Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicinal Herbs (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Tian Daihua / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-09-01
Features: The Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine is a comprehensive reference book for the 21st century, catering to clinical practitioners, educators, and researchers of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It integrates ancient and modern research findings, offering moderate content, scientific accuracy, and practicality. Based on extensive collection of TCM literature using modern technology, the book adheres to rigorous editorial standards, carefully selecting 800 primary drugs and 108 supplementary drugs. The entries are organized in two volumes, arranged by stroke order, with each drug entry including 20 sections: official name, synonyms, explanation, botanical origin, plant (animal, mineral), collection, medicinal material, chemical constituents, pharmacology, processing, properties, therapeutic effects, dosage and administration, precautions, applications and compatibility, supplementary formulas and clinical reports, literature summary, supplementary drugs, and notes. The book also includes 88 illustrations of medicinal materials. The second volume concludes with a Chinese name index, Latin name index, English abbreviations for pharmacological terms with Chinese translations, and a comparison table of ancient and modern units of measurement. Compared to existing similar reference books, this dictionary has the following features:
1. Integrating Ancient and Modern, Scientific and Practical
It fully reflects the medicinal theories and experiences of physicians while incorporating the latest findings and applications of modern TCM research. Regarding ancient literature, all relevant works, including herbological texts, prescription books, clinical records across disciplines, and comprehensive medical books, are included. For modern literature, it emphasizes the collection of new data, with the latest publications dating back to 2000, and some drugs to 200 years ago, reflecting the most recent achievements in TCM research and clinical practice. Compared to similar books, it is more comprehensive, practical, and up-to-date.
2. Balanced Detail and Conciseness, Highlighting Key Information
For items directly related to clinical applications and rapidly advancing modern TCM research, such as chemical constituents, pharmacology, therapeutic effects, applications and compatibility, supplementary formulas and clinical reports, and literature summary, the entries strive for rich information, comprehensive content, and detailed data, whether derived from ancient or modern sources or summarized by the authors. Other sections are presented concisely and accurately. Compared to similar books, it strikes a balance between detail and brevity, with moderate text length throughout.
3. Comprehensive Summarization of Drug Properties, with Innovative Approach
Building on the historical understanding of drug properties by physicians, this dictionary is the first to systematically summarize the properties of certain drugs, thereby highlighting traditional medicinal characteristics and guiding clinical, educational, and research applications.
In summary, The Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine combines practicality, scientific rigor, innovation, and extensive references, making it an indispensable reference for TCM professionals.