ABSTRACT
Trionycis Carapax is a commonly used Chinese medicine in clinical practice. Modern research on Trionycis Carapax mainly focuses on experimental research and clinical observation， which has been rarely reported in the literature. Based on the literature on medicinal herbs， medical books， prescriptions of all dynasties， this study carried out systematic textual research on the historical evolution and changes of the name， origin， producing areas， quality， efficacy， indications， processing methods， and contraindications of the Trionycis Carapax. As revealed by the textual analysis， the origin of Trionycis Carapax is Trionyx sinensis， and the carapace of T. steindachneri is not suitable for the preparation of Trionycis Carapax. The genuine producing areas of Trionycis Carapax include Yueyang， Jingzhou， southeast Anhui， and western Jiangsu in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river. Regarding the quality， the number of ribs of Trionycis Carapax， such as seven ribs and nine ribs， is often used as the quality evaluation standard in ancient Chinese herbal books. However， through literature research and field inspections on the medicinal material markets， it is not advisable to take rib number as a quality evaluation criterion in modern times. With the change of the times， the efficacy and indications of Trionycis Carapax have gradually expanded on the basis of Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica （Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing）， and later generations widely apply it in internal medicine， surgery， gynecology， pediatrics， etc. It should be noted that the treatment of labor heat and bone steaming by Trionycis Carapax is derived from Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica， not Treatise on the Nature of Medicinal Herbs （Yao Xing Lun） mentioned in ancient books such as Amplification on Materia Medica （Ben Cao Yan Yi）. The processing methods of Trionycis Carapax are diverse， which are dominated by traditional vinegar processing. In terms of contraindications， Trionycis Carapax should not be compatible with bauxite and marble and is contraindicated in pregnant women. Those with spleen deficiency， weak stomach， and liver deficiency without heat should use it with caution. This study is expected to provide the basis for radical reform and further development and clinical utilization of Trionycis Carapax.