藥材品質鑑定本草探源

THE IDENTIFICATION AND DISCERNMENT OF CHINESE MEDICINAL MATERIALS IN CLASSICAL TCM LITERATURES

重視「道地藥材」是台灣河洛中藥文化最重要的特質，精選品質優良的藥材才能達到最佳的療效。這種鑑別知識，一直是中藥房老師傅的袖裡乾坤，不輕易道出的秘門絕學。考證歷代本草、醫籍上有很豐富的記載，但古籍汗牛充棟，過去人工閱讀，無法窺其門徑。衛生署中醫藥委員會從1993 年推展「中醫藥典籍資訊化」，迄今已發展非常成功的研究材料與方法，足以從事此典籍電腦分析的研究工作。以品選「者、為、最，上、良、佳、真、勝、善」配對18 個關鍵詞查尋，共14,065 筆，選取、刪無關內容，整合完成，有品質鑑別的論述，共計448 種藥品，90 本書，書章節名及敘述文字，共計1,470 筆39,012 字。例舉人參等8 種4,340 字為範列來說明，並對相關出典書籍、記載內容等做統計分析，討論。本研究證明中藥業「父子相傳，師徒相授」傳承的方式，他們珍重的中藥鑑別知識，有淵遠流長的依據有所本，這種經驗累積是中醫藥實證醫學的瑰寶，中藥商保存很完整的河洛中藥文化，不但有歷史學社會學的意義，還有現代實際應用的價值，值得將來分別就各專題深入研究。The value that is placed in discerning the quality and authenticity of Chinese medicinal substances is one of Taiwan’s native Holo medical traditions most significant characteristics. Discerning and selecting the best quality plant material substances for medicinal preparations in order to achieve the highest effective curative result, has been a well regarded secret, among Holo practitioners. This type of knowledge has always been centered on the relationship between master and apprentice. This knowledge is the result of accumulative years of empirical knowledge, which has been transmitted down from generation to generation, mostly from father to son or from master to apprentice. Much of the classical literature is abundant with such knowledge but unfortunately there has also been an inability to grasp the information contained in the literature. The committee on Chinese herbal medicine, has from 1993 up to the present, promoted and encouraged the computerized information exchange of classical literature, and this exchange has successfully grown and developed. The use of computerized technology has made it possible to further comprehend and analyze many different sources of literature. With many special selections this technology has enabled us to search and analyze many sources contained in this vast literature. With an ability to search 18 key words amounting to 14,065, and also being able to choose, match and delete irrelevant content. Within this technological pool of information we have on our disposal 448 different kinds of medicinal substances, 90 text books all together, 1,470 chapters and 39,012 words in all. To illustrate the magnitude of this system we give one example: ginseng, there are 8 different types of ginseng and for these 8 different types; there are 4,340 entries for just these 8 herbs alone. This technology allow us to explore in more detail and with greater efficiency the historical perspectives of the Holo medical tradition. The Holo medical tradition, by its cultural practices of transmitting knowledge, from master to apprentice has been able to conserve fully intact a great wealth of knowledge, and this knowledge that has been past down through the generations is truly the great treasure of the Chinese Holo medical tradition. There are other factors involved in this analysis such as historical and sociological that need to be further investigated, but this will have to be another topic of discussion and research.