This region includes the most part of Tibetan Autonomic Region, the south Qinghai Province, the northwest Sichuan Province and the southwest Gansu Province. The region has high altitude and complex physiognomy with high mountain ranges distributing lengthwise and sidewise in it. Its climate is of high-cold type. There is strong sunlight in the region with great ray radiation. The plants of the region are mainly high-cold scrub forest, high-cold meadow, high-cold desert grassland, moist grassland, and warm-dry deciduous scrub forest.

There are over 1,100 kinds of Chinese materia medica in the region. Many of them are rare and valuable. The species whose reserve accounts for 60-80% of that in the whole country are Cordyceps sinensis (Dongchongxiacao), Nardostachys jatamansi or N. chinense (Gansong), Rheum palmatum or R. palmatum var. tanguticum (Dahuang) and Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora (Huhuanglian). Other important medicinal materials are Fritillaria cirrhosa (Chuan Beimu), Notopterygium incisum (Qianghuo), Coptes teeta (Zang Huanglian), Gastrodia elata (Tianma) and Gentiana tibetica or G. crassicaulis (Qinjiao). The main animal drugs are musk and pilose antler. The main medicinal minerals include cypsum, alucovite and mirabilite.

The region is suitable for the development of medicinal materials of high-mountain type, especially Cordyceps sinensis (Dongzhongxiacao), Fritillaria cirrhosa (Chuan Beimu), Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora (Huhuanglian), Nardostachys jatamansi (Gansong), Rheum palmatum (Dahuang) as well as such animals as the musk deer and pilose antler.

The region was the cradle of Tibetan medicine and Tibetan materia medica. There are between 300 to 400 kinds of commonly used Tibetan herbal drugs produced in the region, such as Gentiana urnula (Wunu longdan), Pterocephalus hookeri (Yishouhua), Aconitum naviculare (Chuankui wutou), Corydlis hendersoknii (Nepalese Huangjin), Corydalis hendersonii (Jinqiu Huangjin), Corydalis chorysosphhaera (Jinqiu Huangjin) and Oxytropis chiliophylla (Lunye jidou). It is worthwhile to further the profound study of these Tibetan drugs and develop new highly effective drugs from them.