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The Correct & Most Suitable Medicinal Herbs

 

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Authenticating the correct species is the primary factor in establishing quality control for Chinese medicinal herbs. It is also an important foundation in the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Chinese medicinal herbs are derived from natural plants and different species may share the same or have a similar name which very often leads to misuse of incorrect species. Using an incorrect species will affect the efficacy of the desired treatment. Furthermore, in some cases, the misuse of herbs may result in serious side effects.

 

There are many medicinal herbs that are often misused or substituted with other species within trading markets dedicated to Chinese medicinal herbs. They include: Radix Pulsatillae (Bai Tou Weng), Radix Stephaniae tetrandrae (Fen Fang Ji), Cortex Acanthopanacis gracilistyli (Wu Jia Pi), Semen Astragali complanati (Sha Yuan Zi), Herba Polygoni avicularis (Bian Xu), Radix Achyranthis bindentatae (Huai Niu Xi), Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua), Rhizoma Arisaematis praeparata (Tian Nan Xing), Herba Lycopi (Ze Lan), Herba Siegesbeckiae (Xi Qian Cao), Rhizoma Dryopteris crassirhizomae (Guan Zhon), Semen Vaccariae (Wang Bu Liu Xing), Rhizoma Drynariae (Gu Sui Bu), Fructus Malvae (Dong Kui Zi), Herba Patriniae (Bai Jiang Cao), Rhizoma Anemones altaicae (Jui Jie Chang Pu), Radix Polygoni multiflori (He Shou Wu), Caulis Akebiae (Mu Tong), Radix Astragali (Huang Qi), Radix Aucklandiae (Mu Xiang), Semen Sesami (Hu Ma Ren), Radix Isatidis (Ban Lan Gen), Herba Taxilli (Sang Ji Sheng), Fructus Schisandrae chinensis (Wu Wei Zi), Radix Linderae (Wu Yao), Radix Aconiti lateralis praeparata (Pao Fu Zi)…etc.

 

In the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (CP) and the Pharmacopoeia of Japan (JP), there are some medicinal herbs with two or more than two species recorded. Although they are all authentic herbs, their active constituents’ content and pharmacological actions are quite different sometimes. Therefore, taking both active constituents of the herb species and pharmacological functions into consideration to select the best suitable herbs from authentic species is also critical in ensuring the best TCM herbal extract quality prior to the manufacturing process. Once the best herb species is identified and selected for production, it must be used consistently in each batch production to ensure product consistency.

 

The following are the herbs species recorded in the pharmacopoeias and commonly used, but may not be the most suitable herbs: Herba Ephedrae (Ma Huang), Radix Puerariae (Ge Gen), Semen Armenicae amarum (Xing Ren), Semen Persicae (Tao Ren), Herba Dendrobii (Shi Hu), Radix Rehmanniae (Sheng Di Huang), Radix Rehmanniae praeparata (Shu Di Huang), Caulis Clematidis armandii (Chuan Mu Tong), Radix Gentianae stramineae (Qin Jiao), Rhizoma Dioscoreae hypoglaucae (Bi Xie), Herba Cistanches (Rou Cong Rong), and Radix Asari (Xi Xin).

 

Below we provide a detailed assessment of Radix Isatidis (Ban Lan Gen) and Radix Puerariae (Ge Gen).

 

RADIX ISATIDIS (Ban Lan Gen)

1. Botanical Name: Isatis indigotica Fort.
2. Chinese Name: 北板藍 (Bei Ban Lan), 菘藍根 (Song Lan Gen), 大青 (Da Qing), 大藍根 (Da Lan Gen), 藍龍根 (Lan Long Gen), 土龍根 (Tu Long Gen), 菘青根 (Song Qing Gen).
3. English Name: Isatis root.
4. Source: From Cruciferae plant. The dried root of Isatis indigotica Fort.
5. Substitute and incorrect species: Ma Lan Gen, Ma Lan Jing, Da Qing Gen, Da Qing, and the stalk of the fine leafed stinky tree peony.

 

【Plants and Raw Herb Materials Description】for members only

【Histological Identification】for members only

【Cultivation Site & Conditions】for members only

【HPLC Analysis】for members only

 

RADIX PUERARIAE (Ge Gen)

1. Botanical Name: Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi
2. Chinese Name: 雞齊根 (Ji Qi Gen), 乾葛 (Gan Ge), 甘葛 (Gan Ge), 粉葛 (Fen Ge), 葛根 (Huang Ge Gen), 葛麻茹 (Ge Ma Ru), 葛子根 (Ge Zi Gen), 葛條根 (Ge Gen Tiao).
3. English Name: Kudzu vine root
4. Source: The dried root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi from the Leguminosae family. Various pharmacopeia say that Pueraria thomsonii Benth. (TP: Pharmacopoeia of Taiwan, CP, JP) is also an acceptable species.
5. Substitutes and incorrect species include: Yunnan Ge Teng and Zhu Zi Li

 

【Plants and Raw Herb Materials Description】for members only

【Histological Identification】for members only

【Cultivation Site & Conditions】for members only

【Functions and Indications】for members only

【Active Constituents】for members only

【HPLC Analysis】for members only

 

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