With the development of molecular pharmacognosy, the advantages of DNA molecular markers in the identification of original plants of Chinese medicinal materials are becoming increasingly significant. To compensate for the limitations of existing markers in the quality supervision of Chinese medicinal materials, our team has independently designed a new molecular marker named DNA signature sequence(DSS). This marker is a nucleotide sequence that only appears in a specific taxonomic unit, with a length of 40 bp and high identification accuracy. This article aims to screen and verify the DSS markers that can accurately identify the original plants of the medicinal materials included in the volume one of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, establish the operating procedure for developing standard nucleotide sequences, and lay a foundation for the widespread application of polymerase chain reaction in the quality supervision of traditional Chinese medicine. Firstly, the Chloroplast Genome Information Resource(CGIR) was searched for the chloroplast genome sequences of the test samples, species of the same genus, and common background species. IdenDSS was used to obtain the DSS tags and specific identification primers of the tested species. After DNA extraction, PCR amplification, sequencing, and sequence alignments, a total of 203 DSS markers of Chinese medicinal materials were obtained for validation. The above sequences were uploaded to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Molecular Identification Platform(www.herbsdna.com), and a standard DSS library was established for identifying the original plants of medicinal materials, serving as an important tool for quality supervision of Chinese materia medica. On this basis, an operating procedure for DSS development is formed, laying a foundation for further DSS screening and application based on more diverse genome sequences.
Plants, Medicinal/classification* ; DNA, Plant/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Pharmacopoeias as Topic ; Genetic Markers ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

The improvement of the harvest period standards is critical in the quality control of Chinese medicinal materials. The present study statistically analyzed the harvest period standards of plant medicinal materials in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Vol.Ⅰ) and put forward the existing problems and suggestions based on herbal records and modern research to provide references for the improvement of the standards. According to the statistical analysis, in 499 types of plant medicinal materials, harvest period standards are recorded under 486 types, accounting for 97.4%, and are lacking in the remaining. Only one medicinal material(Stellariae Radix) is recorded with the standard of the harvest year. The standards of the harvest season and phenological period are recorded under 233 types, accounting for 46.7%. For 237 types, only harvest season is specified, accounting for 47.5%, and for 15 types, only harvest phenological period is specified, accounting for 3.0%. Among 222 types mainly derived from cultivation and 51 types from wild resources and cultivation, only 11 types are recorded with harvest period of cultivated products. Only Stellariae Radix is recorded with the harvest period standards for the wild and cultivated products separately. The harvest period standards of plant medicinal materials with different medicinal parts have certain rules to follow. The main problems about the harvest period standards are discovered. Specifically, no harvest period standards are recorded under 13 types of plant medicinal materials. Almost all perennial cultivated medicinal materials are not recorded with harvest year standard. No phenological period standard is found under 250 types of plant medicinal materials. There is no clear distinction between the harvest period standards of cultivated and wild products. The evidence for harvest period standards of 26 types of plant medicinal materials that can be harvested all year round is insufficient. As a result, it is proposed to strengthen basic research in response to the above-mentioned problems and improve the harvest period standards as soon as possible to ensure the quality of Chinese medicinal materials.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmacopoeias as Topic ; Plants, Medicinal ; Quality Control

It is known that there are wide disparities in the medical terms and language that medical professionals currently use in South and North Korea. How much chaos can be expected when people will be able to come and go freely unless there is an effort to lessen these gaps? To minimize medical mess in advance and to provide a better environment to strengthen collaborative exchanges between South and North Korea, which should be independent of political beliefs and dynamics, as part of the efforts for inter-Korea medical consolidation, I would like to underscore the need to compile an integrative medical dictionary. For the compilation of such a dictionary, the following process and preparations are suggested. First, there should be a database of medical terminology from North Korea through a search of various types of literature in North Korea, including dictionaries, journals, and textbooks. Second, entry words for an integrative dictionary based on English terms should be included. Third, specialists in medical terminology from the northern side should participate in the editing process and hold discussions with their southern counterparts. Fourth, after the full discussion and consensus has taken place, print and web versions of the dictionary can be published. Furthermore, a dissemination plan should be established to be used widely with both sides. The above strategy should also be supported by not only the medical society in South Korea but also the Korean government.
Consensus ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Dictionaries, Medical ; Korea ; Societies, Medical ; Specialization

To clarify the change and development of original plants of " Manjingzi"( Viticis Fructus),a traditional Chinese medicine,we investigated Vitex species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts. The study concluded that the Vitex trifolia and V. trifolia var.simplicifolia included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia( 2015 edition) are only two sources of ancient medicinal Viticis Fructus. There are many sources of vines used in ancient times,which are not fixed and unified. The early use of Viticis Fructus is likely to be the V. quinate var. quinata,V. negundo var. cannabifolia and V. negundo var. negundo. From the Tang Dynasty,the use of V. trifolia var. simplicifolia has been appeared. Until Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty,the V. trifolia has been used as a source of medicine for the Viticis Fructus,but even so,the source of medicinal plants of Viticis Fructus has not been unified. We suggested V. trifolia var. simplicifolia be used as mainly species for " Manjingzi" due to its widely used in ancient China.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Fruit ; History, 15th Century ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmacopoeias as Topic ; Plants, Medicinal ; Vitex

