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How many drugs and prescriptions were listed in the Bencao gangmu?

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The Bencao gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), compiled by the Ming dynasty scholar Li Shizhen, is a foundational work in traditional Chinese medicine.

The text documents:

  • Drugs: 1,892 drugs, which include 1,094 herbs, 444 animal substances, and 275 mineral substances.12
  • Prescriptions: Approximately 11,000 formal prescriptions for the treatment of specific ailments.12

Completed in 1578, this comprehensive work remains a significant historical record of medical knowledge, detailing various substances and their therapeutic applications.12