Individual Chinese Herbs
Introduction
Chinese herbal medicine has
been widely used to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases. It largely consists
of natural medicines and produced ones, namely medicines made from herbal,
animal, mineral, some chemical substance and biological substance. The Classic
of the Materia Medica, written during the Han Dynasty, is the first organized
description of individual herbs and their applications. This text described
purely physical actions of herbs and their effects on the individual's
sensations and symptoms. Ancient herbalists presumably obtained this
information empirically, by simply giving the herb preparation to people and
observing the effects. Later additions to herbal knowledge followed the style
and format of the Classic, placing emphasis on taste, the herb's heating or
cooling nature, which organs and meridians it primarily affects, dosage ranges,
degree of toxicity, and overall effects of the herb on specific patterns of
symptoms.
Finally, this articles will
discuss the Chinese herbal medicines which apply the
functions of releasing superficial and promoting the skin eruption.
Keywords: Chinese herbal medicine, Materia Medica, Paozhi, skin rash
History of
Chinese Herbal Medicine
The earliest existing book
on Chinese herbal medicine, Shennong Ben Cao Jing 1(Ben means root and Cao
means shoot), was written in the Qin and Han Dynasty (221 B.C.-220A.D.) based
on the work of medical experts who collected lots of materials before the Qin
Dynasty. The book recorded 365 types of medicine, some of which is still used
in contemporary clinics. This book set up a beginning of the establishment of
eastern medicine.
In the Tang Dynasty (618
A.D.-907 A.D.), economy prospered, which boosted the eastern medicine. The Tang
government wrote the book, Tang Ben Cao 2, which is the earliest
existing book in the world on pharmacopeia. This book included 850 types of
medical herbs and their pictures, which further improved the scale of eastern
medicine. Xinxiu Bencao (Newly
Revised Canon of Materia Medica) is the first pharmacopoeia
(a book listing drugs and their directions for their uses) published by the
Chinese government and is widely considered as the "first pharmacopoeia in
the world." Twenty-three people headed by Su Jing of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)
compiled the book in 659.
Zhang
Zhongjing, established a system for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious
diseases. Sun Simiao, born circa 581 AD, wrote the first comprehensive
encyclopedia of Chinese medicine. His 30-volume work included over 4,500 formulas,
many of which are still in use today.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368
A.D. - 1644 A.D.), an expert of herbal medicine Li Shizhen who lived during the
Ming Dynasty, from 1518-1593. Spent 27 years accomplishing the book, Ben Cao Gang Mu recorded 1,892 types
of herbal medicine, making it the greatest book in Chinese history, which
included the most type of herbal medicines. His massive Compendium of Materia
Medica has been translated into many languages, and is considered the leading
reference work for Chinese herbal medicine.
Tang Hin Hing four years
(AD 659), Lee Ji Su Jing, who presided over the preparation of the "Newly
Revised Materia Medica" The book is voluminous Haobot reproduces the
Chinese and foreign enter the drug up to 844 kinds. Kaiyuan (AD 713 - 741),
Chen Zang devices compiled into the "Herbal Supplements", the book
will be the function of various drugs summarized as ten categories, which made
the famous "ten", the first traditional Chinese medicine clinical
classification vision.
Song herbalism, Shenwei
the Tang Materia Medica The book reproduces the drug for more than fourteen
hundred kinds.
Yuan Dynasty, suddenly Si
Hui of "to drink meal", summed up and development of the diet.
Ming Dynasty is the
most glorious period in the history of Chinese herbal medicine development. Li
Shizhen (AD 1518 - 1593) made a
comprehensive sorting of ancient herbalism, summarize, and improve, and learned
a lot of folk medicine and foreign medicine, wrote the great medical
masterpiece, "Compendium of Materia Medica". The book contains 1892
kinds of medicine. The natural properties of the drug, divided into 16 Gang,
60. This scientific classification, the classification system is the most
complete medieval herbalism.
After following Li,
Zhao Xuemin of Qing Dynasty (ca. 1719 - 1805) made a
folk medicine widely collecting and collating in the 1765 annual line
"Compendium of Materia Medica theft by finding" the drug 921 kinds of
new drugs as many as 716 kinds.
Herbal medicine since the Han dynasty to the Qing
Dynasty, each era has its own achievements and characteristics, and the ages to
each other, becoming Shigetomi. To the modern Chinese herbal medicine has
reached about 5000 kinds.
Major texts and
their contributions
Xinxiu Bencao (Newly Revised Canon of Materia
Medica) is the first pharmacopoeia (a book listing drugs
and their directions for their uses) published by the Chinese government and is
widely considered as the "first pharmacopoeia in the world."
Twenty-three people headed by Su Jing of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) compiled
the book in 659.
Sun Simiao (AD 581-682) -
Qianjin Yaofang (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies) &
Qianjin Yifang (Supplement to the Precious Prescriptions)
- The first medical encyclopedia in China was comprised of 30 volumes
and 5,300 prescriptions. These books dealt with acupuncture, moxibustion,
dietary therapy as well as disease prevention and health preservation. It
was an outstanding reference for treatment of deficiency diseases.
Xinxiu Bencao (Newly
Revised Materia Medica)
|
Su Jing(AD 659)
|
|
The first official pharmacopoeia in China and in
the world, which listed 844 kinds of Chinese medicine. It was the first to
include diagrams and illustrations of the herbs in the text.
|
Shiliao
Bencao (Herbal Diet Therapy)
|
Meng Xin(AD 621-714)
|
|
A pharmacopoeia with both medicinal and dietary
references.
|
Bencao
Shiyi (Supplement to Materia Medica)
|
Chen Cangqi (AD 713-741 )
|
|
This pharmacopoeia becomes a practical guide for
clinical diagnosis and drug application. It contributed greatly in the
development of prescriptions.
|
Song government (1057 AD)
- The Bureau for the Re-editing of Medical Books was established to
collect, collates and verifies all medical texts bequeathed by 1,000 years
of history. As a result, several of the established classics were
published and many books were rewritten or revised under new titles.
Jiayou Buzhu Shennong Bencao
(Complete and Annotated Materia Medica of the Jiayou Era)
|
Zhang Yuxi ( 1060 AD )
|
|
The number of medicines recorded was increased to
1,083.
|
Bencao
Tujing (Illustrated Materia Medica)
|
Su Song ( 1061 AD )
|
|
The first time woodblock printing illustrations
were included in a pharmacopoeia.
|
Zhenglei
Bencao (Classified Materia Medica)
|
Tang Shenwei ( 1082 AD)
|
|
A pharmacopoeia that listed 1,558 drugs with
illustrations; it remained the model for the next 500 years.
|
Zhenzhunang
(The Pearl Bag)
A
pharmacopoeia which makes significant advances on the theory of drug actions especially
related to meridian tropism.
Zhujie
Shanghanlun (Annotations on Shanghanlun) - Cheng
Wuji (1144 AD)
The first
comprehensive treatise on commentary notes of Shanghanlun
Jin-Yuan period
(1115-1368AD)
Tangye Bencao
(Materia Medica for Decoctions)
|
Wang Haogu ( 1306 AD)
|
|
This book provides information about the major
ingredients, actions, administration and preparation of drugs for various
diseases.
|
Yinshan Zhengyao (Principles of Correct Diet)
|
Hu Sihui ( 1330 AD)
|
|
A proponent of a balanced diet, Hu Sihui,
especially focused on eating in moderation.
|
Yijing
Suhuiji (A Discourse on Tracing Back to the Medical Classic)
|
Wang Lu ( 1368 AD )
|
|
This book differentiates Shanghan from Wenbing syndromes and recommends
different therapeutic approaches for the syndromes.
|
Jiuhuang
Bencao (Herbal for Relief of Famines)
|
Zhu Su & colleagues ( 1406 AD)
|
|
A botany book that is a medicinal and dietary
guide for famine periods.
|
Bencao
Jiyao (Collection of the Essential Herbals)
|
He further developed the herbal classification
method used by Tao Hongjing (456-536AD).
|
Tangye
Bencao (Materia Medica for Decoctions)
|
Wang Haogu (1306 AD)
|
|
This book provides information about the major
ingredients, actions, administration and preparation of drugs for various
diseases.
|
Bencao
Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica)
|
LiShizhen (1578 AD)
|
|
This book summarizes most of the herbal
information available in the sixteenth century.
|
Yifangkao
(Study on Prescriptions)
|
Wu Kun (1584AD)
|
|
This was a brief commentary on herbal
prescriptions, including their nomenclature, properties of each component,
efficacy, indication, ways of modification and contraindications.
