Appendix
Quick Reference to Herb Names

This table helps to better identify the Chinese herbal materials mentioned in the text. The common names that are used throughout the text are those that have been utilized by ITM and the Oriental Healing Arts Institute for the past thirty years, with a few minor changes. The pinyin terms will help those who are not familiar with the common names to refer to most Chinese literature. It is a frequent practice in China to use many different herbs as a source of the same basic item; these herbs have the same therapeutic action, from the traditional viewpoint. This cross-reference index lists a single, representative botanical source for the item. The plant part used has been indicated. There is some confusion in the literature about the designation of fruits and seeds, especially since some plants produce a structure that is essentially both. There is also some confusion about whether just the tops or the whole plant is used for some weedy herbs. It may depend on the collection techniques and post-collection cleaning as to what is actually obtained. Not all the materials listed here are derived from plants. For animals, the scientific name is given and has the same structure as the botanical names; for minerals, a common name or a chemical description may be given. The category listing refers to the Materia Medica section, and is mainly that used in Oriental Materia Medica. The Materia Medica category does not necessarily define the primary current use of the herb; it does, however, indicate a major application of the herb.