Recent advances in pharmacognosy research in China

1. Progress made in pharmacognostic research by Chinese investigators in the last decade is summarized herein. 2. This review covers studies on herbal properties, resources, identification, physicochemical evaluation, cultivation, breeding, tissue culture, collection, processing, preparation, active principles and pharmacological activities of traditional and herbal Chinese drugs. 3. As a result of these research activities errors in species identification were spotted, new drug resources were revealed, new taxa were discovered, crude drugs were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, optimal conditions for cultivation and breeding of plants and animals used as drugs were formulated, the quality of some drugs was controlled, the drug processing procedures and storage conditions were evaluated, and the chemistry and pharmacology of a number of crude drugs were elucidated.