Practical English-Chinese Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Chinese Materia Medica

Practical English-Chinese Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Chinese Materia Medica
By Qu Jingfeng, Xie Rong, Zhang Shaohua
Publishing House of Shanghai College of TCM, 1990
Paperback, English and Chinese
ISBN 781010111x more info

In traditional Chinese medicine, the different characters of drugs are employed to treat diseases, rectify the hyperactivity or hypo activity of yin or yang, and help the body restore its normal physiological functions, consequently curing the diseases and restoring health. The various characters and functions of these drugs concerning medical treatment include drugs' properties, flavours, actions of lifting, lowering, floating and sinking, channel tropism, toxicity, etc. The theory of characters and functions of traditional Chinese drugs is based on the theories of yin and yang, viscera, channels and collaterals, and treatment principles of traditional Chinese medicine, and has been developed and summed up throughout a long history of medical practice. This theory provides the basis for drug analysis and application.

Contents:

1. The characters and functions of traditional Chinese drugs - Properties and flavors of drugs, actions of lifting, lowering, floating and sinking, channel tropism, the toxicity of traditional Chinese drugs
2. The processing of drugs - the aim of processing, processing methods
3. The application of drugs - compatibility, contraindications, dosage of drugs, administration
4. Drugs for treating exterior syndromes - diaphoretics pungent in flavour and warm in property, diaphoretics pungent in flavor and cool in property
5. Heat-clearing drugs - heat-clearing and fire-purging drugs, heat-clearing and dampness-drying drugs, heat-clearing and blood-cooling drugs, heat-clearing and detoxicating drugs, drugs for clearing heat of deficiency type
6. Expectorants, antitussives and anti-asthmatics - drugs for resolving cold-phlegm, drugs for resolving heat-phlegm, drugs for relieving cough and asthma
7. Purgative drugs - purgatives, laxatives, drastic hydragogues
8. Drugs for eliminating dampness - antirheumatics, aromatic drugs for resolving dampness, drugs for inducing diuresis and excreting dampness
9. Interior-warming drugs
10. Drugs for regulating qi
11. Drugs for improving appetite and digestion and removing food stagnation
12. Anthelmintics
13. Hemostatics
14. Drugs for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis
15. Tranquilizers
16. Drugs for calming the liver
17. Drugs for inducing resuscitation
18. Tonics - qi tonics or drugs for replenishing the vital qi, yang tonics or yang-tonifying drugs, blood tonics, yin tonics
19. Astringenis

The Essentials of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine

The Essentials of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Author: LIU Ganzhong, XU Qiuping & WANG Tai
Language: English
Beijing Foreign Languages Press, 2003
Hardcover, 260 x 185mm, 340pp
ISBN: 7119024132 9787119024134 more info

A companion volume to the Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine, authored by leading TCM specialists, and presented in two parts: general introduction and separate explanations. The first section summarizes the history and sources of Chinese herbal medicines, processing methods, properties, pharmacology and rules for clinical practice. The second section introduces, in detail, nearly 200 commonly used Chinese herbs and their prescriptions, and patent drugs. It also explains the provenance, appearance, and methods of processing, properties, efficacy, functions, pharmacology and clinical applications. With its 180 colored illustrations, this book an essential guide to the application of traditional Chinese drugs.

Traditional Chinese Materia Medica (TCMM) is an important integral part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The items of TCMM increased steadily through the daily practice of ancient people in their search for food, long before the formation of the theory of TCM. The theory of TCMM was, however, formed under the guidance of TCM theory, gradually becoming sophisticated and comprehensive. TCMM treatment is a very important part of TCM practice.

The practice of TCMM is guided by "bian zheng", or overall analysis of symptoms and signs. Zheng in TCM is very similar to the concept of syndrome in modem medicine. Zheng involves symptoms and signs in a number of internal organs (zang and fu). it involves also yin and yang, exterior and interior, qi and blood, coldness and heat, and warmth and coolness. All these factors should be considered in prescribing TCMM. The classification of TCMM is, therefore, also based on these factors. And for the same reason, TCMM is rarely prescribed as a single drug. They are usually 2-3 drugs in a prescription, or even more than ten drugs.

For the convenience of readers, especially those who have modem medical knowledge, modem research findings concerning the active principles in pharmacological action of TCMM are listed briefly to illustrate the effects, indications and clinical uses of TCMM, as stated in TCM terminology. The illustration is, however, very brief and incomplete due to shortage of space and also lack of more detailed data of TCMM, which contains many chemical compounds difficult to study at the present time. Readers who are interested in more detailed data may consult related publications.

Related Links

• Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Explains the basic concept and principles of TCM, such as yin-yang, the five elements, qi (vital energy), blood and body fluids, pathogenesis, pathology, the four diagnostic techniques, the eight guiding principles, differentiation of syndromes and general rules of prevention and treatment. The Essentials of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine -A companion volume to the Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introducing Chinese herbal medicines.
• Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine by Xie Zufan
• Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber with 300 Cases and Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor are the two most important classics of traditional Chinese medicine, that are used by students as textbooks in all colleges of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as being used by medical practitioners and scholars in the field as reference books.
• Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Pharmacology Series: Basic Theories and Principles, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Clinical Experiences, Herbal Formulas, Medicinal Herbs
• Practical English-Chinese Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Diagnostics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Chinese Materia Medica, Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Surgery of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gynecology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pediatrics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traumatology and Orthopedics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ophthalmology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chinese Tuina (Massage), Life Cultivation and Rehabilitation
• Traditional Chinese Medicine: Clinical Case Studies, Typical TCM Therapy for Viral Hepatitis, Typical TCM Therapy for Primary Glomerulonephritis, Typical TCM Therapy for Chronic Gastritis, Typical TCM Therapy for Lung Cancer, Typical TCM Therapy for Bronchial Asthma, Typical TCM Therapy for Diabetes Mellitus, Typical TCM Therapy for Primary Hypertension, Typical TCM Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Typical TCM Therapy for Cervical Spondylosis, Typical TCM Therapy for Cholelithiasis