Comprehensive Catalog of 210 Medicinal and Food Homology Items [2021 Edition]-Liaoning Chaohua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

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Comprehensive Catalog of 210 Medicinal and Food Homology Items [2021 Edition]

Release Date:

2021-07-15

Comprehensive Catalog of 210 Medicinal and Food Homology Items [2021 Edition]

Since ancient times, Traditional Chinese Medicine has upheld the theory of “medicine and food sharing a common origin” (also known as “medicine and diet sharing a common origin”)—a principle that holds that many foods are both nourishment and medicinal substances, capable of preventing and treating disease just as effectively as drugs.

The Tang-dynasty text Huangdi Neijing Taisu once stated: “When consumed on an empty stomach, it serves as food; when consumed by the sick, it serves as medicine,” thereby reflecting the principle of “medicine and food share a common origin.”

The Huangdi Neijing also states: “For highly toxic conditions, ten parts of the pathogenic factor are eliminated for every six parts treated; for moderately toxic conditions, ten parts are eliminated for every seven; for mildly toxic conditions, ten parts are eliminated for every eight; and for non-toxic conditions, ten parts are eliminated for every nine. Grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables—when used as food to nourish the body—can fully restore health.” This passage underscores the disease-clearing efficacy of dietary therapy.

To date, there are 20 types of Chinese medicinal materials that are classified as both food and medicine, as follows:

Cloves, star anise, fennel, sword bean, small fennel, thistle, Chinese yam, hawthorn, purslane, black rat snake, black plum, papaya, hemp seed, orange blossom, polygonatum, licorice, angelica root, ginkgo nut, white hyacinth bean, white hyacinth bean flower, longan pulp (longan), cassia seeds, lily, nutmeg, cinnamon, emblic myrobalan, citron, apricot kernel, sea buckthorn, Euryale seed, Sichuan pepper, adzuki bean, donkey-hide gelatin, chicken gizzard lining, malt, kelp, jujube (large jujube, black jujube, sour jujube), monk fruit, Prunus mume seed, honeysuckle, green fruit, Houttuynia cordata, ginger (fresh ginger, dried ginger), forsythia fruit, goji berry, gardenia fruit, amomum, Sterculia lychnophora, Poria cocos, citron, elsholtzia, peach kernel, mulberry leaf, mulberry fruit, tangerine peel, platycodon root, Alpinia oxyphylla seed, lotus leaf, radish seed, lotus seed, galangal, bamboo leaf, fermented soybean, chrysanthemum, chicory, yellow mustard seed, polygonatum rhizome, perilla, perilla seed, kudzu root, black sesame, black pepper, sophora flower buds, sophora flowers, dandelion, honey, torreya seed, sour jujube seed, fresh Imperata cylindrica root, fresh Phragmites australis rhizome, viper, tangerine peel, peppermint, coix seed, Allium macrostemon, raspberry, patchouli. Codonopsis pilosula, Cistanche deserticola, Dendrobium officinale, American ginseng, Astragalus membranaceus, Ganoderma lucidum, Gastrodia elata, Cornus officinalis, Eucommia ulmoides leaves. Ginseng, ginseng leaves, ginseng fruit, Panax notoginseng, Smilax glabra, large thistle, Ligustrum lucidum fruit, Cornus officinalis, Achyranthes bidentata, Fritillaria cirrhosa, Chuanxiong, deer fetus, deer antler velvet, deer bone, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Acanthopanax bark, Schisandra chinensis, Cimicifuga foetida, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Gastrodia elata, Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Morinda officinalis, Atractylodes macrocephala, Atractylodes lancea, Amomum villosum, Arctium lappa root, Plantago psyllium, Plantago major, Glehnia littoralis, Fritillaria thunbergii, Scrophularia ningpoensis, Rehmannia glutinosa, Polygonum multiflorum, Bletilla striata, Atractylodes japonica, Paeonia lactiflora, Amomum kravanh, Concha margaritifera, Dendrobium nobile, Cortex Lycii, Angelica sinensis, Bamboo shavings, Carthamus tinctorius, Rhodiola rosea, American ginseng, Evodia rutaecarpa, Achyranthes bidentata, Eucommia ulmoides, Eucommia leaves, Semen Sesamum indicum, Moutan cortex, Aloe vera, Atractylodes lancea, Psoralea corylifolia, Terminalia chebula, Red peony root, Polygala tenuifolia, Ophiopogon japonicus, Testudinis carapax, Agastache rugosa, Platycladus orientalis leaves, processed rhubarb, processed Polygonum multiflorum, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rosa rugosa fruit, Lycopus europaeus, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Rose flower, Roselle, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Apocynum venetum, Ku Ding tea, Tartary buckwheat, Fructus Vitex negundo, Citrus aurantium, Magnolia officinalis, Curcuma longa, Citrus aurantium, Citrus aurantium, Platycladus orientalis seeds, Pearl, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Rubia cordifolia, Piper longum, Allium tuberosum seeds, Polygonum multiflorum vine, Cyperus rotundus, Drynaria fortunei, Codonopsis pilosula, Morus alba bark, Mulberry branches, Fritillaria thunbergii, Leonurus cardiaca, Centella asiatica, Epimedium, Cuscuta, wild chrysanthemum, Ginkgo biloba leaves, Astragalus membranaceus, Hubei Fritillaria, Senna leaves, Gecko, Vaccinium species, Sophora japonica fruits, Pollen of Typha angustifolia, Tribulus terrestris, propolis, Tamarind, Eclipta prostrata, processed rhubarb, processed Rehmannia glutinosa, turtle shell.