To clarify the change and development of the original plants， medicinal organs， traditional functions， resource distribution of "Huangjing"(Polygonati Rhizome)， a traditional Chinese medicine， we investigated Polygonatum species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts. The name of "Nüwei" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic. Its effects included two aspects： one was similar to "Weirui"(Polygonati Odorati Rhizome， "Yuzhu")， that was tonifying， nourishing one's vitality， removing wind and dampness， settling five organs， making body lightness， keeping longevity and not being hungry; the second was alike to "Huangjing" recorded in the book of Ming Yi Bie Lu(Appendant Records of Famous Physicians). Specifically， "Weirui" possesses the therapeutic effect of "Nüwei"， while "Huangjing" possesses the tonic effect of " Nüwei". Thereafter， the following ancient Chinese herbal texts kept those two names and function records. Accordingly， we hold the point of view that "Huangjing" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic in the synonym of "Nüwei". "Yuzhu" included the "Huangjing" in ancient herbal text before Qing Dynasty， that was further confirmed by the research on change and development of the original plants. The identification between "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" was based on the shape of rhizome and size before early Tang Dynasty. The shape was a key character and used up to now， but size was not reasonable. The opposite phyllotaxy was an important character of authentic "Huangjing" from Tang to Qing Dynasty. The seedling of Polygonatum sibiricum and P. kingianum， the adult plant of P. cyrtonema with alternate leaves were misused as "Yuzhu"("Nüwei" and "Weirui") at that time. Therefore， both "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" should be used as key words during the search of ancient prescriptions and development of new drugs and health foods. The leaves， flowers， fruits and seedlings could be used as food or medicine other than the rhizomes in ancient China， but they haven't been developed in modern times. The culture of "Huangjing" had a long history starting with Tang Dynasty， which was recorded in Tang poetry. Then in Ming Dynasty， the culture method was described in Compendium of Materia Medica， that was cutting the rhizomes into 2 feet， planting sparsely(they would be grown densely in the next year)， or sowing the seeds. The harvesting and processing were first recorded in Ming Yi Bie Lu： "harvest the roots in February， dry in the shade". Then the processing method was changed to "steaming and drying in the sun， repeatedly for nine times" in Shi Liao Ben Cao(Dietetic Materia Medica) and "harvesting in August as well" in Ben Cao Tu Jing(Commentaries on the Illustrations). No breakthrough has been taken in the breeding of cultivars and key cultivation technologies yet. As to the geo-authentic habitats， Mount Songshan and Maoshan were firstly recorded as the best producing areas of "Huangjing" in Ben Cao Tu Jing. But Maoshan， Jiangsu province and Mount Songshan， Henan province， are not main producing areas in modern China. Consequently， the plantation plan of Polygonati Rhizome needs further study.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Herbals as Topic ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polygonatum ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry

This article demonstrates the medicinal usage of ginseng in the West from 1660 to 1914. Asian[Korea] ginseng was first introduced into England in the early 17th century, and North American ginseng was found in the early 18th century. Starting from the late 17th century doctors prescribed ginseng to cure many different kinds of ailments and disease such as: fatigue general lethargy, fever, torpidity, trembling in the joints, nervous disorder, laughing and crying hysteria, scurvy, spermatic vessel infection, jaundice, leprosy, dry gripes and constipation, strangury, yellow fever, dysentery, infertility and addictions of alcohol, opium and tobacco, etc. In the mid-18th century Materia Medica began to specify medicinal properties of ginseng and the patent medicines containing ginseng were widely circulated. However, starting in the late 18th century the medicinal properties of ginseng began to be disparaged and major pharmacopoeias removed ginseng from their contents. The reform of the pharmacopoeia, influenced by Linnaeus in botany and Lavoisier in chemistry, introduced nomenclature that emphasized identifying ingredients and active constituents. Western medicine at this period, however, failed to identify and to extract the active constituents of ginseng. Apart from the technical underdevelopment of the period, the medical discourses reveal that the so-called chemical experiment of ginseng were conducted with unqualified materials and without proper differentiation of various species of ginseng.
Americas* ; Botany ; Chemistry ; Constipation ; Crying ; Dispensatories ; Dysentery ; England ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Hysteria ; Infertility ; Jaundice ; Joints ; Leprosy ; Lethargy ; Materia Medica ; Nonprescription Drugs ; Opium ; Panax* ; Scurvy ; Tobacco ; Yellow Fever

The development and compilation of Evidence-based Guidelines of Clinical Practice with Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Adult Bronchial Asthma are introduced from three aspects, named the guideline methodology, the guideline structure and the guideline content. Based on the acupuncture-moxibustion practice and clinical research, the evidence-based medicine method is adopted. During the development and compilation of the guideline, the characteristics and advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion are specially considered in the treatment of this disease; the latest optimum evidences at home and abroad, experts' experience and patients' value are closely integrated with each other. Additionally, the worldwide accepted assessments of evidence quality and the recommendation (GRADE system) are combined with the clinical evidences of the ancient and modern famous acupuncture-moxibustion experts, and the clinical research evidences are with the experts' consensus to the large extent. The purpose of the guideline is to provide the maximal guidance to the clinical physicians.
Asthma ; therapy ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; standards ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; standards ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Reference Books

Culture ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Formularies as Topic ; Humans ; Language ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Tablets ; Translations

Drug safety has always been a global focus. Discovery and accurate information acquisition of adverse drug reaction have been the most crucial concern. Terminology of adverse drug reaction makes adverse reaction medical report meaningful, standardized and accurate. This paper discussed the domestic use of the terminology WHOART and MedDRA in terms of content, structure, and application situation. It also analysed the differences between the two terminologies and discusses the future trend of application in our country
Dictionaries, Medical ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Terminology as Topic ; World Health Organization

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