The "treatise On The Toxicity Of Drugs

"Shanghan Zabing Lun"(伤�'杂病论) written by Zhang Zhongjing is the first medical book focused on clinical practice in China. It integrated the theories, methods, prescriptions and pharmacy in order to further establish the principle of diagnosis based on the differentiation of pathogenic factors. On the foundation of the principles of pharmacy and toxicology, this paper conducted preliminary study on toxicities of Chinese medicines used in the prescriptions listed in Shanghan Lun (伤�'论), analyzed and summarized the experience accumulated by Zhang Zhongjing in controlling and applying the toxic effects of Chinese medicines. This paper aimed to identify the scientific principles of recognizing the toxicity and safe use of Chinese medicine based on these experience. It will also be helpful to further study in exploring and applying the toxic effects of Chinese medicines and reduce their harmful effects.The first part of the paper reviewed the current literature on toxicology of Chinese medicine. Toxicity of Chinese medicine refers to the ability of causing harmful effect to living organisms by chemical materials contained in the Chinese medicine. The harmful effect caused generally was called toxic effect or toxic reaction; The severity of toxicity depends on the nature and the level of harm generated to the human body. Up to now, there is no standardized classification on the toxicity of Chinese medicines. Based on the level of harms caused by the toxicity of Chinese medicine to the human body, literatures on herbal medicines in every dynasty classified the toxicity at three levels- extremely toxic, toxic and mildly toxic or slightly toxic. Extremely toxic medicines have toxicity that can cause death, such as Radix Aconiti(乌头), Fructus Crotonis(巴豆); toxic medicines are those when overdose can cause harm to human body and even death in severe case, such as toxicity of Semen Pharbitidis(牵牛子), Radix Euphorbiae...