Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines Vol. 4 - Isolated

In this review the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines Vol. 4 is presented as a reference volume for researchers and practitioners who need a dependable compilation of isolated compounds. The volume's single biggest selling point is its exhaustive chemical and pharmacological documentation: each entry includes a chemical structure with stereo-chemistry bonds plus conventional identifiers and physical properties, making it a practical reference for laboratory scientists, pharmacognosists and advanced students.

Key Features

• Comprehensive compound data: Includes systematic descriptions for thousands of isolated chemical components with chemical structures that show stereo-chemistry bonds for precise identification.
• Pharmacological evidence: Presents pharmacological data for nearly 8,000 compounds with experimental method, animal or cell type and quantitative results to support research interpretation.
• Extensive literature sourcing: Draws on information from 5,535 books and articles, consolidating Chinese and international journal sources in one place for easier cross-reference.
• Plant origin indexing: Lists the medicinal plants for each compound so users can trace natural sources and plan extraction or validation work.
• Cross-indexes: Includes seven indexes to allow cross-referencing across names, compounds and sources for quicker lookups.

Who It's For

This volume is best suited for professional researchers in pharmacology, natural products chemistry, and traditional medicine who require detailed chemical structures and experimental pharmacology for isolated compounds. It is also valuable to advanced graduate students compiling literature reviews or planning bioassay-guided fractionation.

Those seeking a beginner's introduction to herbal therapy or a short pocket guide for clinical practice should look elsewhere; the book is a dense, technical reference focused on isolated chemical components rather than clinical treatment protocols.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extensive chemical entries with stereo-chemistry that aid accurate compound identification.
• Substantial pharmacological detail for many compounds, including methods and quantitative data.
• Wide literature base compiled from thousands of sources, reducing the need to consult multiple journals.

Cons

• Highly technical presentation may be dense for non-specialists or casual readers.

Specifications

Title	Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines - Vol. 4: Isolated Compounds N-S
Editors / Authors	Jiaju Zhou, Guirong Xie, Xinjian Yan
Content scope	23,033 chemical components from 6,926 medicinal plants
Sources compiled	Information from 5,535 books and journal articles
Pharmacological entries	Nearly 8,000 compounds with experimental method and quantitative data
Indexes	Seven cross-indexes for name and source lookup

Our Verdict

The volume is a rigorous, high-value reference for scientists and advanced students working with natural products and traditional Chinese medicine chemistry. Its thorough chemical structures and experimental pharmacology make it indispensable for laboratory work and literature synthesis, though its technical depth means it is best used by readers with a scientific background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this volume include chemical structures?
Yes, every chemical component entry includes a chemical structure with stereo-chemistry bonds for accurate identification.

How many compounds have pharmacological data?
Pharmacological data are provided for nearly 8,000 chemical components, including methods and quantitative results where available.

Is this suitable for clinical herbalists?
It is primarily a chemical and pharmacological reference; clinical herbalists seeking treatment guidance may find it too technical and should supplement with clinical texts.