List of foods with health-promoting effects as recorded in pharmacopoeial literature throughout the ages:

Foods that enhance or improve hearing: lotus seeds, Chinese yam, water chestnuts, water celery, mustard greens, and honey.

Foods that are believed to improve or enhance vision: Chinese yam, goji berries, water celery, pork liver, lamb liver, wild duck meat, black carp, abalone, snails, and clams.

Hair-growing (hair growth-promoting) foods: white sesame seeds, chives seeds, and walnut kernels.

Hair-nourishing (moisturizing and adding shine to hair) foods: abalone.

Foods that darken the beard and hair: black sesame seeds, walnut kernels, and barley.

Foods that promote beard growth (beneficial for men who do not grow beards): turtle meat.

Foods that enhance beauty and complexion (promoting rosy, radiant skin): goji berries, cherries, lychees, black sesame seeds, Chinese yam, pine nuts, milk, and lotus stamens.

Foods that strengthen and whiten teeth: Sichuan pepper, water celery, and lettuce.

Foods for weight loss and fat reduction: water caltrops, jujubes, Chinese torreya nuts, longan, lotus leaves, oats, and green millet.

Foods for “fattening” (improving the constitution of thin individuals and strengthening the body): wheat, japonica rice, sour jujube, grapes, lotus root, Chinese yam, black sesame, and beef.

Foods that enhance intelligence (such as improving cognitive function and nourishing the brain): japonica rice, buckwheat, walnuts, grapes, pineapple, lychee, longan, jujubes, lily bulbs, Chinese yam, tea, black sesame seeds, black wood ear mushrooms, and cuttlefish.

Foods that enhance willpower: lily bulbs and Chinese yam.

Foods that calm the mind and promote restful sleep include: lotus seeds, sour jujubes, lilies, plums, lychees, longans, Chinese yam, quail, oyster meat, and yellow croaker.

Foods that invigorate the spirit and reduce fatigue: tea, buckwheat, and walnuts.

Foods that enhance vitality (such as strengthening energy and improving mobility): buckwheat, barley, mulberries, and hazelnuts.

Foods that strengthen the muscles and bones (i.e., enhance overall physical constitution, including the tendons, bones, muscles, and stamina): chestnuts, sour jujubes, loaches, and table salt.

Foods that enhance hunger resistance (i.e., help the body tolerate hunger and delay the urge to eat): buckwheat, pine nuts, water caltrops, shiitake mushrooms, and grapes.

Appetite-enhancing and digestion-promoting foods: scallions, ginger, garlic, chives, cilantro, pepper, chili peppers, carrots, and white radish.

Foods that tonify kidney yang (to regulate sexual function and treat conditions such as impotence and premature ejaculation): walnuts, chestnuts, sword beans, pineapple, cherries, chives, Sichuan pepper, dog meat, dog penis, lamb, lamb fat, sparrow meat, venison, deer penis, bird’s nest, sea shrimp, sea cucumber, eel, and silkworm pupae.

Foods that are considered “seeds” (which enhance fertility, also known as “continuing the lineage,” and include the effect of stabilizing pregnancy): lemon, grape, black hen, sparrow meat, sparrow brains, chicken eggs, deer bone, common carp, sea bass, and sea cucumber.

The food items with therapeutic effects documented in pharmacopoeial literature throughout the ages can be summarized as follows:

Wind-Cold Dispelling Category (For symptoms of wind-cold common cold) Foods: ginger, scallions, mustard greens, and cilantro.

Wind-Heat Dispelling Type (For symptoms of wind-heat common cold) Foods: tea leaves, fermented soybeans, star fruit.

Heat-clearing and fire-draining category (For internal heat syndromes) Foods: water bamboo shoots, bracken fern, bitter greens, bitter melon, preserved duck eggs, lily bulbs, and watermelon.

Heat-clearing and yin-nourishing category (Food for conditions of dry-heat injuring body fluids): sugarcane, tomato, mandarin orange, lemon, apple, melon, sweet orange, and water chestnut.

Heat-Clearing and Damp-Drying Category (For conditions of damp-heat) Foods: toon, buckwheat.

Heat-clearing and blood-cooling category (For conditions of blood heat) Foods: lotus root, eggplant, black fungus, water spinach, sunflower seeds, table salt, celery, and loofah.

