By Eric Brand

I recently had the pleasure to translate a journal article for my teachers in Hong Kong (Prof. Zhao Zhongzhen & "Eric" Guo-Ping) on the formation of daodi medicinal material.  When the article was first published online, it was only available by subscription, but the free full-text appears to be available online at the moment.  The article, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, can be found at the following link:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037887411200061X

Abstract:

Daodi medicinal material refers to medicinal material used in Chinese medicine that is produced and assembled in specific geographic regions with designated natural conditions and a designated ecological environment, with particular attention to cultivation technique, harvesting and processing. The quality and clinical effects of daodi medicinal materials surpass products of the same botanical origin produced from other regions. Daodi medicinal materials are widely recognized and have long enjoyed a good reputation. Based on literature, market and field investigation on daodi medicinal materials, the historical background and reasons behind the formation and the development of daodi medicinal material are analyzed. This review clarifies the concept and rationalizes the formation of daodi medicinal material.