ABSTRACT
Astragali Complanati Semen has a long-term history of use as a common Chinese traditional and herbal medicine. Through a herbal textual research on the appellation, origin, efficacy, genuine producing area and counterfeit of Astragali Complanati Semen, the evolution of its appellation underwent three stages of "white terrestris", "Shayuan terrestris", and "Astragali Complanati Semen"; The botanical origin and medicinal part is dried mature seed from Astragalus complanatus of Legume family recorded in the literatures of past dynasties; And the varieties of ancient and modern application are basically the same. Its kidney-nourishing and essence-enriching efficacy has been progressively cleared with clinical application since records began in Bencao Yanyi in the Song dynasty; The genuine producing areas of Astragali Complanati Semen were Shayuan in Shaanxi Province from the Song Dynasty, and gradually moved to Tongguan in Shaanxi Province and Shanxi Province in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. After the founding of new China, it was mainly distributed in Shaanxi Province and then spread to northern adjacent provinces, in which the Tongguan in Shaanxi Province was preferred. Its counterfeits included Mapiao semon, an unknown counterfeit with a hint of green and Astragalus sinicus seed based on herbal literatures published before 1949, and mainly included the seeds of A. sinicus, Crotalaria pallida, Asfraglus chinensis and Astragalus adsurgens after 1949. Based on a systematic herbal textual research, this article takes a radical reform of Astragali Complanati Semen, so as to provide reference for its further development and utilization.
ABSTRACT
Pheretima has a long history of medication, its original name was earthworm, and it was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing, which was listed as inferior product. In the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, two varieties of Pheretima were included. However, due to the variety of Pheretima, there are mixed non-pharmacopoeia collection of Pheretima family status. Based on the systematic review of ancient and modern literature, this paper conducts herbal textual research on Pheretima in terms of name, origin, distribution of origin, genuine production area, harvesting time, processing methods, etc. Based on the analysis of various ancient books and modern research documents of herbal medicine and their accompanying drawings, it is found that the Pheretima and white-necked Pheretima mentioned in ancient books are the general names of the genus Pheretima. The ancient people thought that white-necked Pheretima was a good medicinal material, which was the same as the opinion that Guangdilong was better in quality than Tudilong in modern research. In ancient and modern literature, the origin of earthworm is relatively consistent, but due to the change of environment, the output of wild Pheretima is reduced, and now the output of Pheretima is mainly artificial breeding. In ancient times, harvesting should be as far as possible in spring, summer and autumn. However, in modern times, the best harvest time is autumn. Different processing methods of earthworm in different ages and regions are different. Attention should be paid to following and inheriting the ancient processing methods, combining with modern research techniques, the quantitative standard of processing of Pheretima should be formulated, so that Pheretima medicinal materials can be applied comprehensively and effectively. This research provides the basis for the original source, resource development, correct use, genuine producing area and processing method determination of Pheretima.
ABSTRACT
Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma has a long history of medication,and was recorded in Shennong Bencaojing. Through the study of herbal medicine of Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma,we reviewed and analyzed previous herbal records,studied its basic,origin and processing methods, and provided the basis for further development and utilization of Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma. Through the analysis of ancient herbal researches and drawings,we knew that the ancient resources of this medicine were basically consistent with Gentiana scabra and G. manshurica. The Latin name of the original plant of gentian medicinal herbs set forth in the modern literature was analyzed for the first time. The commodities of this medicine were divided into Guanlongdan and Dianlongdan. Guanlongdan was produced in Northeast China, and consisted of G. scabra,G. manshurica,and G. triflora. Dianlongdan was G. rigescens and grew in Yunnan province. Due to various reasons, such as historical changes, genuine producing areas of medicinal materials gradually changed from Jiangsu and Zhejiang to Northeast China. The processing methods of Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma included preparing with wine, preparing with licorice juice and preparing with ginger juice. The purpose of these processing methods is to suppress its nature of bitter and cold. Among those processing methods,preparing with wine has the longest history, and can promote the dissolution of the active ingredients of gentian,thus is a better method of processing. This study provides the basis for radical reform, resource development, correct use, and determination of genuine producing area and processing methods for Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the quality of Cortex Cinnamomi from genuine producing areas and GAP planting base,and to compare with those of the commercial medicinal materials.Methods A RP-HPLC method was carried out to determine the content of cinnamyl aldehyde in cortex cinnamomi.Combined with the comparison of volatile oil yield,total ash content and acid-insoluble ash content,the quality of the samples was evaluated with the index of cinnamyl aldehyde content.Results The total ash contents and acid-insoluble ash contents of all samples were in the normal range.Cinnamyl aldehyde contents and volatile oil yields for samples from genuine producing areas and GAP planting base were up to the pharmacopoeia.There was a great fluctuation in cinnamyl aldehyde contents and volatile oil yields in commercial materials.Conclusions The quality is good and stable for the samples from genuine producing areas and GAP planting base,but it is not stable for the commercial materials.