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The following is an archive of the article "Herb usage" that has been deleted from Wikipedia. The purpose of this archive is to allow the information contained herein to be subsequently merged with existing articles on TCM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Herb_usage

Herb Usage
This article discusses the use of herbs for various physical needs in a very simplified way. As the use of herbs to treat diseases can be complicated, depending on the condition of the patient, the stage of treatment, as well as other herbs/drugs that are taken, this article is not to be used for self-prescription, and neither is it to be used for prescribing for others. This is especially true for large dosages, repeated or long-term use of herbs or herbal formulas.

An Introduction
Herbs have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine to treat humans and animals. The usage of herbs is but one aspect in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), although it is probably the most important and extensive aspect. Herbs are so extensively used that many herbs are also used in everyday cooking, and these herbs include leaves, stems and roots (such as ginger or garlic), various parts of the lotus plant, many types of nuts and seeds (such as the ginkgo nut), as well as spices (such as "bo he" or peppermint).

Most "herbs" are plant-based, but a few are mineral-based, and some are even based on animal products. As many animals are facing imminent extinction, including large animals such as the tiger, the animal-based "herbs" listed here are for information purposes only, as it is no longer legal to buy or sell them. Some animal-based products are not only illegal, but are also likely to be fakes. In addition, it is relatively easy to find substitutes in the plant world, if these substitutes have not been banned or regulated.

Tonics
Some herbs may be used as tonics for different types of "energy" including "Qi" or 气 (air), "Xue" or 血 (blood), "Yang" or 阳 (positive energy), "Yin" or 阴 (negative energy), etc. In TCM terminology, "Yin" energy does not carry negative connotations. In fact, both Yin and Yang energies, in equal amounts, are just as essential to maintain health. "Qi" energy tonics are used to promote "Qi" when conditions known as "Qixu" or lack of "Qi", occur. Similarly, "Xue", "Yang" and "Yin" tonics are meant for conditions of "Xuexu", "Yangxu" and "Yinxu" respectively.

The converse of herbs used as tonics are herbs to reduce or inhibit the "evils", including "heat", "dampness", and "wind". Common symptoms of "heat" are boils, sore throats and mouth ulcers, although these are not exclusively symptoms of "heat". The "evils" can act together to form compound evils such as damp-heat and wind-heat. To diagnose and identify the root cause(s) from symptoms is not easy and should only be attempted by trained personnel. For example, the root cause for symptoms of "yinxu" could be "heat", and treating the symptoms without treating its root cause can exacerbate the problem in the long run, although in the short run the treatment seems to work. Tonics are therefore not a cure-all, and a little knowledge can indeed be a dangerous thing.

Chinese-Japanese common herbs
The following herbs are common to both the Kampo herb list as well as the 50 fundamental herbs in Chinese herbology:


 * 1) 	Astragali Radix	,	黄芪	,	オウギ
 * 2) 	Camelliae Folium	,	茶叶	,	チャヨウ
 * 3) 	Cannabis Fructus	,	麻子仁	,	マシニン
 * 4) 	Carthami Flos	,	红花	,	コウカ
 * 5) 	Cinnamomi Cortex	,	桂皮	,	ケイヒ
 * 6) 	Coptidis Rhizoma	,	黄连	,	オウレン
 * 7) 	Corydalis Rhizoma	,	延胡索	,	エンゴサク
 * 8) 	Crotonis Semen	,	巴豆	,	ハズ
 * 9) 	Ephedrae Herba	,	麻黄	,	マオウ
 * 10) 	Eucommiae Cortex	,	杜仲	,	トチュウ
 * 11) 	Forsythiae Fructus	,	连翘	,	レンギョウ
 * 12) 	Glycyrrhizae Radix	,	甘草	,	カンゾウ
 * 13) 	Leonuri Herba	,	益母草	,	ヤクモソウ
 * 14) 	Phellodendri Cortex	,	黄柏	,	オウバク
 * 15) 	Puerariae Radix	,	葛根	,	カッコン
 * 16) 	Rehmanniae Radix	,	地黄	,	ジオウ
 * 17) 	Saussureae Radix	,	木香	,	モッコウ
 * 18) 	Schisandrae Fructus	,	五味子	,	ゴミシ
 * 19) 	Scutellariae Radix	,	黄芩	,	オウゴン
 * 20) 	Trichosanthis Radix	,	瓜蒌根	,	カロコン

