Traditional Chinese medicines, such as the practice of herbal medicine and acupuncture, are becoming widely accepted alternative medical treatments in the medical field outside China. Nevertheless, the terminology and usage, many of which are not even understood among present day Chinese, always pose a challenge to the practitioner. This lexicon makes possible the speedy identification of Chinese materia medica. Approximately 2,000 species of plants, 135 species of animals and 110 kinds of minerals and other chemicals used in traditional Chinese medicine are included. Listed alphabetically are the English, Chinese, scientific and pharmaceutical names of the Chinese drugs.

This book has been a useful reference for natural and medical scientists since its publication in 1980. About 50 new Chinese drugs have been added to this new and revised edition.