrative medicine and the unceasing acquirement of researches are one of the light spots of Chinese medical history in the 20th century. The medical pattern of integrative medicine founded gradually in uneven pathway in the past half century reveals its tremendous advantages increasingly and should give an important impact on the progress of the Chinese medicine and even that of the world medicine.
China ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Phytotherapy ; Western World