An Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine

The book seeks to facilitate and promote interdisciplinary understanding between the related subjects of Chinese herbal medicine, botany. phytochemistry and pharmacokinetics. To this end, it assumes no prior understanding of the concepts and terminology of those elements by the reader. Introductory sections are included on: Chinese herbals - their origin and history of development in Chinese medicine; Chinese medicine its concepts and language, and an appreciation of its corresponden with biomedicine; botany - its historical origins, terminology, taxonomy and nomenclature; phytochemistry - its language and nomenclature, together with notes on the phytopharmacology of principal phytochemical groups; and pharmacokinetics - its salient features, how it relates to Chinese herbal medicine and its implications for patients receiving both Chinese herbs and other pharmacologically active materials. Detailed monographs of 26 umbelliferous herbs from classical Chinese herbals follow the introductory material. They unite the knowledge of centuries past with that of modem science. Each monograph includes entries for: botanical identity, distribution and cultivation; classical Chinese medical lore including the nature, flavour, actions, applications and contraindications to use; biomedical information comprising actions, applications and phytochemical composition; the use of a herb in other herbal traditions, where such information is available. Species of the Umbelliferae are used in the treatment of a wide range of conditions in Chinese herbal medical practice. Familiarity with the contents of the introductory sections provides the means of understanding entries within the monographs.