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What kinds of materials were used in traditional Chinese remedies?

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Moxibustion — traditional Chinese medicine In moxibustion, or moxa treatment, small cones of an herb (typically *Artemisia moxa*) are burned on top of needles placed in designated points of the body, generally the same points as those used in acupuncture.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilizes an extensive materia medica that incorporates a wide variety of natural substances to restore the balance of yin and yang within the body. These remedies are categorized into three primary types:12

Vegetable: This includes a vast array of medicinal plants, herbs, and foods. Practitioners often use specific parts of a plant, each identified for a distinct healing purpose, and may combine them into complex formulas. Examples include ginseng, rhubarb, mahuang, and mugwort, the latter of which is used in moxibustion.31
Animal: Remedies often include dried animal parts, such as insects, scorpions, snakes, and deer antlers. Historically, human material has also been included in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.421
Mineral: Various mineral substances are employed as part of the traditional medical system.1

These materials are often found in traditional pharmacies, which are described as resembling natural history museums due to the vast collection of desiccated plant and animal specimens stored in jars and drawers. The authoritative 16th-century compilation, Bencao gangmu, remains a key reference for these extensive medicinal resources.21