Book Description:
Natural products are the most successful source of drugs. Of the 877 small-molecule new chemical entities introduced between 1981 and 2002, roughly half were natural products, semi-synthetic natural product analogues or natural mimics. Chinese herbs (traditional Chinese medicines, TCMs) have been used for prevention and treatment of diseases for thousands years. It has been attracting intensive attention in the trends of back to nature. As herbal medicines, the conditions of growth, harvest time, process and storage etc. will undoubtedly affect the presence and concentration of the bioactive constituents, thus affecting their quality and efficacy.
Up to date, there are few books focus on the relationship, which is the bridge between TCM and modern medical science, of traditional clinic uses, pharmacological activities and quality control of Chinese herbs. Unfortunately, bioactive compounds in Chinese herbs are usually not or only partially known. Actually, the active compounds considered in Chinese herbs may be different according to their clinical indication. In addition, it is considered that the curative effect of Chinese herbs is an integrative result of a number of bioactive compounds. Therefore, how to control the quality is a big problem. We would like to discuss the quality control based on their traditional clinical uses and pharmacological activities in this book, which is the fundamental step towards developing and modernizing such products into evidence based medicines. It will also help the peoples to understand TCMs in modern scientific angles.
This book is designed primarily as a textbook for or adjunct to course in herbal remedies, food safety or quality control of herbs. It is also a professional reference whom is in the area of drug discovery, pharmaceutical analysis and food chemistry.

Table of Contents:
I. Introduction

1. Strategies for quality control of Chinese medicine
(Shao-ping Li, Inst. of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 1-10)

2. Cell materials biospecific extraction for hypothesis of active components in Chinese medicines
(Jing Wang, Jing Zhao, Li Yu, Shao-ping Li, Inst. of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical Univ., Nanjing, China; Nanjing Univ. of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China) (pp. 11-19)

3. Recent development on sample preparation for quality control of Chinese herbs
(Hua Yu, Feng-qing Yang, Yi-fan Han, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China; Dept. of Biochemistry, The Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology; Dept. of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (pp. 21-71)

4. Recent development on analytical techniques for quality control of Chinese herbs
(Jia Guan, Xiao-jia Chen, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 73-114)

5. Applications of capillary electrophoresis ¨C mass spectrometry approach in herbal medicine analyses
(Liya Ge, Jean Wan Hong Yong, Swee Ngin Tan, Natural Sciences and Science Education Academic Group, Nanyang Technological Univ.) (pp. 115-136)

II. Pharmacological activities and quality control of selected Chinese herbs

6. Dongchongxiacao (Cordyceps sinensis)
(Shao-ping Li, Feng-qing Yang, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 139-156)

7. Rengongchongacao (Cultured Cordyceps sinensis)
(Kun Feng, Feng-qing Yang, Shao-ping Li, Inst. of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 157-178)

8. Sanqi (Panax notoginseng)
(Jian-bo Wan, Yi-tao Wang, Shao-ping Li, Inst. of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 179-203)

9. Beimu (Fritillaria spp)
(Hui-Jun Li, Ping Li, Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines (China Pharmaceutical Univ.), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China; Yan Jiang, Nanjing Forestry Univ., Nanjing, China) (pp. 205-216)

10. Yinyanghuo (Epimedium spp)
(Xiao-jia Chen, Yi-tao Wang, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 217-234)

11. Huangqi (Astragalus spp)
Jun Li, Winnie Z.M. Li, Kui-jun Zhao, Wen Huang, Cathy W.C. Bi, Ran Duan, Tina T.X. Dong, Karl W.K. Tsim, Dept. of Biology and Center for Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong; Beijing Friendship Hospital, Affiliate of Capital Univ. of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China) (pp. 235-250)

12. Lingzhi (Ganoderma spp)
(Jian-li Gao, Ying-bo Li, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 251-272)

13. Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong,)
(Sunny Sun-kin Chan, Ru Yan, Ge Lin, Dept. of Pharmacology, Chinese Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR) (pp. 273-289)

14. Ezhu and Yujin (Curcuma spp.)
(Feng-qing Yang, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 291-310)

15. Guanghuoxiang (Pogostemon cablin)
(Ying Zhang, Jinan Univ. College of Pharmacy, Guangzhou, China; Hui Cao, National Engineering Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhuhai, China; Michael Mengsu Yang, The City Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Peigen Xiao, Inst. of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China) (pp. 311-324)

16. Wuweizi (Schisandra chinensis)
(Yan Lu, Jian-ping Gao, Dao-feng Chen, Dept. of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan Univ.) (pp. 325-338)

17. Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
(Peng Li, Yi-tao Wang, Shao-ping Li, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 339-363)

18. Jinyinhua (Lonicera japonica)
(Jun Chen, Ping Li, Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical Univ., Nanjing, China) (pp. 365-380)

19. Juhua (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
(Jin-ao Duan, Yuping Tang, Dawei Qian, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for TCM Formulae Research, Nanjing Univ. of Traditional Chinese Medicine) (pp. 381-389)

20. Chishao (Paeonia spp)
(Quan-hong Zhu, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical Univ.) (pp. 391-404)

21. Chuipencao (Sedum sarmentosum)
Li-fang Liu, Zhu-qing Wan, Le Xie, Xiao-li Ma, The Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines (Ministry of Education) and Dept. of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical Univ., Nanjing, China) (pp. 405-415)

22. Danggui (Angelica sinensis)
(Sin-cheng Lao, Simon Ming-yuen Lee, Inst. of Chinese Medical Sciences, Univ. of Macau, Macao SAR, China) (pp. 417-440)

Index