From Hai Yao, Yang Yao to Xi Yao: Sinification of Material Medical from the West

In ancient China, Daoist philosophers developed the concepts of qi(energy), Wu Xing(five elements), and yin(feminine, dark, negative) and yang(masculine, bright, positive) opposite forces between 200 and 600 BCE. Based on these philosophies, Zhen Jiu(acupuncture), Ben Cao(materia medica), and the practice of Qi Gong(energy optimization movements) evolved as the three interrelated therapeutic regimens of Chinese medicine(Note 1). Since the time of Zhang Qian, who discovered China's western regions in the 1st century BCE, Hai Yao(the exotic elements of materia medica from the maritime Silk Road countries), had been transmitted from the ancient land and maritime routes of the Silk Road to China in the past two millennia(Note 2). Since the late 17th century, the English East India Company, later called the British East India Company, introduced Yang Yao(opium) to the Manchu Qing Empire to balance a growing trade deficit for tea export from China to the British Empire. After the First Opium War ended in 1842, enterprising expatriate chemists and druggists in the treaty ports imported Xi Yao(modern medicines from the Western world) for sale to the merchant navy and the local market. From the second half of the 19th century onwards, both Hai Yao and Xi Yao have become a fully integrated part of modern China's armamentarium for the Chinese medicine and Western hospitals and retail pharmacy sectors. This paper articulates the journey of adoption of exotic elements of materia medica from the ancient land and sea routes of the Silk Road, including the western regions and the rest of the world in the past two millennia. Opium traders, ship surgeons, medical and pharmaceutical missionaries, enterprising traders, and policymakers together transformed Ben Cao into Xi Yao during the late Manchu Qing dynasty and the early Nationalist Era.

Textual Research on Dioscorides and De Materia Medica

The Greek pharmacologist Dioscorides’s De Materia Medica is one of the greatest works in the history of Greek-Arabic Traditional Medicine, and also is an essential medical textbook and pharmacological standard in Europe. This paper studied the historical background, academic characteristics, editions, and significant contributions to traditional medicine of De Materia Medica and Dioscorides. It was concluded that the book has substantial scientific importance and remarkable cultural attributes. De Materia Medica of Dioscorides has both nourished world traditional medicine and promoted the communication and development of medicinal knowledge worldwide. It is significant for us to explore further the related understanding of traditional medicine, history, society, and culture.

Philosophy and Philology:Two Approaches of Commentating the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing(Shen Nong's Classic of the Materia Medica)in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

This paper tests the hypothesis that the commentary trend of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing(Shen Nong’s Classic of the Materia Medica)arises alongside the fashionable philology of the time,or the aversion against the Jin-Yuan medical philosophy.After surveying 12 major commentaries,it is concluded that the situation is more complicated than a simple assertion.The seemingly opposite philosophy and philology approaches have been used eclectically to innovate the understanding of ancient traditional Chinese medicine texts.

Property theory of Chinese materia medica: Clinical pharmacodynamics of traditional Chinese medicine

The property theory of Chinese materia medica is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.The property of Chinese materia medica(PCMM)is a multi-dimensional expression of the effect of Chinese materia medica(CMM),and it is related to the clinical prescription that fully reflects the clinical effect evaluation of CMM in a holistic,systematic,and scientific way.This paper discusses the source,development,and application of the PCMM by considering not only the five dimensions that constitute the PCMM but also the recognition of the human body and disease as given in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper aims to provide theoretical guidance for the rational use and development of CMM.

P-glycoprotein mediated interactions between Chinese materia medica and pharmaceutical drugs

P-glycoprotein(P-gp)is an important transmembrane ATP-binding cassette(ABC)drug efflux transporter expressed in various human tissues such as the intestines,liver,kidneys,and bloodbrain barrier.It limits the intracellular concentration of xenobiotics by pumping them out of the cells,affecting drug pharmacokinetics and therapeutic effects.With its broad substrate specificity,it has the potential to remove a wide range of drugs from Chinese materia medica(CMM),including conventional medicines and active compounds.Increasing evidence has confirmed the superior therapeutic effectiveness of CMM in treating a wide range of diseases worldwide,as well as in conjunction with western drugs.As a result,herbal medicine-drug compounds have prompted widespread concern,with the majority of these interactions involving transporters such as P-gp.This review systematically summarizes the inhibition or induction of P-gp expression/function by active CMM compounds and the underlying regulatory mechanisms.It will aid in improving understanding of the synergistic or inhibiting effects associated with transporter P-gp as well as rational safety concerns for using CMM,particularly in combination with drugs.

