Traditional Chinese medicine is often seen as an old, antiquated system, overshadowed by the dominance of Western medicine. However, traditional herbs passed down and used by generations have now found their way into the toolboxes of modern doctors.
Qīnghāo (artemisinin)
One of the most famous examples is artemisinin, a compound found in the Artemisia annua plant or qīnghāo (青蒿). Ancient Chinese medical texts recommend using qīnghāo to treat fevers by soaking it in water, squeezing the juice and ingesting it fully. This method is beneficial in producing artemisinin-rich extracts. According to Medicines for Malaria Venture, Chinese pharmaceutical chemist Tu Youyou first isolated artemisinin from the Artemisia plant in 1972. Artemisinin eventually became the basis for a groundbreaking malaria treatment, and Tu ultimately won a Nobel Prize for her work in 2015. Currently, the World Health Organization recommends artemisinin-based combination therapy as the primary treatment for uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
Curcuma wenyujin (elemene)
With its flower-like appearance and green-to-pink color gradient, the curcuma wenyujin plant is traditionally used to treat blood stasis, promote vital energy, and relieve pain. The plant is often steamed or boiled and then cut into thin, small pieces. Inside this beautiful plant is the chemical compound elemene, which has been found to slow tumor growth and force cancer cells to self-destruct. According to an article by researcher Yanhong Pan published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, beta-elemene, the most active form of the compound, can make cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation more effective while causing fewer side effects. The elemene injection is approved by China’s Ministry of Public Health and has received U.S. and European patents for its use in treating several types of cancer.
Known as gāncǎo (甘草) in Chinese, this plant has been used for thousands of years to harmonize and guide the effects of other herbs to the body, reduce inflammation and replenish qi deficiency. Qi deficiency is a condition where the body doesn’t have enough qi, which is considered to be vital energy to function properly. Traditionally prepared by decocting it in water and stir frying the root with honey, licorice root became one of the most commonly prescribed herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. Licorice root acts as a “guide drug,” which means it is used to improve the absorption and effectiveness of other herbs in the formula.
The compound glycyrrhizin, found in licorice root, has been used to treat several disorders, including hepatitis C. It is also commonly used as a laxative and expectorant in cough syrups for modern medicine due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Huanglian (berberine)
Berberine is a key active compound extracted from huánglián (黄连). Clinical studies in China have shown that berberine can reduce blood-sugar levels as a possible treatment for diabetes. It was traditionally an oral treatment made from the plant’s stems, roots or barks that treated infections, inflammatory and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and diarrhea.
Scientists are bridging the gap between traditional medicine and contemporary drug discovery. A Chinese idiom says that time is the essence of life and that even one second is worth a thousand grams of gold. There is much treasure that can be uncovered by simply looking deeper into the past.
