title: [The etymological study of mudan and shaoyao in Chinese herbal medicine (Part 1). A Comparative Study of mudan and Ardisia spp].
abstract: In China, present-day, the tree peony is not only being used in traditional medicine, but has also been extolled to a status equivalent to that of a national flower. This plant is now called mudan in the Chinese language, although it seems disputable what plant mudan originally referred to. Particularly, the botanical accounts on mudan in the Newly Revised Canon of Materia Medica (Xinxiu Bencao) contain some discrepancies regarding the actual features of the tree peony. The primary investigation of this issue has already been published, and reached the conclusion that mudan used to refer to Ardisia spp. However, further verifications looking at different aspects are required. This paper intends to show that mudan and Ardisia ssp. have shared drug properties and usages as listed in various Chinese medical texts. These consistencies certify that mudan can possibly be replaced with Ardisia ssp., when we utilize the pre-Tang dynasty's prescriptions. In addition, there is further significant evidence for the notion that mudan used to refer to Ardisia ssp.
authors: Ibaraki University. 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512.
authors: Teruyuki
authors: T
authors: Kubo
mesh_terms: D031644:Ardisia; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000266:history*; D029596:Paeonia; D009626:Terminology as Topic