The origin of nationality drugs in China

The traditional Chinese nationality medicines include all of the materia medica used by Han nationality and other nationalities. It is the treasure shared by all of Chinese. Each nationality has characterastics in using its special medicines. At the same time, they learn and share other nationalities’ experimences also. More than 100 kinds drugs original used by minority nationalities were selected and recorded in ancient literature of Chinese materia medica. For example, Eretmochelys imbricata (Daimao) collected in Ben Cao Shi Yi (Make Good Omissions of Chinese Materia Medica) came from folk drugs of the Zuang nationality. Nowaday, many of common used medicinal materials came from the regions of the minority nationalities, including Cordyceps sinensis (Dongchongxiacao), Moschus moschiferus (Shexiang), Panax ginseng (Renshen), Gastrodia elata (Tianma), Panax pseudo-ginseng var. notoginseng (Sanqi), Lyciyum barbarum (Gouji), Cistanche salsa or C. deserticola or C. ambigua (Dayun), Glycyrriza uralensis (Gancao), Epheddra sinica or E. equisetina or E. intermedia (Mahuang), Carthamus tinctorius (Honghua), Acacia catechu (Ercha), Amomum villosun or A. xanthioidess (Sharen), Resina draconis (Xuejie), Laccifer lacca (Zijiaochong), Fritillaria cirrhosa or F. cirrhosa or F. cirrhosa var. ecirrhosa or F. delavayo (Beimu) , etc. A lot of drugs of the Han nationality were also transplanted and applied by the minority nationalities.

The alternate use of medicines was a best example of using the nationality drugs. There are more than 300 kinds of drugs used commonly by both the Tibetan and the Han nationalities; More than 400 kinds of traditional medicines used by both the Mong and the Han; 155 kinds by both the Uigur and the Han; 80 kinds by both the Wa and the Han. It is not unusual that some medicines used by many nationalities. For instance, Terminalia chebula (Hezi) is used by 7 nationalities; Asparagus cochinensis (Tiandong) by 18 nationalities; Verbena officinalis (Mabiancao) by 20 nationalities; Houttuynia cordata (Yuxingcao) by 23 nationalities; Pantago asiatica or P. depressa (Cheqian) by 29 nationalities. The cases also showed in local area, such as there are 500 kinds of the traditional Mongolia drugs in Baingeleng Mongolia Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, 70% of them are same medicines as what are used by Han nationality. Also, about half of the traditional Tibetan drugs used commonly by Tibetan nationality and Qian nationality in Aba Area, Sichuan Province are same with the medicines used by the Han nationality. 121 kinds of drugs were by both the Han nationality and the Tibetan nationality in the Qinghai. 10% of Mongolia drugs came from Tibetan drugs.

Things became complicated when same traditional medicines used by different nationalities. Sometimes, the names of medicines used by different nationalities are same, but they come from totally different resources. Or practitioners of different nationalities may use a same medicinal material, but the portion of the material they used are different. For example, skin of Erinaceus europaeus (Ciwei bi) is used as traditional Chinese medicine, while gallbladder of Erinaceus europaeusl (Ciwei dan) is used as the Korea nationality medicine. Faeces of vespertilionis (Bianfu fen) is used by the Han nationality, while blood of Vespertilio superans (Bianfu xue) is used by the Dai nationality. Carthamus tinctorius (Honghua) showed the function of promoting the blood circulation, freeing the network vessels, and removing stasis and relieving pain, but it is used to stop cough by the Uigur nationality. Cortex dixtamni (Baixianpi) could clear heat, dry dampness and dispel wind to relieve itching, but it is used to treat bleeding wound caused by knife in Ningxia Autonomous Region, where inhibited mainly by Hui nationalities. It is said in that area that " having Ba Gu Niu (the other name of Baixianpi) in family, don't worry about knife wound".