Date & Time: 14:00-15:30, May 23, 2024 (Beijing Time)

Venue: AB W201

Topic:

Danggui Buxue Tang (A Chinese Angelica Decoction): A Sample Trial in Traditional Chinese Medicine Standardization

Abstract:

The major stumbling block on the internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is lacking a complete set of quality standards that can be recognized and accepted by the international community through an objective and stringent validation process. That is to say, Chinese medicine needs to be standardized. The standardization is set by the state and the international regulation authorities that demand scientific proof on the safety, quality and efficacy of TCM. By using the simplest TCM formula Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT; 當歸補血湯), here we present some existing problems and current strategy to tackle this task based on the uniqueness of Chinese medicines. DBT is a simple TCM preparation that has been commonly used among Chinese people for about 800 years. The use of DBT was first recorded in Neiwaishang Bianhuo Lun (內外傷辨惑論) by Li Dongyuan (李東垣) in 1247, who described that the formulation should contain two herbs: Astragali Radix (Huangqi; 黄芪) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui; 當歸) in a weight ratio of 5 to 1, and boiled in 2 bowls of water by moderate heat until the final volume was reduced by half. DBT is prescribed for woman to improve menopausal symptoms. The Chinese medicine doctor would recommend that the patient should drink DBT decoction daily, which would increase the “Qi” and nourish the “Blood” of individual. To understand the mechanism of DBT, we performed chemical and biological assays to identify active ingredients in the decoction and to develop method for its quality assurance.

About the Speaker:

Prof. Karl TSIM received his BSc and MPhil from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and PhD in Molecular Neurobiology from the University of Cambridge, UK. After his post-doctoral training at Medical School of Stanford University, USA, he joined The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in 1992. Currently, he is a Chair Professor of Division of Life Science, Director of Center for Chinese Medicine and Director of Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Edible & Medicinal Bioresources at the university. He is the Founding Chairman of Hong Kong Association of Biotechnology in Chinese Medicine. Prof. Tsim has developed molecular technique to determine the genetic and chemical properties of Chinese herbs. He has published about 500 scientific papers and serves as editors for many scientific journals internationally. His works on Chinese herbal medicine have been awarded twice for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences from Ministry of Education of China. He also serves as an adviser/consultant/member to various organizations, both nationally and internationally, in the standardization of Chinese herbs, which include WHO and HKSAR Government in Testing and Certification of Chinese herbs. He is an active entrepreneur and is the founding directors of few biotech companies.

Host: Prof. Jihang CHEN