Historical survey of the uses of crude drugs in "Nei-Wai-Shang-Bian-Huo-Lun"

Nei-Wai-Shang-Bian-Huo-Lun (Naigaisho-benwaku-ron in Japanese) written in the 13 th century is a traditional Chinese medical formulary discussing differentiation on endogenous and exogenous diseases. The endogenous diseases (Nei-Shang in Chinese and Naisho in Japanese) manifested as dyspepsia, anorexia, short breath and fatigue are morbid conditions of deficiency of pi-and wei qi (Hi-I-Ki-Kyo in Japanese), which is correspondent to decline in digestive function. For curing the deficiency of pi- and wei-qi caused by intemperance in eating and drinking, overwork, and excessive emotional changes, the formulary was recommended Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang (Hochu-Ekki-To in Japanese), in which 4 drugs (Astragali, Glycyrrhizae and Ginseng Radices, and Atractilodes Rhizome) act as a principle drugs replenishing qi, which means the functions (vital energy) of various organs of the body. The use of two drugs (Cimicifugae and Bupleuri Radices) in the formulation, which is used for morbid condition of muscle and loosening organs as prolapsed uterus, is a noteworthy theory in the formulary. Furthermore, the use of the drugs with sweet in taste and cold in nature used in the formulation Shang-Mai-San (Sho-Myaku-San in Japanese), which is used for syndrome of dry cough with short breath and palpitation to improve the heat syndrome induced by deficiency of yin (In-Kyo in Japanese), is also characteristic of the formulary.21st Century COE Program, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical Universit