中藥學導論.pdfVIP

BCHM3701 Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine 中藥學導論 Zhang-Jin Zhang (張樟進), Professor School of Chinese Medicine, HKU Contents  Properties and clinical use principles of Chinese herbal medicine  Commonly used herbs  Composition principles of herb formulae  Modern research of Chinese herbal medicine  Q A TCM-based pharmacological properties of herbs  Four natures (四性)  Five flavors (五味)  Lifting, lowering, floating, and sinking (升降沉浮)  Meridian affinity (歸經) Toxicity (毒性) The four natures (四性)  The four natures of herbs refers to “Cold (寒)”, “Cool (涼)”, “Warm (溫)” and “Hot (熱)”.  These four natures are used to describe cold- like or hot-like treatment effects, but not physical properties of herbs.  The four natures have opposing effects. Warm and hot herbs have some common properties, with stronger effects of hot herbs than warm herbs, and cold herbs than cool herbs. The four natures  Cold herbs are used to treat hot diseases and warm herbs to cold diseases (热者寒之，寒者热之)。  Cold/cool herbs: for heat, hot, and fire syndromes (inflammatory conditions)  Warm/hot herbs: for cold, weak and deficient syndromes (such as immune- deficient conditions) The five flavors (五味)  The five flavors are generally said: sour (酸), bitter (苦), sweet (甘), acrid (辛), and salty (咸), sometimes also including bland (淡) and puckery/astringent (涩)。  While the five flavors may reflect real flavors of herbs tasted, they more represent different pharmacological actions of herbs.  Sour, bitter, and salty belong to Yin; acrid, sweet and bland belong to Yang. Sour (酸) Sour herbs can astringe and arrest secretion and discharge (收斂, 固澀). Sour herbs c