Formulas
Formulas are herb combinations that may exhibit activity that is shown by none of the individual herbs in a formula. The following formulas use a combination of herbs to "balance" and improve on the strengths of the principal herbs. The principal herbs are listed first in a formula, and usually carry the most weight, that is, they are the heaviest in a formula. The most common way of using a herb combination is via an aqueous (hot-water) extract, known as "tang" or 汤, which may be called a soup. Alcohol extracts are possible for some herbs, such as Ginseng, but the ginsenosides extracted via alcohol are different from that extracted with water. Herb combinations can also be ground into powder form, known as "san" or 散, and put into capsules, or mixed directly with water and ingested. Another common way, especially for patented TCM formulas, is via tablets, known as "wan" or 丸. Where not indicated otherwise, the formulas are meant for aqueous extraction (boiling). The dosages indicated refer to relative weights, and there may be rounding errors in converting qian/liang (in the Chinese weights system) to grams. As a host of variables are involved in a correct diagnosis, only a qualified physician may prescribe a formula for any particular individual. Hence the formulas should not be used for self-prescription.

桔梗 {18.75 g}, 丹蔘 {18.75 g}, 當歸 {37.5 g}, 麥門冬 {37.5 g}, 柏子仁 {37.5 g}, 茯苓 {18.75 g}, 酸棗仁 {37.5 g}, 生地黃 {150 g}, 五味子 {37.5 g}, 遠志 {18.75 g}, 人蔘 {18.75 g}, 天門冬 {37.5 g}, 玄蔘 {18.75 g}.
 * Korean Heart Blood-Deficiency Formula, Cheonwangbosimdan(天王補心丹)

Cyperi rhizoma {4.0 g}, Perillae herba {2.0 g}, Aurantii nobilis pericarpium {3.0 g}, Glycyrrhizae radix {2.0 g}, Zingiberis rhizoma {0.5 g}.
 * Koso-san. A Japanese Kampo Formula for Depression and Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

dan shen 丹参 {24 g}, hong hua 红花 {10 g}, chuan xiong 川芎 {12 g}, dang gui 当归 {10 g}, chi shao 赤芍 {10 g}, yu jin 郁金 {10 g}, jiang xiang 降香 {10 g}, ju pi 陈皮 {12 g}.
 * Heart Dissipation/Clearing Formula

黄莲 3g, 厚朴 3g, 栀子 9g, 淡豆豉 9g, 石菖蒲 3g, 半夏 3g, 芦根 15g.
 * Chronic Fatigue Formula (to reduce damp-heat, aching muscles)

nan sha shen 南沙参 {20 g}, mai men dong 麦门冬 {10 g}, tian hua fen 天花粉 {30 g}, cang shu 苍术 {10 g}, sheng di huang 生地黄 {30 g}, huang qi 黄芪 {6 g}, ge gen 葛根 {10 g}, xuan shen 玄参 {30 g}: Xianmin-Pg46.
 * Cold-Damp Formula (benefits liver)

生地黄 12g, 玄参 9g, 麦冬 6g, 白芍 6g, 牡丹皮 6g, 川贝母 6g, 薄荷 3g, 甘草 3g.
 * Clarify Throat and Lung Formula

青 蒿 6g, 鱉甲 15g, 生地黄 12g, 知母 6g, 牡丹皮 9g.
 * Clear Heat and Nourish Yin Formula

bai tou weng 白头翁 {9 g}, huang lian 黄莲 {9 g}, huang bai 黄柏 {9 g}, qing pin 秦皮 {9 g}
 * Bai Tou Weng Soup (detoxifies bowels)

ma huang 麻黄 {12 g}, gui zhi 桂枝 {9 g}, gan jiang 乾姜 {9 g}, xi xin 细辛 {9 g}, wu wei zi 五味子 {9 g}, bai shao 白芍 {9 g}, ban xia 半夏 {9 g}, gan cao 甘草 {9 g}
 * Little Green Dragon Soup (cold/phlegm)

tian men dong 天门冬 {20 g}, nan sha shen 南沙参 {12 g}, mai men dong 麦门冬 {10 g}, huang jing 黄精 {10 g}, gou qi zi 枸杞子 {10 g}, nu zhen zi 女贞子{10 g}, han lian cao 旱莲草 {6 g}, bie jia 鱉甲 {10 g}, gui ban 龟板 {10 g}.
 * Jade Female Formula (benefits yin)

tao ren 桃仁 {12 g}, hong hua 红花 {9 g}, dang gui 当归 {9 g}, chuan xiong 川芎 {6 g}, chi shao 赤芍 {6 g}, niu xi 牛膝 {9 g}, chai hu 柴胡 {3 g}, jie geng 桔梗 {6 g}, zhe ke 枳壳 {6 g}, sheng di huang 生地黄 {9 g}, ga cao 甘草 {3 g}.
 * Xue Fu Zhu Yu Soup (evening tidal fever and mood swings)

chai hu 柴胡 {30 g}, dang gui 当归 {30 g}, bai shao 白芍 {30 g}, bai zhu 白朮 {30 g}, fu ling 伏苓 {30 g}, gan cao 甘草 {30 g}, (ingested in 10g doses in a ginger and mint aqueous extract/solution)
 * Xiao Yao Powder (benefits liver, spleen and blood)

zi he che 紫河车 {1 ea}, shu di huang 熟地黄 {60 g}, sheng di huang 生地黄 {45 g}, gou qi zi 枸杞子 {45 g}, tian men dong 天门冬 {20 g}, wu wei zi 五味子 {20 g}, dang gui 当归 {20 g}, niu xi 牛膝 {20 g}, du zhong 杜仲 {30 g}, suo yang 锁阳 {20 g}, rou cong rong 肉苁蓉 {20 g}, huang bo 黄柏 {20 g}: Giovanni Maciocia:Page 498.
 * Kidney Essence Formula

dang shen 党参 {12g}, shu di huang 熟地黄 {12g}, shan yao 山药 {12g}, shan zhu yu 山茱萸 {9g}, yuan zhi 远志 {3g}, tu Si Zi 吐丝子 {9g}, xu duan 续断 {9g}, wu wei zhi 五味子 {3g}, zhi gan cao 甘草 {6g}
 * Liver-Kidney Formula

(1) Perilla Frutescens, Prunus Armeniaca, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis, Scutellaria Baicalensis, Coptis Chinesis, Tusilago Farfara, Stemona Sessilifolia, Fritillaria Cirrhosa, Pheretima Aspergillum, Psoralaea Corylifolia, Codonopsis Pilosula, Hordeum Vulgara, Massa Fermentata Medicalis, Schisandra Chinesis, and Gypsum. United States Patent 7255884
 * Alleviate Asthma

(2) Ma Huang, Xing Ren , Gan Cao, Huang Qin , Huang Lian , Huang Bai , Kuan Dong Hua , Bai Bu, Chuan Bei Mu (or Bei Mu) , Di Long, Bu Gu Zhi , Dang Shen , Shan Zha , Mai Ya , Shen Qu , Wu Wei Zi , Shi Gao, Su Zi, Zi Wan , Bai Shao, Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Jing Jie , Huang Qi , Fang Feng.

Ref: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7255884/description.html


 * Dia Da (Impact Injuries)

The term "Dia-Da" literally means "Fall-Hit" in Mandarin. The Cantonese equivalent is Dit_da_jow which alludes to the "wine" ("jow") or alcohol used to treat this form of injury. This term is a graphic way to describe impact injuries, namely injuries that probably result from falling down or being hit by something. In modern living, these injuries could conceivably be the result of colliding with a vehicle, or being hit by a ball, racket, stick or bat.


 * Herbs Used in Formulas for Diabetes

Herbs that are frequently used in TCM formulas in the treatment of diabetes include:

Radix Astragali seu Hedysari , Radix Rehmanniae and Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata , Radix Trichosanthis , Radix Puerariae , Radix Ginseng , Radix Panacis Quinquefolii , Rhizoma Polygonati , Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati , Fructus Coini , Hirudo , Rhizoma Coptidis , Fructus Lycii and Cortex Lycii Radicis , Poria , Rhizoma Atractylodis , Rhizoma Anemarrhenae , Radix Ophiopogonis , Fructus Ligustri Lucidi , Fructus Mori, Folium Mori and Cortex Mori Radicis , Fructus Schisandrae , Gynostemmae Herba , Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae , Rhizoma Phragmitis , Rhizoma Alismatis , Semen Cuscutae , Herba Epimedii , Radix Clematidis , Radix Notoginseng , Herba Dendrobii , Concha Ostreae , Radix Lithospermi , Radix Aconiti and Radix Aconiti Praeparata , Radix Acanthopanacis Senticosi , Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Paeoniae Alba , Radix et Rhizoma Rhei , Rhizoma Pinelliae , Radix Polygalae , Fructus Hordei Germinatus , Cortex Phellodendri , Fructus Arctii , Fructus Xanthii , Bombyx Batryticatus , Gecko , Radix Stephaniae Tetradrae , Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidate , Radix Platycodi , Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae , Radix Scrophulariae , Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong , Radix Angelicae Sinensis , Fructus Balsampear , Rhizoma Dioscoreae , Stigma Maydis , Semen Fagopyri Cymosi , Semen Litchi , Pericarpium Granati , Semen Coicis , Allii Sativi Bulbus , Allii Cepa Bulbus , Radix Asparragi Officinalis , Cordyceps , Ganoderma Lucidum seu Japonicum , Tremellae,  Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) Schult (Asclepiadaceae) , Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Leguminosae) , Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae) , Ephedra sinica Stapf., and Ephedra distachya L. (Ephedraceae) , Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. (Rosaceae) , Anisodus tanguticus (Maxim.) Pascher (Solanaceae) , Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Apocynaceae) , Stevia rebaudina (Bert.) Hemsl. (Compositae) , Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) , Aralia elta (Miq.) Seem. and Aralia decaisneana Hance (Araliaceae) , Caesalpinia sappan L. (Leguminosae) , Rhodiola sachalinensis A. (Crassulaceae) , Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. (Rosaceae) , Amorphophallus spp. (Araceae) , Oenothera erythrosepala Borb. (Oangraceae) , Tribuluks terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) , Euonyrnus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb. (Celastraceae) , Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae).

Herb Patents
Some herb patents   that contain the herb Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice, Liquorice, gan cao, 甘草):

Ref: http://www.patentstorm.us/ and http://www.freepatentsonline.com/


 * Patent Title: COMPOSITIONS FOR SUPPRESSING OBESITY
 * Patent number: WO2008146955 (A1)
 * Source: European Patent Database
 * Herbs used: Herba Ephedrae and Thallus Laminariae seu Eckloniae, or comprising Herba Ephedrae, Thallus Laminariae seu Eckloniae and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei.

Praeparatum
TCM suppliers may "prepare" herbs to bring out different or enhanced properties:


 * 1) Chao 炒 Dry-fried
 * 2) Zhi 炙 Honey-fried
 * 3) Jiu (Wine or Alcohol)
 * 4) Jiu Chao 酒炒 Wine Fried (Fried in Alcohol)
 * 5) Jiu Zhi 酒炙 Wine Treated (Pre-soaked in alcohol and dried)
 * 6) Tan 炭 Charred
 * 7) Xian 鲜 Fresh (or raw)
 * 8) Duan 煅 Calcined (heated to oxidise or reduce to calx)
 * 9) Herb extracts. These may be in liquid or powder form, and may include the use of high temperatures (110-150° C) and pressures (3.50 kgf/cm2) over a period of days using different solvents, including vinegar.

