[Preliminary processing, processing and usage of Dendrobii Caulis in history].

On account of the dense cuticles of the fresh stem and the light, hard and pliable texture of the dried stem, Dendrobii Caulis is difficult to dry or pulverize. So, it is very important to the ancient doctors that Dendrobii Caulis should be properly treated and applied to keep or evoke its medicinal effects. The current textual research results about the preliminary processing, processing and usage methods of Dendrobii Caulis showed that: (1) In history the clinical use of fresh or processed Dendrobii Caulis as teas and tinctures were very common. (2) Its roots and rhizomes would be removed before using. (3) Some ancillary approaches were applied to shorten drying times, such as rinsing with boiling mulberry-ash soup, washing or soaking with liquor, mixing with rice pulp and then basking, etc. (4) According to the ancients knowledge, the sufficient pulverization, by means of slicing, rasping, hitting or pestling techniques, was necessary for Dendrobii Caulis to take its effects. (5) The heat processing methods for Dendrobii Caulis included stir-baking, stir-frying, steaming, decocting and stewing techniques, usually with liquor as an auxiliary material. Among above mentioned, steaming by pretreating with liquor was most commonly used, and this scheme was colorfully drawn in Bu Yi Lei Gong Pao Zhi Bian Lan (Ming Dynasty, 1591 CE) ; moreover, decocting in advance or long-time simmering so as to prepare paste products were recommended in the Qing Dynasty. (6) Some different processing programs involving stir-baking with grit, air-tightly baking with ondol (Kangs), fumigating with sulfur, which appeared in modern times and brought attractive outward appearance of the drug, went against ancients original intentions of ensuring drug efficacy.

[Industry of traditional Chinese patent medicine science and technology development and review].

"Fifteen" since, our country Chinese traditional medicine industry science and technology has made remarkable achievements. In this paper, the development of science and technology policy, Chinese medicine industry, platform construction and other aspects were analyzed, showing 10 years of Chinese traditional medicine industry development of science and technology innovation achievement and development, and on the current development of traditional Chinese medicine industry facing the main tasks and guarantee measures are analyzed.

Characterization of fresh and aged natural ingredients used in historical ointments by molecular spectroscopic techniques: IR, Raman and fluorescence.

Natural organic materials used to prepare pharmaceutical mixtures including ointments and balsams have been characterized by a combined non-destructive spectroscopic analytical approach. Three classes of materials which include vegetable oils (olive, almond and palm tree), gums (Arabic and Tragacanth) and beeswax are considered in this study according to their widespread use reported in ancient recipes. Micro-FTIR, micro-Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies have been applied to fresh and mildly thermally aged samples. Vibrational characterization of these organic compounds is reported together with tabulated frequencies, highlighting all spectral features and changes in spectra which occur following artificial aging. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy has been shown to be particularly useful for the assessment of changes in oils after aging; spectral difference between Tragacanth and Arabic gum could be due to variations in origin and processing of raw materials. Analysis of these materials using non-destructive spectroscopic techniques provided important analytical information which could be used to guide further study.

[Medicinal preparations in a manuscript of a fifteen-century Franciscan monk in Brno]. / Lécivé prípravky v rukopise brnenského frantiskána z 15. století.

Medicinal preparations in a manuscript of a fifteen-century Franciscan monk in Brno An unknown Franciscan monk, who worked in his monastery's apothecary in Brno at the beginning of the 15th century, translated many extracts from Ancient and medieval authors into Czech. The collection, supplemented perhaps also from other manuscripts, contains a number of articles on treatment. It was repeatedly copied and has been preserved in several variants. The collection lists about two hundred medicinal preparations and many other pieces of advice and recommendations, mainly based on folk wisdom and knowledge. The most frequently listed items are aromatic waters, electuaries, potions, ointments, and plasters. The paper deals primarily with the technologies of their preparation and documents them by examples from the text of the collection. The collection includes also a herbarium. Some parts of the collection are markedly similar to other Czech manuscripts.

[Study on the history of the processing of flos sophorae].

By collecting and analyzing the information of the processing of Flos Sophorae in ancient and recent literatures, we discovered that such methods as steaming, boiling, stir-frying and baking had been used before Qing Dynasty. There were more than 10 kinds of different decoction pieces due to different subsidiary agents and distinction of processing degree. In modern times, besides stir-frying with vinegar used in Jilin, stir-flying with honey used in Henan and Shandong, being crude, yellowing by stir-frying and carbonizing by stir-frying are used in other places. This research has provided useful information for the modern processing study by summarizing the previous experiences earnestly.

Drug discovery: a historical perspective.

Driven by chemistry but increasingly guided by pharmacology and the clinical sciences, drug research has contributed more to the progress of medicine during the past century than any other scientific factor. The advent of molecular biology and, in particular, of genomic sciences is having a deep impact on drug discovery. Recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies have greatly enriched our therapeutic armamentarium. Genome sciences, combined with bioinformatic tools, allow us to dissect the genetic basis of multifactorial diseases and to determine the most suitable points of attack for future medicines, thereby increasing the number of treatment options. The dramatic increase in the complexity of drug research is enforcing changes in the institutional basis of this interdisciplinary endeavor. The biotech industry is establishing itself as the discovery arm of the pharmaceutical industry. In bridging the gap between academia and large pharmaceutical companies, the biotech firms have been effective instruments of technology transfer.

[Exploration on containers for medicinal measurement].

Containers for measuring medicines, including Qian bi (coin dagger) . dao gui (knife dagger), san fen bi (3 - fen dagger) . wu fen bi (5 - fen dagger) and fang cun bi (square - ital dagger) are discussed on the basis of ancient literature records and unearthed relics. It is claimed that besides applied as a 5 - zhu coin, coin dagger can also be interpreted as the weight of 1 coin dagger. Knife dagger is a measuring container with a volume of 0.5 ml. Based on the fact that "1 - fen copper volume" measures 1.2 mil, it is suggested that a 3 - fen dagger equals 3.6 ml; while 5 - fen dagger, 6 ml. Being a flattened spoon, concave at its center, a square - cun dagger measures approximately 10 or approximately 18 ml.

[The history of Sparganium stoloniferum processing].

Through the study on medical literatures about Sparganium stoloniferum processing from Tang Dynasty to Qing Dynasty and Pharmacopoeias of China and the standards of herbal processing practised in defferent localities in China, the author summed the history of Sparganium stoloniferum processing, and its original meaning and gave suggestions to improve the Sparganium stoloniferum processing.

[A study on traditional processing methods using drug juice].

The traditional processing with drug juice has a long history, rich contents, rigid regularities and a variety of method. It is one of the important processing methods in Chinese medicine. To systematize and make better use of the traditional methods of processing drug juices, this paper has conducted an investigation from such angles as historical background, approximate rules of composing and clinical application.