中药性味理论的现代研究进展

Study Progress on Natures and Tastes of Chinese Herbs

中药药性理论是中医药理论体系的重要组成部分和中药理论中的核心内容。其中,中药的四性五味作为中药的核心药性在中医临床诊治过程中起着关键性的指导作用。近年,国家科技部、国家中医药管理局、国家自然科学基金委等先后立项支持性味理论相关项目的深化研究,旨在进一步从分子水平解析中药四性五味理论的现代科学内涵,使其更好地服务于中医临床和药学体系。本文对近20年来有关中药四气五味相关文献的整理分析,从生物效应、物质基础等方面对中药四气五味的研究状况进行了系统回顾和概述,结合课题组中药药性研究中的发现和体会,剖析了目前中药药性研究中存在的问题和不足,为深入开展中药性味理论的科学实质研究提供借鉴和参考。

The nature and taste theory is both the important component of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） system and the core element of TCM herbal system. It plays a guiding role in the selection of the optimized herbs in the TCM clinical application. To further uncover the modern connotation of the nature and taste theory, grants in this regard have been set by Ministry of Science and Technology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and National Natural Science Foundation of China. The current situation of four natures and five tastes of the Chinese herbs was systemically reviewed from the aspects of its biological effects and ingredients based on the articles related to the study of herbal natures published in the recent 20 years. In this paper, the authors put forward the disadvantages and problems around the herb natures study combined with the recent findings and experience accumulated in the process of the herb natures study conducted in the authors＇ lab. This review will pave the way for the further study of four natures and five tastes of the Chinese herbs.