|
Paojiu
Dafa (A Complete Handbook on Medicinal Preparation)
|
Miao Xiyong (1622 AD)
|
|
This is an important reference for learning and
studying the applications and preparation of Chinese medicine.
|
The
objectives of herbs preparation
The various methods of preparation permit one to modify or control the
nature and functions of the remedies, the principles objectives of these Chinese
medicinal herbs are briefly summarized as follows. 3
- · Removing
or reducing the toxicity , drastic properties and
side effects of some Chinese medicinal herbs. For instance, the toxicity of
medicinal herbs, such as Chuanwu ( Radix Aconiti ), Caowu ( Radix Aconiti
Kusnezoffii ), Gansui ( Radix Euphorbiae Kansui ) , and Tiannanxing ( Rhizoma
Arisaematis ), will be reduced when they are processed; Changshan (Radix
Dichroae), after taken, easily induce vomiting and if used to prevent
recurrence of malaria, the side effects can be reduced after stir-baked with
wine.
- · Reinforcing
the therapeutic effects. For instance, Baibu ( Radix Stemonae ) and Pipaye (
Folium Eriobotryae) roasted with honey can promote nourishing the lung to
relieve cough; Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) and Danggui (Radix Angelicae
Sinensis ) stir-baked with wine can promote warming channels to circulate the
blood; Yanhusuo (Rhizoma Corydalis) prepared with vinegar can strengthen the
effects of relieving pain; the effect of invigorating the spleen to relieve diarrhea
will be strengthened after Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) is
stir-baked with earth; Xiangfu (Rhicoma Cyperi) prepared with vinegar can
promote soothing the liver and regulating liver-qi
- · Modifying
the natures and Qi, flavour, actions of Chinese medicinal herbs so as to make
them suitable for therapeutic requirements. For instance, Shengdihuang (Radix
Rehmanniae) cool in nature has the effect of eliminating blood-heat, but after
processed, it can be warm and good at nourishing the blood; Heshouwu (Radix
Polygoni) in raw form has moistening-purging effect, but after processed, it
can be good at invigorating the liver and kidney; Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma
Rhei ) in raw form has strong effect of purging, whereas after processed, its
purging effect can decrease and after stir-baked into charcoal, it hardly has
purging effect but is good at stopping bleeding.
- · Facilitating
decocting and taking medicine, making preparation and storing medicine. Most
botanical medicinal herbs after cut into segments or pieces will be easily
decocted in water and their effective components will be easily dissolved out
or the forms of medicines will be easily prepared. And most minerals and shells
of Chinese medicinal herbs, after calcined or quenched with vinegar, will be
easy to be ground into powder. Some medicinal herbs are to be stir-baked and
fully dried so as to be kept for a long time from being moldy and rot.
- · Taking
away the impurity, non-pharmaceutical parts and unpleasant tastes, thus making
the medicinal herbs clean and pure, and convenient for patients to take. The
pharmaceutical herbs which are generally mixed with mud and sand must be washed
and the impurity in the plants must be cleared away, thus they are convenient
for patients to take. Some pharmaceutical plants need to be softened so as to
be easily cut or pre- pared. The hair of some plants must be brushed away;
heads, feet or wings of some pharmaceutical animals must be taken out; and the
salty or offensive taste or smell of some sea products must be eliminated by
rinsing with wat。
The aims and functions of each method of Pao Zhi
Herbs processing,
also known as Pao zhi is a drug made from a variety of formulations before finishing the
medicine, as well as heat treatment according to the medical needs of some of
the ways. 2, 4 The
purpose of each method and function of Pao zhi as follows:
1. Washing the original
drug on the water, sediment impurities have been washed to the surface of the
net drugs, so as to achieve clean and sanitary purposes. Should be noted that
the immersion side length of time not soluble in water to prevent the active
ingredients.
2. Drift will have the smell of fish (such as turtle
shell, turtle, cuttlefish bone) or salt (such as kelp, seaweed) or toxic (such
as Aconitum, monkshood), drugs, repeatedly dip drift can use large amounts of
water, often for water, you can drift to the odor or reduce toxicity.
3. The bubble is to use the drug juice soaked the
original drug to reduce the potent or irritant, such as licorice blisters
Polygala, Miss Levin dogwood.
4. Stains on drugs spray a small amount of water to
allow water to gradually penetrate leaving the drug soft, easy to slice.
Certain drugs after soaking herbs easy to get lost, this method should be.