Bio-characteristic profiling related to clinic:A new technology platform for quality evaluation of Chinese materia medica

Quality evaluation is a bottleneck restricting the modernization and internationalization of Chinese materia medica (CMM). Due to characteristics of multi-component, multi-efficacy, multi-target, the existing quality evaluation system still cannot fully meet quality control needs of CMM. Hence, the author put forward “Bio-characteristic profiling related to clinic, BPRC” academic concept, meanwhile, fully take the advantage of analysis method with clinical monitoring superiority or profiling characteristics, build up “BPRC” new technology platform, in order to realize “real-time, dynamic and full-range monitoring” new technologies of CMM quality evaluation system and promote the further development of CMM industry.

Based on FP-Growth Algorithm to Excavate Medication Rule of Chinese Materia Medica for Radiation Esophagitis

Objective:To find the medication rule of Chinese materia medica for treating radiation esophagitis through FP-Growth algorithm.Methods:By searching the three major literature databases such as Chinese Journal Full-text Database,VIP Chinese Sci-tech Journals Database,Wanfang Data,etc.from the database establishment to May 10,2020,88 effective documents and 91 prescriptions were screened.The medication frequency of prescription in the paper was extracted and sorted.Results:The frequency of medicinal property from high to low were:slightly cold,cold,balance,warm,cool,slightly warm,and great cold.The frequency of medicinal taste from high to low were:sweet,bitter,pungent,slightly bitter,salty,slightly pungent,sour,light,astringent.The frequency of channel tropism from high to low were:lung,stomach,liver,heart,spleen,etc.,and 10 herbal combinations with clinical significance were obtained.There was one prescription with good correlation strength in the clinical treatment of radiation esophagitis.Conclusion:The medication rule of Chinese materia medica for the treatment of radiation esophagitis is based on the principles of clearing away heat and detoxification,benefiting Qi(气)and nourishing Yin(阴),and stopping bleeding and removing phlegm.Heat-clearing medicine,tonic medicine,phlegmresolving,cough–relieving medicine and asthma-relieving medicine,blood-activating and stasis removing medicine were highly frequent used.The high-frequency association rules are nourishing Yin–clearing heat–generating fluid,removing toxin–cooling blood–benefiting Qi,benefiting Qi–invigorating spleen–stopping bleeding.It is stable and feasible to use FP-Growth algorithm to mine traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)to treat diseases.

From religious manual to herbal pharmacopoeia:a textual study of the formation and transformation of Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica

The earliest Ben Cao Jing(Classics of Materia Medica;25 C.E.–220 C.E.)appeared during the reign of the Han Dynasty(202 B.C.E.–220 C.E.);their origins are traceable to the religious group called Fang Xian Dao.In addition to their use as a medical reference,the Ben Cao Jing works were also used for religious purposes.Tao Hongjing(456 C.E.–536 C.E.),a famous doctor and Daoist(one member of the Chinese local religion,Daoism)of the Liang Dynasty(502 C.E.–557 C.E.),compiled the Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu(Variorum of Classics of Materia Medica;456 C.E.–536 C.E.)based on the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing(Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica;25 C.E.–220 C.E.).During the compilation of this book,Tao made a radical medical revision to the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing,by reducing its religious contents while complementing its medical contents.After such revisions,the ancient Ben Cao Jing was transformed from a religious manual into an herbal pharmacopoeia.

Achievements of the Compendium Bencao Tujing(Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica):A Preliminary Study

Bencao Tujing(Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica)is a brilliant and monumental compendium of materia medica by Su Song,which was published in 1061 and gathered ancestral knowledge from the Song dynasty as a legacy for posterity.The compendium emphasized the clinical applications of medicinal materials collected nationwide,which used illustrated atlases as references.The descriptions for each medicinal material subsumed the prescriptions containing it and were supplemented with relevant medical cases.Medical prescriptions predating the Song dynasty were included,which enhanced the clinical usefulness of the pharmacopoeia.The ancestral knowledge of materia medica was extensively merged with natural history throughout the compendium,which also made extensive reference to more than 200 Chinese classics,local gazetteers,and published works from the social and natural sciences.The inclusion of natural history and literature works changed the convention used in earlier pharmacopoeias to present medicines based solely on pharmacological analyses.The compendium also pioneered the inclusion of natural history in pharmacopoeia.Bencao Tujing helped establish China’s leading position in the field of materia medica.Su Song’s meticulous nature,truth-seeking attitude,and adherence to scientific thinking are truly worthy of emulation and promotion.

