RESUMO
The plants of Chloranthaceae are widely distributed and rich in resources in our country, records of ancient herbs indicaded that various species of plants of Chloranthaceae can be used for medicinal purposes, especially the Sarcandra glabra which with the least toxicity and possessed the function of clearing heat and cooling blood, activating blood to eliminate spots and removing wind and dredging collaterals. Based on the theory of herbage and by the method of consulting the past herbal literature, we summarized and analyzed the medicinal history, distribution characteristics of herbage geography, characteristics of herbage ecology, standard collection situation and the modern toxicology research of Chloranthaceae plants. Therefore we explained the scientificity for selection of medicinal herbs of Chloranthaceae plants, and provided a theoretical and scientific basis for further research of Chloranthaceae plants.