[Evolution of the Efficacy of Fu-pen-zi and the Reason]

Fu-pen-zi had been used as a reinforcing drug in medical literature and compatibility formulas before the book Bencao Yanyi was finished. Bencao Yanyi first mentioned that Fu-pen-zi was effective for incontinence, and this function was used to explain the meaning of its name. Doctors in later ages accepted this theory and began to use Fu-pen-zi as an astringent drug. In modern times, Fu-pen-zi is classified to astringent drugs in various editions of the Chinese materia medica textbook. The change of its classification may be relevant to the changes of its sources, maturity of the fruit and the part to be used.