Pharmaceutical Names of Herbs
Translated by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu
Pharmaceutical names of herbs come from the derivations of botanical names. The pharmaceutical names are made by adding a, e, i, icis and cis to the end of the botanical names:
Botanical names that end with a: add e
Botanical names that end with n: add e
Botanical names that end with um: replace um with i
Botanical names that end with ex: add icis
Botanical names that end with x: add cis
Examples:
Parts of Plants | Pharmaceutical Names | Botanical Names |
Roots | Radix Angelicae dahuricae | Angelica dahurica |
Roots | Radix Platycodi | Platycodon |
Underground stems | Rhizoma cimicifugae | Cimicifuga |
Bulbs | Pseudobulbus Cremastrae seu Pleione | Cremastra or Pleion |
Whole plants | Herba Artemisiae annuae | Artemisia annua |
Leaves | Folium Perillae | Perilla |
Flowers | Flos Chrysanthemi | Chrysanthemum |
Branches | Ramulus Cinnamomi | Cinnamomum |
Medulla | Medulla Tetrapanacis | Tetrapanax (papyriferus) |
Fruits | Fructus Viticis | Vitex |
Seed | Semen Cassiae | Cassiae |
Wooden part | Lignum Santali albi | Santalum album |
Oil | Oleum Sesami | Sesamum |
Source of information: Chamber of Seed Research, Taiwan University, Taiwan, Republic of China.