New strategy on scientific connotation of Chinese materia medica compatibility enlightened by precipitation from Chinese materia medica formula decoction / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Recently, the Chinese materia medica (CMM) compatibility theory research was focused on aspect of chemical composition, which is an important strategy to explain the principle of prescriptions. There are various chemical compositions in a compound prescription of CMM, including alkaloids, glycosides, organic acids, tannins, protein, micro elements and so on. Complex interactions always inevitably occur during the water decoction process of CMM prescription after the dissolution of active ingredients, most significantly, it also generates the precipitation. Clinically, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) treat diseases with both precipitation and decoction. Precipitation generated process might contain the scientific connotation of CMM compatibility. Thus, the scientists had been studying the precipitation from this process. Through summarizing the results of related researches in recent years, this review introduces different interactions of various active ingredients in compound prescriptions and research progress of precipitation in decoction, aiming to lay a foundation for further study on the precipitation from CMM decoction and provide a new idea to explain the theory of CMM compatibility.