Heat-clearing and detoxifying class (For conditions of heat toxicity) Foods: mung beans, adzuki beans, peas, bitter melon, purslane, shepherd’s purse, pumpkin, and leafy greens.

Heat-clearing and throat-soothing category (For internal heat causing sore throat and swelling) Foods: olives, monk fruit, water chestnuts, and chicken egg white.

Heat-clearing and summer-heat-relieving category (For heat-related conditions) Foods: watermelon, mung beans, adzuki beans, green tea, and coconut water.

Clearing Heat and Resolving Phlegm Category (For conditions characterized by excess heat and phlegm) Foods: white radish, winter melon seeds, water chestnuts, laver, jellyfish, seaweed, kelp, and horned wrack.

Warming and Transforming Cold Phlegm Category (For conditions characterized by cold phlegm) Foods: onion, apricot, mustard seed, ginger, citron, pomelo, osmanthus, and tangerine peel.

Cough-suppressing and asthma-relieving class (Food for cough and wheezing conditions): Lily bulbs, pears, loquats, peanuts, almonds, ginkgo nuts, black plums, and bok choy.

Spleen-Strengthening and Stomach-Comforting Category (For conditions of spleen-stomach disharmony) Foods: pumpkin, cabbage, taro, pig stomach, milk, mango, pomelo, papaya, chestnut, jujube, japonica rice, glutinous rice, lentils, corn, fig, carrot, Chinese yam, white duck meat, vinegar, and coriander.

Spleen-strengthening and Dampness-resolving category (For conditions of dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach) Foods: Coix seed, broad beans, toon, and kohlrabi.

Insect-repelling (For treating intestinal parasitic infestations) Foods: Chinese torreya seeds, garlic, pumpkin seeds, coconut meat, pomegranate, vinegar, and black plum.

Digestive category (For conditions of food stagnation) Foods: radish, hawthorn, tea leaves, Shenqu, malt, chicken gizzard lining, and peppermint leaves.

Warming category (For conditions of interior cold) Foods: chili peppers, black pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, dried ginger, garlic, scallions, chives, yardlong beans, osmanthus flowers, mutton, and chicken.

Wind-dampness-dispelling herbs (For rheumatic conditions) Foods: cherries, papaya, Acanthopanax bark, coix seed, quail, loach, and chicken blood.

Diuretics (For conditions of difficulty in urination and edema) Foods: corn, adzuki beans, black beans, watermelon, winter melon, gourd, Chinese cabbage, white duck meat, common carp, and crucian carp.

Laxative-type (For constipation) Foods: spinach, bamboo shoots, tomatoes, bananas, and honey.

Sedative class (For neurasthenia and insomnia) Foods: lotus seeds, lily bulbs, longan pulp, sour jujube seeds, wheat, glutinous millet, mushrooms, pig heart, and stonehead fish.

Qi-regulating category (For conditions of qi stagnation) Foods: citron, orange, tangerine peel, fingered citron, mandarin orange, buckwheat, sorghum, sword bean, spinach, white radish, chives, fennel, and garlic.

Blood-activating category (For conditions of blood stasis) Foods: peach kernels, rapeseed, arrowhead, eggplant, hawthorn, wine, vinegar, earthworms, and clam meat.

Hemostatic agents (Food for bleeding disorders): Daylily, chestnut, eggplant, black fungus, thistle, black plum, banana, lettuce, loquat, lotus root node, sophora flower, and pig intestine.

Astringent category (For conditions involving slipping and instability) Foods: pomegranate, black plum, Euryale seed, sorghum, Chinese crabapple, lotus seed, yellow croaker, and catfish.

Liver-soothing category (For conditions of excessive liver yang) Foods: celery, tomato, green tea.

Qi-tonifying category (Foods for conditions of Qi deficiency): Japonica rice, glutinous rice, millet, yellow millet, barley, Chinese yam, naked oat, indica rice, potato, jujube, carrot, shiitake mushroom, tofu, chicken, goose, quail, beef, rabbit, dog meat, black carp, and silver carp.

Blood-tonifying (Food for blood-deficiency conditions): mulberries, lychees, pine nuts, black fungus, spinach, carrots, pork, lamb, beef liver, sheep liver, soft-shelled turtle, sea cucumber, and grass carp.

Yang-tonifying category (Food for Yang-deficiency conditions): Goji vegetables, goji berries, walnut kernels, yardlong beans, chives, cloves, sword beans, goat’s milk, mutton, dog meat, venison, pigeon eggs, sparrow meat, loach, sea shrimp, and mussels.

Yin-nourishing category (Food for yin-deficiency conditions): white fungus, black wood ear mushrooms, napa cabbage, pears, grapes, mulberries, milk, egg yolks, soft-shelled turtle, cuttlefish, and pork skin.

The Provincial Party Secretary issued instructions, the Governor attended the meeting and delivered a speech, and Liaoning Province convened a conference on building the province into a leading hub for traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine is poised for the greatest development opportunity in its history! We’ve outlined the opportunities across the application, institutional, and policy fronts.

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