What is the difference between Chinese medicine and Chinese patent medicine

Many people like to see a Chinese doctor when they are sick and take some Chinese patent medicines. How much do you know about Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese patent medicines? It is easy to confuse these two concepts. What are the differences between Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese patent medicines? In fact, the two are completely different concepts. If the two concepts are mixed together, it is most likely to cause problems. Here I will popularize the knowledge of Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese patent medicines and understand their differences.

Chinese patent medicines are Chinese medicinal products that are made from Chinese medicinal materials and are processed under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory into various dosage forms for easy use. Including various dosage forms such as pills, powders, pastes and pills. To put it simply, Chinese patent medicines are made from Chinese medicinal materials, and are not synthesized like chemical drugs. This is the first point.

Secondly, it is made under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory. Without the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory, it cannot become a Chinese patent medicine. You need to break down the concept and understand it, which is easier. In addition, it includes pills, powders, pastes, and pills but is not limited to them. It also includes tablets, injections, capsules, patches, and other modern dosage forms.

Traditional Chinese medicine is mainly composed of plant medicines (roots, stems, leaves, fruits), animal medicines (viscera, skin, bones, organs, etc.) and mineral medicines. Because herbal medicines account for the majority of traditional Chinese medicine, it is also called Chinese herbal medicine. Peaceful medicine. Ji Kang of the Wei Dynasty in the Three Kingdoms wrote in his "Theory of Health Preservation": "So Shennong said: 'The best medicine nourishes life, and the middle medicine nourishes nature'. He truly understood the principles of nature and life, and used the auxiliary nourishment to make it clear." Zhang Hua of the Jin Dynasty wrote in Volume 7 of "Records of Natural History": "The middle medicine nourishes nature, saying that the cassia tree relieves anger and the daylily forgets worries." Xu Xuan of the Song Dynasty wrote in his poem "Inscription on the Temple": "I often complain about my many illnesses and dislike the middle medicine. I intend to ask for the true scriptures and ask for a small return."

The efficacy of many Chinese herbal medicines has not only withstood the test of long-term medical practice, but has also been confirmed by modern scientific research institutes. The active ingredients and molecular structures of some Chinese herbal medicines have also been fully or partially studied. For example, ephedrine is the active ingredient of ephedra for relieving asthma, dactyline is the active ingredient of Changshan for treating malaria, tetrahydropalmatine (corydalis) is the main ingredient of Corydalis yanhusuo for relieving pain, berberine is the main ingredient of Coptis chinensis and Phellodendron amurense for stopping diarrhea, baicalin is the main ingredient of Scutellaria baicalensis for antibacterial effect, sennoside is the active ingredient of Rhubarb for laxative effect, and so on. In order to ensure the efficacy of medicines, our working people have accumulated extremely rich experience in the cultivation, harvesting, processing, preparation, storage and preservation of medicines through long-term practice.

Many pharmacies sell Chinese patent medicines because they are ready-made medicines. The concept of Chinese medicine is broad, covering a lot of content, and Chinese patent medicines also belong to Chinese medicine. At present, the application of Chinese medicine is also very extensive. It can treat various diseases and can cure the root causes. Only by understanding the difference between Chinese medicine and Chinese patent medicines can we apply them correctly in daily life.