Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevanceTraditional Chinese Medicine is subject to changes over time: product names, botanical ingredients, processing methods and uses have varied throughout the course of history. Historic collections of Chinese materia medica (CMM) are of great value for research on the evolvement, development and variability of Chinese herbal medicine over time. These changes may have a significant influence on the safety and efficiency of nowadays’ clinical practice. Here we investigate a historic collection of Chinese medicinal products purchased in Indonesia in c. 1870, containing about 395 specimens. Aim of the studyThis study compares the specimens contained in late 19th century collection of CMM with contemporary marketed materials by investigating changes in vernacular names, botanical identity and processing methods which are important aspects for safety and clinical practice today. Materials and methodsThe contents and associated documentation of the CMM collection of Dr. C.H.A. Westhoff (University Museum Utrecht) were revised by means of morphological identification and study of the associated historic documentation. We compared this Westhoff collection with contemporary CMM, information from literature and various quality standards, including the official Chinese pharmacopoeia. ResultsThe Westhoff collection represents a unique, well preserved collection of Chinese materia medica, with original uniform bottles, Chinese labels and a partly intact handwritten catalogue. Among the 395 specimens (bottles) of CMM surveyed, there are 387 contain a single component drug, while eight contain multiple components drugs. A total of 293 of the 395 specimens are mentioned in the modern Chinese pharmacopoeia. Ca. 25% of the specimens had been processed, such as stir-fried with or without adjuvants. Our analysis of local Chinese names, botanical content and processing methods indicate that this collection originates from southern part of China, possibly including in the region of Taiwan and was meant as a showcase for pharmaceutical education and/or as curiosity object. ConclusionDifferences in vernacular names, plant parts and processing methods between the Westhoff collection and the current Chinese pharmacopoeia illustrate the regional variety of CMM and changes in CMM in the course of time. This work contributes to the understanding of the evolvement of CMM from a historic perspective.
Highlights
Chinese materia medica (CMM), an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for more than 2000 years and continuously plays an important role in complementary and alternative health care in the present
During the historic development of CMM, the vast majority of herbal medicine has been documented in medicinal monographs, from one of the earliest materia medica texts, the Divine Husbandman’s Classic of Materia Medica (Eastern Han Dynasty, 25-220 AD) and the earliest officially issued pharmacopoeia, the Newly Revised Materia Medica in 659 AD (Zhao et al, 2018), to the latest version of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP, 2015)
The genus Aristolochia is known to contain toxic aristolochic acids, and in 2004, a case reported on account of bai mao teng confusion led to a 60-year-old patient who was diagnosed with kidney failure (Zhao, Z. et al, 2006)
Summary
Chinese materia medica (CMM), an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for more than 2000 years and continuously plays an important role in complementary and alternative health care in the present. Bai mao teng refers to the herb Solanum lyratum Thunb., but in the annals of herbal medicine of the Jiangsu Province (Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1959), the herb Aris tolochia mollissima Hance was called bai mao teng (Zhao, G. et al, 2006). This nomenclatural inconsistency (one species with more than one common name) caused confusion and safety issues. The genus Aristolochia is known to contain toxic aristolochic acids, and in 2004, a case reported on account of bai mao teng confusion led to a 60-year-old patient who was diagnosed with kidney failure (Zhao, Z. et al, 2006)
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