Traditional Chinese medicine is a complete medical system that has diagnosed, treated and prevented illness for over twenty‐three centuries. This concise reference book provides a comprehensive introduction to the basics of Chinese medicine, its concepts, its basic principles, therapy and medication. It is the result of the efforts of numerous people, foremost amongst whom are scholars and experts in the field.
The main section of the book is an A‐Z of drugs and treatment. This includes more than 5,000 entries arranged in alphabetical order according to the English alphabet and covering a wide spectrum, such as symptoms, diseases, acupuncture points, herbal remedies and other drugs used in Chinese medicine. The reader can therefore get required information on relevant issues. Considering that traditional Chinese medicine has such a history, it is understandable that it does not include all the terms! Each entry is clearly defined and the majority of entries include pathogenesis, therapeutic principle, effect and indication. Also included are four‐colour images of the most important herbs and medicinal plants that are mentioned in the reference book. The editor, however, does point out that the captions show the titles of the related lexical entries (marked by a blossom symbol and an alphanumeric reference) and therefore do not always match the plant’s organ used for medication.
The drawback to this title is that it does not include the origins of traditional Chinese medicine. Most other sources on this subject include the background so it is surprising that it is not mentioned in this otherwise comprehensive text.
In closing, I feel that a reader familiar with the terminology of traditional Chinese medicine may best use this book. In particular, it will be an indispensable guide for medical practitioners and pharmacists wanting to increase their knowledge of the field. It would also be a useful addition for reference in a medical library.
