炭类中药临床应用的历史沿革

History of clinical applications of charred Chinese medicinal herbs

炭类中药,简称炭药,是中医用药的特色之一。本文对炭药临床应用的历史沿革进行了系统梳理。炭药应用从无意识的发现,到有意识的发掘和规律总结,直至理论形成,经历了极其漫长的过程。早在秦汉时期,人类在医疗活动中已发现了烧炭治病的奥秘。从炭药的种类及炮制方法来看,历代均有不同程度的补充和完善。从临床应用来看,炭药被广泛应用于内、外、妇、儿等各科疾病的治疗中,其确切的疗效经受了历代临床的验证,并被越来越多的现代药理学研究所证实。通过文献梳理可知,炭药应用是我们祖先的伟大创举,确切的疗效是其流传至今的生命力所在。因此,炭药是一个值得深入研究的领域,本文将为炭药的深入研究提供文献基础及研究线索。

As a unique part of Chinese herbal medicine, charred Chinese medicinal herbs, or charred herbs for short, enjoyed a long history and abundant clinical applications. Charred herbs were firstly used by accident, and later more were used intentionally and systematically until finally a theory was formed, the whole process of which took a long time. As early as in the Qin and Han dynasties, the mystery of using charred herbs to cure diseases was unveiled in medical practice. The types and processing methods of charred herbs increased and improved over the later dynasties. It was widely used in internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology, and pediatrics, etc. Its curative effects were proven in clinical practice in the past and has been confirmed by more and more pharmacological researches now. Through a thorough review of ancient literature, it’s believed that the application of charred herbs was one of the pioneering medical practices of our ancestors and its vitality lies in its great efficacy. This paper provides literature basis and ideas for more profound research into charred herbs, on which further studies are warranted.