There are many nationalities in Chin. Based on their living environment, natural resources, national civilization, and religions, each of nationality founded their medicinal system themselves during the struggle of fight with diseases and of maintenance of national survival and reproduction. The drugs used by minority nationalities guided by traditional medicinal theory and practice are called the nationality drugs.

(1) General situation

The nationality drugs originated in the areas of minority nationalities show some distinctive local characters and national traditions. According to primary statistics 80% of 55 minority nationalities has their special nationality drugs. One third of them have independent national medicinal system. Since the foundaion of People's Republic, great achievement in exploitation, arrangement and research of the national drugs have been obtained. A lot of monographs on countrywide and local nationality drugs were published. According to the statistics, there are more than 3700 kinds of nationalily medicines in China.

Zhong Guo Min Zu Yao Zhi (Records of Chinese nationality medicines) is a book of the nationality drugs which was edited on the basis of comprehensive investigation and collection of the drugs applied by national minority. 135 kinds of drugs came from 30 nationalities and 511 kinds of basic sources were collected in Volume I of it; 120 kinds of drugs came from 35 nationalities and 425 kinds of the basic sources were collected in Volume II.

32 kinds of drugs came from 11 nationalities were collected in 1977’s edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. In its 1985’s and 1990’s edition, 12 kinds of drugs came from 4 nationalities were collected. Among them, Inula helenium (Tumuxiang), Inula racemosa (Zongzhuang tumuxiang), Podophyllum emoddi var. chinense (Xiaoyelian) (also called Dysosma verssipellis [Guijiu]), Terminalia bellirica (Maokezi), and Phyllanthus emblica (Yuganzi) belonged to the the category of traditional Tibetan drugs. Fructus choerospondiatis (Guangzao), Abutilon theophrasti (Dongkuiguo), Folium aconiti kusnezoffii (Caowu ye) belong to the traditional Mongolia drugs. Hippophae rhamnoides (Saji) belonged to both the traditional Tibetan and Mongolia drugs. Cichorium intybus (Juqu), Cichorium glandulosum (Mao juqu), Nigella sativa (Heizongcao) belonged to the traditional Uighur drugs. Herba cissampelotis (Yahunu) belonged to the traditional Dai drug.

There were 404 kinds of the traditional Tibetan drugs, 400 kinds of the Dai drugs, 323 kinds of the Mongolia drugs, 324 kinds of the Yi drugs and 200 kinds of the She drugs contained in Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian (Dictionary of Chinese Medicines).

The origin, development, formation of theory system and medicinal types of the national drugs showed various national characteristics. A short guide to the national drugs of the Tibet, Mongolia, Uighur, Dai and Zhuang nationalities was as follows: