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115 Herbs common to Western & Chinese Medicine Traditions

The following list is important to support the similarity of Materia Medica used in the Western and Chinese Traditions. A large number of the most important medicines are common to both systems, while each system also has its own peculiar and unique medicines. However, by recognising the Materia Medica common to both systems, we can see some of the most important medicines used in Traditional Medicine. Importantly, in many cases the use in both East and West is very similar, again supporting early sharing of information.

Many of the classical animal and mineral remedies are common to both systems, and in addition, many of the listed medicines have been used in the Western Tradition for centuries before use in TCM.



Herbal Medicines
English name
Agrimony (E)                
Almond                     
Almond, Bitter         
Aloe                           
Aloeswood               
Angelica (1)           
Arum (E)                        
Asafetida                   
Asarum (E)                    
Asparagus root (E)      
Benzoin                     
Black Nightshade    
Calamus                    
Camphor                   
Cannabis seed           
Cardamon, Greater
Cassia Wood               
Catechu               
Chebulic Myrobalan
China root               
Cinnamon               
Citron                   
Clove                   
Coltsfoot               
Coriander               
Corn Silk               
Costus                   
Cyperus Rotundus   
Dandelion               
Dittany, White (2)
Dodder (herb of)           
Dragons Blood           
Duckweed               
Fennel                 
Fenugreek               
Figwort (E)             
Frankincense
Galangal               
Galls                   
Garlic
Gentian (E)
Ginger                   
Hawthorn               
Herb Paris (E)             

Hog Fennel              
Chinese name
Xian He Cao
Xing Ren
Ku Xing Ren
Lu Hui
Chen Xiang
Bai Zhi/Dang Gui
Tian Nan Xing
E Wei
Xi Xin
Tian Men Dong
An Xi Xiang
Long Kui
Shi Chang Pu
Bing Pian/Zhang Nao
Huo Ma Ren
She Ren
Rou Gui
Er Cha
He Zi
Tu Fu Ling
Gui Pi / Rou Gui
Ju Yuan / Fo Shou
Ding Xiang
Kuan Dong Hua
Xiang Cai
Yu Mi Xu
Mu Xiang
Xiang Fu
Pu Gong Ying
Bai Xian Pi
Tu Si Zi (seed of)
Xue Jie
Fu Ping
Xiao Hui Xiang
Hu Lu Ba
Xuan Shen
Ru Xiang
Gao Liang Jiang
Wu Bei Zi
Da Suan
Long Dan Cao
Jiang, Gan Jiang
Shan Zha
Chong Lu
Qian Hu

English name
Horsetail               
Jujube                   
Knotgrass              
Licorice               
Leek seed               
Lovage               
Madder               
Malted Barley               
Mallow seed               
Mint                   
Mistletoe               
Motherwort               
Mugwort               
Mulberry               
Mustard seed               
Myrrh                   
Nutmeg               
Nux Vomica               
Orange peel               
Peach kernel               
Peony                   
Pepper, Black               
Pepper, Long               
Plantain               
Plantain seed               
Pomegranate               
Pomegranate peel    
Purslane               
Radish seed               
Rhubarb               
Rose                   
Safflower               
Saffron                   
Sandalwood               
Self Heal               
Senna                   
Seseli, Siler Montane (3)
Solomans Seal           
Storax                   
Tabasheer               
Tumeric               
Walnut                   
Water Plantain               
Zedoary

Chinese name
Mu Zei
Da Zao
Bian Xu
Gan Cao
Jiu Cai Zi
Chuan Xiong
Qian Cao Gen
Mai Ya
Dong Kui Zi
Bo He

Sang Ji Sheng
Yi Mu Cao
Ai Ye
Sang Shen
etc.
Bai Jie Zi
Mo Yao
Rou Dou Kou
Ma Qian Zi

Ju Pi, Chen Pi
Tao Ren
Shao Yao / Bai Shao
Hei Hui Jiao
Bi Ba
Che Qian Cao
Che Qian Zi
Shi Liu
Shi Liu Pi
Ma Chi Xian
Lai Fu Zi
Da Huang
Mei Gui Hua
Hong Hua
Xi Hong Hua
Tan Xiang
Xia Ku Cao
Fan Xie Ye
Fang Feng
Yu Zhu
Su He Xiang
Tian Zhu Huang
Jiang Huang
He Tao Ren
Ze Xie
E Zhu


NOTE: In the Table, '(E)' denotes a closely related herb that is deemed Equivalent.
1. Angelica shares properties more similar to Angelica Bai Zhi, but shares some tonic properties of Dang Gui.
2. White Dittany is synonymous with Dictamnus Bai Xian Pi of TCM
3. Siler Montane is closely related to Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, which was previously classed as a species of
Siler. The latter makes a reasonable substitute for Siler Montane of Western formulas.



Animal and Mineral Medicines
Alum                   
Amber                   
Bezoar                   
Borax                   
Calamine               
Calcite                   
Cantharide               
Cinnabar               
Cuttlefish bone           
Earthworm               
Glaubers Salt               
Gold                   
Gypsum              

Bai Fan
Hu Po
Niu Huang
Peng Sha
Lu Gan Shi
Hua Rui Shi
Ban Mao
Zhu Sha
Hai Piao Xiao
Di Long
Mang Xiao
Jin
Shi Gao

Hematite
Honey                   
Litharge               
Orpiment               
Pearl                   
Musk                   
Red Earth               
Salt Peter               
Scorpion               
Silver                   
Skink / Lizard               
Sulphur               
Viper         

Dai Zhe Shi
Feng Mi
Mi Tuo Seng
Xiong Huang
Zhen Zhu
She Xiang
Chi Shi Zhi
Xiao Shi
Quan Xie
Yin
Ge Jie
Liu Huang
Bai Hua She


See also
Chinese Materia Medica
Chinese Medicines used in the West before TCM

Chinese Names for Western, Indian and Tibetan Herbs
38 Obsolete Western Medicines with Chinese Equivalents

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