RESUMO
The research and development of classical prescriptions is an important way to promote the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and promote the modernization and internationalization of TCM. It is particularly important to summarize the historical development of the composition of classical prescriptions, so as to define their origin, taste efficacy and syndrome taboos. It is also the source to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the whole prescription. As a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal material, Lycii Cortex is widely used and has a good prospect for research and development. There are five prescriptions containing wolfberry bark in the Catalogue of Ancient Classical Prescriptions(the First Batch). There are only a few modern literatures on the development of Lycii Cortex. Therefore, this paper will summarize the development of skeleton skin alias, origin, nature, taste, meridian, efficacy, syndromes and taboos in ancient books of the previous dynasties. Textual analysis found that Lycii Cortex was first recorded in the Fifty-two Pathogenic Prescriptions. Ancient books before the Han dynasty did not mention the Chinese medicinal material named " Digupi" . There are little differences in the contents about Digupi between modern literatures and ancient books of the previous dynasties. With the changes of the times, Lycii Cortex has been rarely used, with a fault inheritance, suggesting that there are still many potential efficacy indications for clinical application. In addition to the traditional Chinese medicinal specifications, ancient books also recorded the processing methods with liquorice soup, fried, roasted, children's stool, wine soaking and steaming.