5. Water fly is one of the powdered methods,
applicable to the ore and shellfish drugs that are poorly soluble in water,
such as cinnabar, drug crush the more delicate, and to facilitate oral and
topical. First drug in the water before flying until frothy and the end and then
placed in a mortar and water research, dumping to take the upper suspension,
and then submerged in the lower part of the thick end to continue to grind, so
that repeated operation, and research to the powder no residue on the tongue to
taste the degree. Silymarin can prevent the powder flying in the grinding, in
order to reduce the loss.
6. Calcined role of drug, directly or indirectly,
calcined by fire, making it crunchy texture, easy to crush, full efficacy.
Direct fire: for ore and shellfish is not easy
fragmentation of drugs such as magnets, oysters and other. Drugs on the wire
sieve, placed in a smoke-free fire in calcination, calcined extent as the drug
of a different nature may be. Ore drugs must be calcined to red for the degree;
shell drugs calcined pale reddish cooling.
The stew calcined (Indirect
burning): a small number of body light loose drugs, such as Chen brown human
hair and other applicable stew calcined France. Upcoming drugs on the wok,
another small iron pot, covered with salt mud solid seal soup, small wok on the
pressure of a heavy object, inconvenience leak, set the fire till the drop of
water to boiling in a small wok immediately or a White affixed to the pot on,
until the paper burned, and after cooling out.
7. Stir fry processing methods commonly used in a
heating method, the drug is heated in the pot, with a spade shovel constantly
moving, stir-fry until a certain extent to remove. The speculation is as
follows:
- Fried,
without additional adjuvants, drugs with the aid of low or moderate fire until
one obtains a yellowish color and a burnt aroma. The objectives of this method
are reinforced, moderate an action and lessen toxicity.
- Bran fried
drugs (Pieces) plus the Mizhi bran fry, stir-fry until the film was light yellow
for the degree.
The above two kind purpose are to ease the effects of
the medicine. The methods are aid to add other adjuvants such as wine and
ginger with stir-frying for the different requirements of the medication.
Stir-frying till carbonized with the aid of powerful fire;
the drugs become black on the outsides and brown on the inside without ashing residues,
mostly to increase the function of astringent.
8. Pao is basically the same as stir-frying-carbonized,
but the Pao requires fierce fire, operation should be quick, it will give the
drug (usually to be cut into small pieces) to loose and expansion by high thermal
degree, such as GanJiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis), this method processed
into Pao-jiang carbonized.
9. Roasting (Wei Fa) is to ease the potency and
reduce side effects. The drug is enveloped in wet paper or in a paste of rice
flower, wheat bran, or Talcum (Hua Shi). They are then plunged under live coals
until the envelop paper becomes brownish and crackly. Once they have cooled,
they are removed from their envelope. This method to remove any fatty materials
such as with Row Dou Kou, lessen a drastic action such as Gan Sui.
10. Zhi: mix-frying with liquid adjuvants. Commonly used are:
Mizhi: plus refining the honey and stir. The honey is
first cooked over a lower fire. The
medicinal substances are then added and stir-fried until honey is no longer
sticky to touch. Such as to Zhi Dang Sheng, Zhi Huang Qi (Astragalus), Zhi Gan
Cao.the objectives to reinforce the moistening action on the lungs to stop
cough.
Sand Zhi: The first sizzling iron ore heating till blue
color, pour the drugs into stir-frying until
loose degree, take all substances out, weed out the iron sand. Such as
the ShanJia films, turtle shell, turtle shell into a crisp, easy to make concoction
and powdered pill.
11. Drying and baking are also heated with tiny fire
to dry.
12. Vapour drugs known as steaming. It is required to
cook different point’s watertight heat. A steaming make drugs to change their
original performance, such as rhubarb, diarrhea achievements by steaming the
cooked rhubarb, use it to Thanh Hoa hot and humid in the major clinical,
promoting blood circulation and eradicates the role of stasis
13. Boiling the original drug after sorting and washing,
on the pot with water and other adjuvant material are cooked completely. Such
as monkshood, aconite root, cook with tofu to reduce toxicity.
14. Dip-calcining (Cui Fa), the drugs are heated till
red and are then dipped while hot into liquid (vinegar or clear water). The
operation is operated several times. This procedure is used for minerals,
shells, carapaces. This method can render the material friable in order to
facilitate pulverization. Such as with Dai Zhe Shi, Ci Shi.
