1 traditional chinese herbal medicine
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Notes from Medicinal Plants class at Virginia Tech. This lecture was developed in collaboration with Dr. Chunlin Long of the Kunming Botanical Institute China and is part of a collaborative project funded by the office of International Agricultural Development at Virginia Tech.TRANSCRIPT
Traditional Chinese Medicinal Plants: An Introduction
Chunlin Long
Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
AndCentral University for Nationalities
Virginia Tech, October 2008
Three Talks
I-Introduction. Monday, 13 Oct.II-Chinese Medicinal Plant Resources for
Mouth Disorders. Wednesday, 15 Oct.III-Herbs for Medicinal Baths among the
Yao Communities in China. Friday, 17 Oct.
Tropical rainforest in southern and SW China
Subtropical forests
Desert and arid or semi-arid region in NW China
Nitraria sibirica, Zygophyllaceae, occurring in the desert
Alpine vegetation
Rich flora and fauna in ChinaRank 3rd
Rich cultural diversity in China
Top 5
Rich traditional knowledge in China
What’s Traditional Chinese Medicinal Plant (TCMP)?
TCMP: refers to medicinal plants under guidance of Chinese medicinal theoryTCMP: Plant species (taxa), 11146 spp. And 1581 animals and 80 minerals are also used as medicine. In total: 12807 spp.Mono-prescription, eg. Ginseng sliceMulti-prescription, eg. Compound salvia tablet (including Salvia miltiorrhiza, Panaxnotoginseng, and crystal sugar)
Panax ginseng root
Panax ginseng plantation in Northeast China
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Salvia miltiorrhiza, its special flower structure for pollination
Panax nodoginsengplantation in southwest China
Fruits of Panaxnotoginseng
TCMP: Why Important?Trade quantum: USD $40 billions/yearPopulation involved: over 1 billionCountries/regions benefited: Japan, Korea, SE Asia, Europe, and ChinaDemands in China: 600 million tons/yearSpecies number: 12807 spp.Development history: over 4000 yearsManagement: an authority from central to county level in China, Administrative of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Development Dynamics
HealthyHistoricalSocialEconomicCulturalPolitical
Philosophy of TCMP:harmony, balance
TCM: 阴Yin, 阳Yang, 气Qi (shady, sunny, and affected through network)TCM: 五行Five Elements, namely 金Jin, 木Mu, 水Shui, 火Huo, 土Tu (metal, wood, water, fire, and soil)
TCMP: To use herbs to restore harmony and balance disorders
Nature of TCMPFour drug “QIs”:
四气：是指寒、热、温、凉四种不同的药性
Cold-QiHot-QiWarm-QiCool-QiNeutral
Nature of TCMPFive taste “QIs”
五味：指辛、甘、酸、苦、咸五种不同的药味。
Acrid-QiSweet-QiSour-QiBitter-QiSalty-Qi
Nature of TCMPOther “QIs”
升降浮沉：药物在治疗作用中的趋向
Upward-QiDownward-QiOutward-QiInward-Qi
归经Gui-jing：药物归向以五脏为核心的经络联通的身体各组织部分
Em-stem of neurovaso-Qiduot
TCMP: Some Examples
Lamiophlmis rotata
Camellia reticulata
Verbena officinalis, Verbenaceae
The whole plantMild Cold-Qi; Bitter taste-Qi; Organs emphasized: Liver and spleenChemicals: Verbenalin, C17H24O10; Berbenalol, C11H14O5; Adenosine, C10H13O4N5; etc.Dosage: 15-31 grams, decoctionAilments: Schistosomiasis; Malaria; Tumefaction of liver or spleen; etc.
Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis
Paeonia spp., PaeoniaceaeThe root barkMild Cold-Qi; Bitter taste-Qi; Organ emphasized: LiverChemicals: paeoniflorin; albiflorin; lactiflorin; daucosterol; etc.Dosage: 15-31 grams, decoctionAilments: Schistosomiasis; Malaria; Tumefaction of liver or spleen; etc.Combined medicine: Angelica sinensis; Bupleurum chinense; Ligusticumchuanxiong; etc.
Lonicera japonica, CaprifoliaceaeFlowers (and vine stem)Cold-Qi; Sweet taste-Qi; Organs emphasized: Lung, stomach and heartChemicals: Luteolin, C15H10O6; Lonicein, C27H30O15·2H2O; Loniceraflavone, C15H10O5; Loanin, C17H26O16; etc.Dosage: flower 9-15 g, stem 9-31 g, decoctionAilments: rheum; parotitis; enteritis; etc.Combined medicine: Isatis tinctoria; Forsythia suspensa; Mentha spp.; etc.
Lonicera japonica
Lonicera sp., taken from Christiansburg, Virginia
Lonicera sp., taken from Christiansburg, Virginia
Lycoris radiata, Amaryllidaceae
BulbWarm-Qi; Acrid taste-Qi and sweet-Qi;PoisonousChemicals: Lycorine, C16H17O4N; Galanthamine, C17H21O3N; Lycoramine, C17H23O3N; Tazettine, C18H21O5N; etc.Dosage: 1.5-3 g, surface sprending; or decoctionAilments: furuncle; food poisoning; icterus; etc.
Lycoris radiata
Lycoris radiata
Belamcanda chinensis, IridaceaeRhizomeCold-Qi; Bitter taste-Qi; Organs emphasized: Lung and liverChemicals: Shekanin, C22H22O11; Belamcandin, C24H24O12; Iridin, C24H26O13·H2O; etc.Dosage: 3-6 g, decoctionAilments: tracheitis; faucitis; parotitis; etc.Combined medicine: Platycodongrandiflorus; Scutellaria baicalensis; Glycyrrhiza uralensis; etc.
Belamcanda chinensis
Belamcanda chinensis
Arisaema spp. AraceaeTuber/corm/rhizome of Arisaema or PinelliaWarm-Qi; Acrid taste-Qi, Bitter taste-Qi; Poisonous; Organs emphasized: Lung, liver and spleenChemicals: sapons; etc.Dosage: 3-9 g, decoction after processed; or surface sprendingAilments: apoplexy; falling sickness; rheumatism; etc.Combined medicine: Saposhnikovia divaricata; Angelica dahurica; dry ginger; etc.
Arisaemaerubescence
Arisaemaerubescence
Arisaemafranchetianum
Arisaemayunnanense
Arisaemaheterophyllum
Pinellia ternata, its tubers are also used as
Arisaema
ConclusionsTCMP, an important medicinal resourceTCMP/TCM, with its own nature/ philosophy (harmony and balance), simple but systematicTCMP, mostly in the forms of multi-prescription/combinationMany TCMPs are also edibleTCMP, modernization by revealing its chemicals and mechanismsTCMP, for human health and welfare
AcknowledgementsProf. Gregory WelbaumMy staff and studentsNatural Science Foundation of China (30170102) Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province (2001C0058M & 2005C0053M) Ministry of Science & Technology of China (2004DKA30430, 2005DKA21006)Ministry of Education of China (CUN-985-3-3, B08044)
Research Group for Biodiversity and Plant Resources
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