The types of medicinal materials in Chinese patent medicine and clinical prescription

The Chinese patent medicines are preparations of regular prescriptions composed by many materials. There are 700 kinds of the Chinese patent medicines involved 574 kinds of materials collected by Zhong Guo Ji Ben Zhong Cheng Yao (Basic Chinese Patent Medicines in China) (not including any kinds of drugs with different processing methods).

Most of raw materials in Chinese patent medicines are common used one. However, some Chinese patent drugs contain folk herbs which are nerve sold in market, including Ardisia japonica (Aidicha), Clerodendron trichotomum leaf (Chouwutong ye), Celasstrus orbiculatus (Nansheteng), Trapa bispinosa (Lingjiao), Pyrus ussuriensis (Qiuli), Green radish (Qingluobo), Onion (Yangcong), Capsella bursa-pastoris (Jicai), Rhododendron simsii leaf (Dujuan ye), Lindera gambleana (Baibeiye), Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Gangrenzi), Liou mushroom (Liumo), Catharsius molossus (Qianglang), Bragonfly (Qingting), Earthworm (Shanyu), Pig's lower jaw bone (Zhuxiahegu), Sheep's shin bone (Yangjinggu), Chicken's paw (Jijiao), Sparrow's brain (Maquenao), Conch (Hailuo), Iron filings (Tiexie), Verdigris (Tonglu), Chinese ink (Xiangmo) and so on.

Clinical prescriptions are more flexible than Chinese patent medicines. It is said that there are 250-300 kinds of commonly used medicinal materials being used in clinical prescriptions, and all of the midicinal materials used for clinical prescriptions include 400-500 kinds, most of which are sold in markets.