A Textual Research on Materia Medica of Origin of Orthonym and Synonym of Cuscutae Semen

A textual research on materia medica of origin of orthonym and synonym of Cuscutae Semen and synonym of Nu Luo was conducted in this study,and the trade name,regional synonym and nickname of Cuscutae Semen were reviewed.The records of orthonym and synonym of Cuscutae Semen in the past dynasties,and the first published literature and writing date of orthodox and synonym were summarized.The textual research showed that Nu Luo and Cuscutae Semen were not the same plant,which had positive significance for the identification of the origin and modern application of Cuscutae Semen.

Discrimination of 11 Chinese Materia Medica from <i>Umbelliferae</i>by Electronic Nose

In this paper, electronic nose (E-nose) was used to discriminate the 11 Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) from Umbelliferae by the difference of their odors. The E-nose generated data were analyzed by discriminant function analysis (DFA) and the responses of 18 sensors of E-nose were evaluated by CA analysis. Results showed that a rapid evaluation of complex response of the samples could be obtained, in combination with DFA, SQC and the CA analysis of the E-nose was given better results in the recognition values of the odor of the 11 CMM. All the 11 CMM could be distinguished by E-nose coupled with DFA, sensor 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 13 and 15 were found to be able to better discriminate between the CMM samples. The CMM from Umbelliferae produced from different areas and processed with different methods could be distinguished by the E-nose, too. The results of the similarity of fingerprints of the E-nose are fitted with the TCM records about the property (yaoxing), channel tropism (guijing), function and usage of the CMM. The E-nose is a technology that can reflect the holistic odor of a CMM and is relevant to the TCM doctor’s practical identification. The odor of CMM can be expressed by objective data instead of subjective sense by human nose. Based on the sensor`s intensity of E-nose, the fingerprint of a CMM can be established, too. Although the E-nose has so many advantages, only use E-nose technology is not enough to control the quality of a CMM. It must be combined with the other macroscopic discriminating technology, such as the E-tongue, the E-eye, to have a holistic evaluation of a CMM.

The Silk Road and Sources of Chinese Medicine Expansion: Part 1 – Materia Medica

The Silk Road stretched over land and across seas connecting Europe,Africa,and Asia.The trade of medicine along these routes has had profound impacts on the populations and traditions they have come into contact with.Chinese Medicine is no exception as it has taken numerous nonnative products and incorporated them into the unique philosophical construct of systematic correspondences that govern its practice.By looking at the four categories of primary source materials and studying the history of medical exchange along the Silk Road,we can determine how and where this information is used in Chinese Medicine.The Materia Medica(ben cao本草)texts are the first source of information for this study that will explore multiple sources to better understand the development of Chinese Medicine in relation to the rest of the world.

Looking for Chinese Red:Materia Medica Trade along the Silk Road and Development of Chinese Red Dyestuff

In thousands of years from the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty,crimson represents sacredness and good fortune in several dynasties and is honored in the hierarchy of colors.Meanwhile,introduction to the exotic Materia Medica for dyeing from the Silk Road trade greatly expands the dyeing category of red color.The exotic red dyestuff is eventually integrated into the red culture of the Central Plains through the localization process.Therefore,it becomes the color symbol on behalf of Chinese nation.

The Plant Cynomorium in Maltese Materia Medica

The search for possible effective local therapeutic agents led to the discovery of a plant that was later known as Fungus Melitensis.This parasitic flowering plant was initially believed to grow only on a small islet off Gozo known variably as General's or Fungus Rock.It is now known to be more widely distributed with a range extending from the Canary Islands to China.First mentioned in 1647 by the Maltese historian Gian Francesco Abela,the plant was later described and illustrated in 1674 by the Palermo botanist Paolo Boccone,while a detailed clinical treatise was prepared in 1689 by the Maltese physician Gio Francesco Bonamico.Based on the principles of the“doctrine of signatures,”the plant was considered useful by virtue of its color in conditions involving bleeding,while on the basis of the phallic appearance,it was considered efficacious for venereal disease.The medicinal properties of the plant became renowned throughout the European continent,increasing the demand for its collection and export.Measures were introduced to limit the collection to authorized individuals while physical access to the islet was made more difficult by cutting away the sloping parts of the islet.The plant lost its medicinal reputation during the early decades of the 19^th century and has now been relegated to the annals of medical history and folklore,though it is still designated a protected species.