-Examples of herbs that may be dry-fried: Chao Huang Bai 炒黄柏, Chao Shen Qu 炒神曲, Chao Mai Ya 炒麦芽, Chao Bai Zhu 炒白朮.

-An example of a herb that may be honey-fried: Zhi Gan Cao 炙甘草.

-Examples of herbs that may be fried in alcohol: Jiu Chao Zhi Mu 酒炒知母, Jiu Chao Huang Bai 酒炒黄柏, Jiu Chao Huang Lian 酒炒黄莲, Jiu Chao Huang Qi 酒炒黄耆, Jiu Chao Che Qian Zi 酒炒车前子, Jiu Chao Bai Shao 酒炒白芍, Jiu Gui Ban 酒龟板.

-An example of a herb that may be pre-soaked in alcohol: Jiu Zhi Da Huang 酒炙大黄.

-An example of a herb that may be charred: Xue Yu Tan 血餘炭.

-Herbs that may be specified as fresh (not dried) in a formula include: Xian Jin Yin Hua 鲜金银花

-Typically, the following may be calcined: Duan Mu Li 煅牡蠣, Duan Long Gu 煅龙骨, Duan Meng Shi 煅礞石, Duan Ci Shi 煅磁石, Duan Gui Ban 煅龟板.

Note: In TCM texts, "Wine" or "Jiu" does not usually refer to alcoholic drinks made from grapes. It may refer to solutions with a high alcohol content exceeding 40% of total volume, as some Chinese Wines, such as Kao Liang Jiu, has up to 60% alcohol content. In TCM terminology, "Jiu" is frequently translated as "Wine", although it is probably more accurate to translate it as "Alcohol", since it can refer to alcohol from any source, including rice, millet and sorghum.

Herbs with Anti-Oxidant Capacity
Herbs with some anti-oxidant capacity include the following (English Name - Latin Name):

Herbs with Anti-Tumor Capacity
Herbs with some capacity to inhibit human tumour cell growth include:


 * 1) Psoralea corylifolia,
 * 2) Euphorbia grandidens,
 * 3) Dianthus sinensis,
 * 4) Phytolacca polyandra,
 * 5) Sophora flavescens,
 * 6) Cephalotaxus fortunei,
 * 7) Polygonatum odoratum,
 * 8) Coptis chinensis,
 * 9) Ganoderma lucidum
 * 10) Terminalia chebula,
 * 11) Atropa belladonna,
 * 12) Euphorbia grandicorni,
 * 13) Euphorbia latea.

Herbs with Anti-Cancer Capacity
Six groups of herbs with some capacity to help prevent or treat cancers are:

Group 1: Sophora tonkinensis (Sophora subprostrata), Belamcanda chinensis, Scrophularia ningpoensis, Isatis tinctoria, Isatis indigotica, Baphicacanthus cusia;

Group 2: Polygonum bistorta, Polygonum lapidosum, Polygonum viviparum, Polygonum manshuriense, Polygonum alopecuroides, Polygonum sphaerostachyum, Andrographis paniculata, Taraxacum mongolicum, Chrysanthemun indicum;

Group 3: Prunella vulgaris, Artemissia capillaris, Gardenia jasminoides, Rosa rugosa, Lophatherum gracile;

Group 4: Sonchus brachyotus, Patrinia scabiosaefolia, Patrinia villosa, Sonchus arvensis, Thlaspi arvense, Portulaca oleracea, Pulsatilla chinensis;

Group 5: Dictamnus dasycarpus, Kochia scoparia, Sophora flavescens, Heydyotis diffusa;

Group 6: Dioscorea bulbifera, Panax notoginseng, Bletilla striata, Nelumbo nucifera, Polygonum bistorta, Cephalanoplos segetum, Cirsium japonicum, Sophora japonica, Typha angustifolia, Rubia cordifolia;

Herbs for Hyperlipidemia and Angina Pectoris
Herbs used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and angina pectoris include:

Allium thumbergii, Trichosanthis semen, Angelicae gigantis radix, Salviae radix, Cinnamomi ramulus, Curcumae tuber, Paeoniae rubrae radix, Pinelliae rhizoma.

