Jia Yusheng, Wang Mei, van Andel Tinde
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands.
J Tradit Complement Med. 2021 Nov 23;12(2):206-216. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.11.001. eCollection 2022 Mar.
Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) is subject to changes over time. Investigating changes in botanical ingredients, applications, plant parts used as well as name changes over time, contribute to the understanding of the history and development of CMM.
This study compares four historic collections of CMM, located in Europe, compiled between 1700 and the late 19th century, with a list of contemporary CMM marketed in Europe.
More than 1700 specimens within these five collections. The dominant families are Fabaceae (5.3-7.2%) and Asteraceae (4.1-5.7%), while half of the medicinal parts are represented by roots or rhizomes and fruits and/or seeds. Their importance has been stable in a time span of 300 years. The proportion of animal and mineral drugs gradually decreased over time. 14 plant species appeared in all five collections. A total of 47 species are shared between the three more recent collections and the modern trade list. Among these common species, most medicinal parts remain unchanged, but for several species the used plant parts changed or new medicinal plant parts appeared. All common species have unanimously been used in ancient classical TCM formulae and/or Chinese patent medicines.
Over more than 300 years, the main body of CMM has hardly changed, with regard to plant taxa and plant parts used. The most prominent changes are related to conservation issues of threatened species, health safety and the discovery of new pharmacological applications of well-known species. Analyzing physical specimens from historic CMM collections complements literature-based research.
中药会随时间发生变化。研究植物成分、应用、所用药用部位以及名称随时间的变化，有助于理解中药的历史与发展。
本研究将欧洲保存的4部1700年至19世纪末编纂的历史中药文献集与欧洲市场上销售的当代中药清单进行比较。
这五个文献集中有超过1700份标本。优势科为豆科（5.3 - 7.2%）和菊科（4.1 - 5.7%），而一半的药用部位为根或根茎以及果实和/或种子。它们在300年的时间跨度内重要性一直稳定。动物药和矿物药的比例随时间逐渐下降。有14种植物出现在所有五个文献集中。最近的三个文献集与现代贸易清单共有47种植物。在这些共有植物中，大多数药用部位保持不变，但有几种植物所用药用部位发生了变化或出现了新的药用部位。所有共有植物均一致被用于古代经典中药方剂和/或中成药中。
300多年来，中药在植物类群和所用药用部位方面主体几乎未变。最显著的变化与濒危物种的保护问题、健康安全以及知名物种新的药理应用的发现有关。分析历史中药文献集的实物标本对基于文献的研究起到补充作用。