Historical Figures Promoting the Communication of Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》Compendium of Materia Medica) in Japan

Ben Cao Gang Mu(《本草纲目》Compendium of Materia Medica)written by Li Shizhen(李时珍)was first introduced to Japan in the early 17th century and played an important role in the development of Japanese Material Medica and natural history in the Edo period.Tokugawa Ieyasu(德川家康),a shogun general,and Hayashi Razan(林罗山),a famous Confucianist in the Edo period,first recommended Ben Cao Gang Mu in Japan.Then,there emerged more scholars at herbal medicine in Japan who studied and taught Ben Cao Gang Mu through family teaching and master-apprenticeship training.Among them,the work of scholars such as Kaibara Ekiken(贝原益轩),Okamoto Ippou(冈本一抱),Matsuoka Gentatsu(松冈玄达),Ono Ranzan(小野蘭山),Iwasaki Kan-en(岩崎灌园),and Maeda Toshiyasu(前田利保)is of great significance to promote the wide communication and acceptance of Ben Cao Gang Mu in the Edo period in Japan.The rise of the Ben Cao Gang Mu in Japan fueled the development of Japanese herbal science and natural history to a new level.

Analysis of the Application of“Jing(精)”in Ben Cao Gang Mu(《本草纲自〉Compendium of Materia Medica)

Taking the Ben Cao Gang Mu(《本草纲目》Compendium of Materia Medica)(Jinling edition金陵本)as the research object and“Jing”as the search term,this article summarizes the quantity of medicinals containing“Jing”in Ben Cao Gang Mu,analyzes the connotation and application of“Jing”in traditional Chinese medicine,and finds that the application of“Jing”in medicine does not deviate from the original meaning of“Jing,”but endows it with the concepts of medicine and pharmacy,and expands the application scope of“Jing.”This study is helpful to understand and use spermicide more reasonably.

Historical Background of Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》 Compendium of Materia Medica)

The compilation of Compendium of Materia Medica by IA Shizhen is the product of both his great dream of writing and years of diligent work and it was also all round related to the historical times when he lived.At that time,the appreciation from the Emperor,competitive publication of medical works by the state kings and the rapid developments in medicine in the Ming dynasty all contributed to the establishment of a solid foundation for the success of Compendium of Materia Medica.This paper explored the contributing factors of the great work from a perspective of the historical environment.

Clinical metabolic analysis combined with traceability of biosynthetic pathway:a new approach to quality marker of Chinese materia medica

Quality marker(Q-marker)of Chinese materia medica(CMM)plays an important role in quality control of CMM products.However,its research strategy and technique remain unclear.Based on the fact that quality standard of CMM should be associated with clinical efficacy,taking Jinqi Jiangtang tablet treating type 2 diabetes as an example,the Q-marker related to activity via the reverse analysis of drug metabolism in clinic and traceability of botanic biosynthetic pathways is discovered and validated.Therefore,we proposed a new research strategy of Q-marker of CMM with"Discovery of clinical active constituents as guidance,Reverse analysis of metabolic transformations as link,and Traceability of biosynthesis pathways as key",to improve quality control of CMM products.

Survey of dose-effect relationship in Chinese materia medica

The research on the dose-effect relationship in Chinese materia medica is delayed due to the complexity of its composition, multi-efficacy, multi-targeting and other factors. Many experts put forward relevant research ideas and methods and worked out more and more research results in literature, experimental and clinical categories because of the progress of statistical methods and scientific and technological means in recent years. In this paper, these results were preliminarily combed to show the basic situation of dose-effect relationship research in Chinese materia medica.

First ISO International Standard on Chinese Materia Medica

ISO 18662-1：2017, Traditional Chinese medicine - Vocabulary - Part 1： Chinese Materia Medica （CMM） was officially released recently. The standard is the first terminology standard published by ISO/TC 249, Traditional Chinese medicine, which provides an important basis to standardize and uniform the terminology of traditional Chinese medicine in the international community.