Herbs for Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular and Alzheimer's diseases and Depression
Herbs used in the treatment of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and alzheimer's diseases and depression include:

Asparagus cochinchinensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Angelica aeutiloba kitagawa, Rehmannia glutinosa Liboschitz, Poria cocos wolf, Schizandra chinensis, Biota orientalis, Pueraria pseudo-hirsuta, Panax ginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, Scrophularia ningpoensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Panax pseudo-ginseng, Ganoderma japonicum, Coptis chinensis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Phellodendron amurense.

Meanings of Terms

 * 1) The meanings of some Latin/pharmaceutical terms as used in herb names:
 * 2) Bulbus - bulb
 * 3) Caulis - stem
 * 4) Colla - animal glue
 * 5) Concha - shell
 * 6) Cornu - animal horn
 * 7) Corrii - animal hide
 * 8) Cortex - bark
 * 9) Cum - with
 * 10) Degelatinum - degelatinated fragments
 * 11) Et - and
 * 12) Exocarpium - outer bark
 * 13) Extractae - extract
 * 14) Fermentata - fermented
 * 15) Flos - flower
 * 16) Folium - leaf
 * 17) Fructus - fruit
 * 18) Gelatina, Gelatinum - gelatin
 * 19) Herba - leaves and stems
 * 20) Lignum - woody parts
 * 21) Os - bone
 * 22) Pericarpium - seed husk
 * 23) Praeparata - prepared
 * 24) Pulvis - powder
 * 25) Radix - root
 * 26) Recens - raw
 * 27) Resinae - resin
 * 28) Ramus - branch
 * 29) Ramulus - twig
 * 30) Rhizoma - rhizome
 * 31) Semen - seed
 * 32) Seu - or
 * 33) Spora - spore
 * 34) Spp. - species
 * 35) The terms used in this article reflect typical TCM usage (as translated literally from individual Chinese characters), and may not reflect their meanings in TCM, namely, meanings that are normative, figurative or metaphorical when read in context. The meanings of these terms are therefore different from that in common English usage. In particular, they are not to be used for purposes of self-diagnosis, much less for self-medication. For example, "Xia Huo" means "To reduce fire", but "fire" here does not refer to combustion involving oxygen. Even within TCM, there are various meanings of "fire", and it can refer to "real" or "false" fire. The 3 herbs mentioned above cannot be used to reduce "false fire", or fires of yin deficiency in the zhang organs.
 * 36) An example of the non-literal use of transliterated characters is "long gu" which literally means "dragon bones". This term cannot possibly refer to Chinese or other dragons, since they do not exist. However, one can easily buy "long gu" from any TCM pharmacy. Another term that cannot be taken literally is "di long" which literally means "earth dragon".
 * 37) Although the above herbs are common in TCM prescriptions, they cannot be purchased if we refer only to their Latin names. One likely reason is that TCM pharmacists rarely, if ever, use the Latin names of the herbs. The Chinese names, or the transliterated names (pinyin) should be used instead. For example, if we ask for "flos Lonicerae" we will almost certainly get a blank look. However, if we ask for "jin yin hua" or	金银花 we will connect immediately, even though the pharmacist may speak any of the large number of Chinese dialects (such as Cantonese, where the herb is known as "kum gen fa", or Golden Silver Flower, in Hong Kong). Wherever possible, use the written form (金银花) to avoid miscommunication and/or mis-pronunciation, since there is no dialect form of the written language.
 * 38) There are a large number of synonyms of the herb names, in both Chinese, English and Latin. This makes it even more essential to use the written form of the Chinese names to ensure accuracy. For example, in a number of websites, "dong quai", "tang-kuei", "teng-kui" and "dang gui" are treated as different herbs, when in fact they refer to the same herb transliterated differently. "Dong quai" is the Cantonese form of "tang-kui" which, in proper pinyin, should be spelt as "dang qui", and "teng-kui" is simply a typographical error transmitted and repeated in cyberspace.
