Basic knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medicine used by TCM, which is unique to traditional medicine in China. Traditional Chinese medicine is divided into Chinese patent medicine and Chinese herbal medicine according to the processing technology. So how much do you know about Chinese medicine? The following is my knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, I hope you like it!

Interpretation of TCM

Traditional Chinese medicine is mainly composed of plant medicines (roots, stems, leaves and fruits) and animal medicines (viscera, skins, bones, organs, etc.). ) and mineral medicine. Because plant medicine accounts for most of Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine is also called Chinese herbal medicine. Peace medicine. Wei's theory of health preservation in the Three Kingdoms: So Shennong said:? Taking medicine nourishes life, while Chinese medicine nourishes nature? People who know the truth of life can only pass through because of auxiliary support. ? Jin Zhanghua's Natural History Volume 7:? Traditional Chinese medicine nourishes nature, that is, lovesickness is angry, and day lilies forget their worries. ? Song Xuxuan's poem "Temple":? I often get sick and doubt Chinese medicine, and I plan to ask for help. ?

Medicinal diet can be divided into two categories: dietotherapy Chinese medicine and dietotherapy medicinal diet.

1, dietotherapy Chinese medicine. Dietetic Chinese medicine refers to foods and drinks with the functions of preventing and treating diseases or health care and rehabilitation. Take Chinese medicine? 、? Dietetic herbs? Or? Food Chinese medicine? Wait a minute. This dietetic Chinese medicine includes cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, animals, aquatic products and so on.

2, dietotherapy medicated diet. Medicinal diet is a diet made of drugs, food and spices with therapeutic effects. Generally speaking, medicated diet can be made of edible Chinese medicine alone, or it can be made of Chinese medicine and food as raw materials and processed and cooked according to a certain formula.

Therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine

The efficacy of many Chinese herbal medicines has not only stood the test of long-term medical practice, but also been confirmed by modern scientific research institutions. The effective components and molecular structures of some Chinese herbal medicines have also been fully or partially studied. Such as ephedrine, an effective component of ephedra for relieving asthma, dichroine, tetrahydropalmatine (tetrahydropalmatine), berberine, an antibacterial component of Scutellaria baicalensis, and sennoside, an effective component of rhubarb for relieving pain. In order to ensure the curative effect of drugs, the working people in our country have accumulated rich experience in drug planting, harvesting, processing, treatment and storage in long-term practice. A large number of facts have proved that the medical heritage accumulated by the ancient working people in China through long-term practice is extremely rich and precious. We should cherish this great treasure house of Chinese medicine and try to explore and perfect it.

On the other hand, the development of foreign drug knowledge was first in Egypt and India. Egypt around BC 1500? Pa Petes? (paper herb) and its post-India? Ajour Veda? Drugs have been recorded in the Vedas of life. Greece, ancient Rome and Arabia also have a long history of medical development, such as the Greek doctor demateria Medicaid? (Pharmacology), written by Galen in ancient Rome (A.D. 13 1 ~ 200)? MateriaMedica？ (Pharmacology), written by Avicenna, an Arab doctor (AD 980)? Canon medical journal? (Canon of Medicine) and so on are specialized pharmaceutical works, which have great influence on the development of ancient medicine.

Taboos for taking traditional Chinese medicine

(1) Contraindications for compatibility of traditional Chinese medicines: Some medicines may have antagonistic relations after compatibility, which may reduce their efficacy or produce toxic and side effects, so it is forbidden to use them together.

(2) Contraindications for pregnant women: mainly to avoid abortion and abortion. Because most pregnant women have poor tolerance to bad colds, high fever, severe diarrhea, blood stasis and toxic drugs, they must avoid using related drugs.

(3) Dietary taboos during medication: commonly known as taboos, mainly to avoid interference factors during medication and improve curative effect, can be divided into two categories: taboos corresponding to a certain drug and taboos during medication under different circumstances. The former is forbidden to use ginseng, amaranth, turtle shell, silver carp, licorice, onion, Changshan and vinegar. The latter should avoid cold when taking medicine for chronic diseases, spicy and greasy products, fish, shrimp, geese and spicy and irritating products during the treatment of fever, carbuncle and dermatosis.

(4) It is forbidden to take Chinese medicine decoction overnight: Chinese medicine contains starch, sugar, protein, vitamins, volatile oil, amino acids, various enzymes, trace elements and other components, most of which are dissolved in the decoction. Usually eat half in warm weather and eat half after 4-6 hours. If it is taken overnight or stored for a long time, it will not only reduce the efficacy, but also weaken the enzyme decomposition in the liquid medicine, the bacteria will multiply and hydrolyze the nutrients such as starch and sugar, which will make the liquid medicine sour and deteriorate, which is not good for human health after taking it.

As the saying goes:? Don't avoid taking medicine and break the doctor's hand? . Taboo refers to the dietary taboo when taking medicine to treat diseases. Taboo is a characteristic of Chinese medicine treatment, which has always been valued by doctors, and its related contents are also widely found in medical books such as Neijing, Treatise on Febrile Diseases and synopsis of Golden Chamber. Practice has proved that taboo is reasonable. Because the common foods we usually eat, such as fish, meat, chicken, eggs, vegetables, fruits, sauces, vinegar, tea, wine, etc., also have their own properties, which have a certain impact on the occurrence, development and therapeutic effect of drugs.

(5) Chinese medicine should not be taken with sugar.

Some people often add sugar when they eat Chinese medicine, because the decoction is bitter and difficult to swallow. In this regard, experts pointed out that some Chinese medicines are not suitable for taking after adding sugar, and the medicine after adding sugar reduces the bitterness and reduces the efficacy.

According to experts, Chinese medicine has four flavors: cold, hot, warm and cool, and five flavors: pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Among them, pungent, sweet, sour and salty Chinese medicines have different effects. Adding sugar to some traditional Chinese medicines will change the medicinal properties of Bitter Soup and affect the curative effect.

Some bitter drugs can stimulate peripheral nerves and reflexively secrete digestive juices such as saliva and gastric juice, thus helping digestion and promoting appetite. If you put a lot of sugar in the medicine and completely cover up the bitter taste, you will lose the effect of strengthening the stomach.