Literature Research On The Origin Of 10 Kinds Herbal Medicines In Antiquity Herbal Literature

As saying goes "a better tool is needed for good work", good medicines are needed weapon for doctors. Therefore, the quality of medicine was paid close attention by doctors in past dynasties. KOU Zong-shi, a famous doctor of Song dynasty, said in his book BenCao YanYi:"one has to choose the right origin of medicine for the sound potency of the medicine. If he/she does not know this, he/she will fall in vain to treat a patient." The Chinese saying of "YongYaoZheZhouTu" means a doctor should pay attention to not only the compatibility of medicines, but also the origin of these medicines. Therefore, in a doctor's prescription, we will often see such words as "chuanxiong (Szechwan Lovage Rhizome originates from Sichuan of China)", "Liaoxixin (Herba Asari from Liaoning of China). The medicines named by such pattern are called "famous-region medicine", which will be discussed in this article.Since 1980s', the studies of "famous-region medicine" were gradually appeared. These studies included the content, formation, and transition, etc. of "famous-region medicine", both theoretically and practically, both from the single-medicine level and from multiple-medicines level, setting a sound basis for the future studies. Even though, we, the later researchers, should still make our own contributions to this study for its further improvement.This article chose 10 kinds of common Chinese medicines, including Ginseng, Golden Thread, Milkvetch Root, Rehmannia Root, Common Yan Rhizome, Fritillaria, Chinese Angelica, Szechwan Lovage Rhizome, Oriental Waterplantain Rhizome, and Danshen Root for study. These medicines were chosen according two standards:1 commonly used in clinical practice.2 recorded in plenty of ancient literatures.Research methods:bibliographic methods, literature research methods, historical research methods, and historical geographic methods. The author looked up all relative records on the origins of these ten medicines in Zhongguo Bencao Quanshu, and checked the contents. On this basis, the author classified these materials into different periods of time for study, including the Eastern Han dynasty to the three kingdom dynasty, the Southern and Northern dynasties, the Tang dynasty, the Northern Song dynasty, the Ming dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and the republic of China. Through locating the place these medicines of dynasties in modern map, the author analyzed the formation, development and transition of single medicine and concluded the common rule for the formation and transition of "famous-region medicines" at last.Research value:this study will enhance the therapeutic effects for doctors, guide drug dealer to choose genuine and high quality medicines help lab-researchers getting high quality experimental medicines in case of bad quality medicines affect the experimental results.In the review part of this article, the author overviewed the standpoints of Chinese famous TCM researches such as XIE Zong-wan, HU Shi-lin, ZHENG Jin-sheng, HUANG Lu-qi, XIAO Xiao-he, GUO Bao-lin,etc. to explain the content of "famous-region medicine" and discover its formation and transition.In the normal text of this article, the author listed the relative records of the origin of the ten medicines in ancient literatures. The higher cited ancient literatures included Wupu Bencao, Mingyi Bielu, Bencaojing Jizhu, Xinxiu Bencao, Tujing Bencao, Daguan Bencao, Bencao Pinhui Jingyao, Bencao Mengquan, Bencao Gangmu, Bencao Chengya Banji, Bencao Chongyuan, Benjing Fengyuan, Bencao Congxin, Yaowu Chuchanbian, etc. At the premise of streaming the formation and transition of single "famous-region medicine", the author discussed the reason of habitat transition of "famous-region medicine" logically and cautiously.In the conclusion part of this article, the author concluded the influencing factors of the formation and transition of "famous-region medicine".