[Differentiation of species of Bupleurum and its changes]

Bupleurum is originated from the genus of Bupleurum chinensis DC of Umbelliferae. In China, the species of bupleurum for medicinal used are very complicate. During the Han-Tang Dynasties the bupleurum used covered a variety of its genera from Umbelliferae. "Yinzhou bupleurum" is the most famous in the Song Dynasty. Due to the continuous deterioration of its growing environment, the resources of the wild species of Yinzhou Bupleurum was declined, hence, those grown in other locations gradually attracted people's interests. Bupleutum was differentiated as Northern and Southern ones in the Ming Dynasty based on its different properties. Similar in its morphology and growing location to the Yinzhou Bupleurum, the Stellaria dichotoma lanceolata of the Caryophyllaceae was used as a substitute for the former. However, due to its prominent medicinal effects different from the Yinzhou one, the latter was continuously applied as a new herb. There are 2 great varieties of bupleurum used in modern times, the Bupleurum chinensis DC, and the Bupleurm scorzonerifolium Willd. Since the species of bupleurum in the current market are very complicate, and its clinical applications are quite confused, standardization and strengthening of its research are badly needed so as to promote its marketing.