 * 39) Some herbs are prone to adulteration, substitution, or both. For example, Ling Zhi Cao (Cordyceps) can be substituted with an inactive form of the herb. If an extract is first made with water, the herb will be tasteless when dried and re-used/recycled. On the other hand, the genuine Ling Zhi tastes bitter, but few consumers would know the difference, especially if the herb is mixed in a prescription and boiled together with other herbs. The pharmacists themselves may not be aware, as some may trust their suppliers implicitly, and do not conduct regular testing. (Ref: Yoe-Ray K., Yuan-Shiun C., Kuo-Ching W., Li-Kang H.,  "Analysis and confirmation of synthetic anorexics in adulterated traditional Chinese medicines by high-performance capillary electrophoresis", Journal of Chromatography A, 848(1-2):537-543, 2 July 1999.)
 * 40) Animal-based "herbs" are prone to substitution or adulteration, including "xiong dan" (bear bile / gall bladder) which looks very much like "niu dan" (bovine bile /gall bladder) when the gall bladder is dried, although "niu dan" is far less bitter in taste. Some are simply unavailable because they are banned in many countries. These include tiger parts, such as "hu gu" (tiger bone) which is substituted by bobcat bone, and "chuan san jia" (scales of the pangolin) which has no animal-based substitute. "Niu huang (bovine gallstone) is unavailable in many Western countries and Singapore because of its potential impact on pregnant women, although "niu huang" pills with about 2% of "niu huang" are available in many Asian countries.
 * 41) Some herb names may be identical in the pinyin form but can be very different in their Chinese or Latin forms. An example is "da ji" which refers to two entirely different herbs with different applications. One reason is that many Chinese words have the same pronunciation, but have different meanings, and refer to different written characters. Some Chinese pharmacists will insist on the written form as a standard procedure to reduce prescription errors. If the written form is not sufficiently clear (eg. specifying how the herb is to be prepared), they will ask to speak to the TCM doctor.
 * 42) Alternative names (synonyms) are put in brackets. For example, "mo han lian" is sometimes called "han lian cao", so the Chinese names are 墨旱莲, (旱莲草). As some herbs have a large number of synonyms, only very common ones are listed above. Furthermore, variants of the herbs are not listed. For example, there are many types of ginseng, such as Korean Ginseng ("kao li shen", a prepared form of ginseng), American Ginseng ("xi yang shen" or "yang shen"), etc, and these are not listed above. Some "synonyms" may result from the different ways in which the terms are translated. For example, 羌活 may be transliterated as "jiang huo" or "qiang huo" in different texts, so both terms are included to facilitate searching and for easy reference. The purpose of this article is not prescriptive (to standardize the terminology used), but descriptive (to describe what is being used currently).
 * 43) Some "herb" names are used euphemistically, and thus may be misleading. For example, "Seal Testes/Penis" may be called "hai gou shen" (海狗肾) which literally means "Seal Kidney". Although euphemisms are found in some texts, practicing TCM pharmacists may not be familiar with their use.
 * 44) The terms used under "Formulas" reflect the terms used in the source text (book). For example, in the "Heart Dissipation Formula", pericarpium Citri Reticulatae is called 陈皮 (literally "old skin") in the text, whereas other texts refer to it as 橘皮 (tangerine skin).

Translation/transliteration of herb names
Audio dictionary

Comprehensive Korean/English/Chinese herb names 

Wiktionary

Babelfish

Chinese dictionary and English-Chinese usage

Creative Commons CEDICT Project for English-Chinese Translation

Translation between traditional Chinese terms (fanti) and simplified Chinese terms (jianti)

Combination (multi-character) Chinese Terms

Chinese radical index

Chinese radicals and strokes index

Chinese Tools

Pinyin (Pīnyīn,拼音) Online Tools

Category:Traditional Chinese medicine Cottonball (talk) 02:36, 20 May 2009 (UTC)