Conclusion
In TCM, the body surface forms the
first barrier against the invasion of exogenous pathogens, and is dominated by
the lungs and bladder channel. When external pathological factors such as Wind,
Dampness, Dryness, or Heat can invade the body and cause skin disorders.
Internal imbalances are differentiated into patterns such as Blood Stasis,
Disharmony of Liver and Kidney, or Blood Deficiency, and are often reflected on
the skin. When skin problems are generated by internal imbalance, the
underlying problem must be addressed, in order to clear up the surface
manifestation. TCM's strategy is to dispel the pathogens from the exterior and
prevent it going deeper into the body. 5
In this article, to treat
disharmonies in the superficial portion of the body through the actions of
inducing sweating, releasing muscles or promoting eruption. I introduce some of
the most popular herbs, which is commonly used for a variety of skin disorders.
6, 7
Herbs that relieve exterior
patterns due to wind cold
|
Herb
name
|
Characteristics
|
Meridians
entered
|
Medical Function
|
|
Ma Huang
|
Acrid,
slightly bitter
|
Lung,
urinary bladder
|
Promoting
the flow of lung qi, disperse the retained water to relieve oedema.
|
|
Gui Zhi
|
Acrid,
sweet
|
Lung,
urinary bladder, heart
|
promote
the flow of yang qi in the blood vessels, to treat obstruction of blood, or
retained water
|
|
Zi Su Ye
|
aromatic ,
acrid
|
lung, spleen,
stomach
|
dispersing
wind cold to relieve exterior patterns
|
|
Jing Jie
|
acrid,
aromatic
|
lung,
liver
|
disperse
wind to stop itching, to help promote skin eruption
|
|
Fang Feng
|
Acrid,
sweet
|
urinary
bladder, spleen, liver
|
Releases
the exterior and expels wind
|
|
Bai Zhi
|
Acrid,
aromatic fragrance
|
lung,
spleen, stomach
|
Early
stage of superficial sores and carbuncles , expels dampness and alleviates
discharge
|
|
Qiang Huo
|
aromatic ,
acrid, bitter
|
urinary
bladder, kidney
|
dispersing
wind cold to relieve exterior patterns, Wind cold damp bi in upper limbs and
back
|
Herbs that relieve exterior
patterns due to wind heat
|
Herb
name
|
Characteristics
|
Meridians
entered
|
Medical Function
|
|
Niu Bang
Zi
|
Acrid, bitter
|
lung, stomach
|
Fever,
Carbuncles, cough
|
|
Ju Hua
|
Sweet,
bitter
|
Lung,
liver
|
Calms the
Liver and extinguishes Wind
|
|
Bo He
|
Aromatic
|
Lung,
liver
|
Vents
rashes, Unblocks Liver Qi, Expels turbid filth
|
|
Sang Ye
|
Sweet,
bitter
|
Lung,
liver
|
removing
pathogens from the collaterals of the lung to relieve cough, regular liver qi,
Clears Heat from the Lungs
|
|
Chai Hu
|
Acrid, bitter
|
Liver,
pericardium, sanjiao, gall bladder
|
Releases
heat in the muscle layer, Raises Yang Qi in Spleen or Stomach Qi deficiency,
Liver Qi Stagnation
|
|
Ge Gen
|
Acrid,
sweet
|
Spleen,
stomach
|
Releases
the muscles and clears heat, Vents rashes,
|
|
Sheng Ma
|
Acrid,
sweet
|
lung, stomach, spleen, large intestine
|
disperse
wind heat, in the upper and superficial parts of the bod
|
References
1. Yang,
Shou-zhong. The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: A Translation of the Shen Nong
Ben Cao Jing. USA, Blue Poppy Press, 5th edition, 2007
2.
Philippe Sionneau, Bob Flaws, Pao Zhi: An Introduction to the Use of Processed
Chinese Medicinals
3. Chen Ping (editor in chief), History and Development of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, 1999 Science Press, Beijing.
4. Med Jiuzhang, Guo Lei, a General Introduction to
Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2010 Science Press, US
5. Lu, Yubin. How to
learn Chinese herbs (Part four). The journal of Chinese Medicine. October 1,
2003
6. Tan, D. (2004). Science of Chinese
Materia Medica (1st ed.): Publishing House of Shanghai University of
TCM.
7. Jialin, T. (2007). Chinese Materia Medica
(2nd ed.): People’s Medical Publishing
House.
