According to research, among over 2,000 commonly used Chinese herbal medicines, nearly one-third are primarily used fresh in traditional applications. Despite such a long history and extensive experience with fresh herbs, they virtually disappeared from clinical use by the mid-20th century, and the term "fresh herbs" itself became largely forgotten.For critically ill patients, especially those with high fever, fresh herbs demonstrate remarkably effective therapeutic outcomes. From a modern scientific perspective, fresh herbs retain their natural state and molecular structure without processing, drying, or other preparations, resulting in higher concentrations of active ingredients and superior efficacy. This is analogous to how fresh apples naturally contain richer nutrients compared to dried apples.Throughout China's millennia-old tradition of Chinese medicine, fresh herbs have always held a significant place. Even in the early years after the founding of the People's Republic, their use remained quite common. However, with the surge in outpatient volumes over recent decades, coupled with outdated preservation techniques and the high costs associated with cultivating, storing, and transporting fresh herbs, most varieties were replaced by dried counterparts. Fresh herbs gradually faded from public awareness, and the clinical expertise surrounding their use nearly vanished.In the 1980s, visionary figures in China's traditional medicine field advocated for restoring fresh medicinal herb supply and strengthening foundational research on preservation techniques. Fortunately, numerous clinicians and research institutions responded enthusiastically, dedicating significant resources to reinvigorating fresh herb research and development. Beijing established its Fresh Medicinal Herb Research Center in 1993.
During this renewed research, scientists identified a critical challenge: extracting the active components of fresh herbs using modern techniques without compromising their biological activity. This would elevate fresh herbs from raw plant material to the level of pharmaceutical preparations. Concurrently, research advancements abroad heightened the sense of urgency among domestic researchers.France, the United Kingdom, and Japan all placed great emphasis on fresh medicinal plant research, with numerous patents already secured for fresh medicinal plant preparations. As early as 1985, Germany's Lowguss Company had applied for a patent in China for extracting active components from fresh spring chrysanthemum.Many countries have since introduced fresh plant preparations that preserve active components intact. The most representative example is the SIPF oral suspension produced by France's ARDEVAL pharmaceutical laboratory. This formulation involves grinding fresh plants into microparticles at -50°C, then adding ethanol to create a 30% alcohol suspension. This process prevents enzymatic reactions upon returning to room temperature, thus preserving the active components.SIPF preparations contain all components of fresh plants, with formulations now available for Valeriana officinalis, Taraxacum officinale, Hypericum perforatum, and Ribes nigrum.
Drawing from international successes in fresh herbal preparations, integrating traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern processing techniques and advanced biotechnology represents a viable research direction for developing fresh herbal formulations.For a long time, domestic research on the active components and pharmacological effects of Chinese medicinal materials has been based on dried products, and many data results are not entirely applicable to fresh herbs. Additionally, the lag in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine has also become a "bottleneck" in the development of fresh herbal preparations. To this day, the active components of some Chinese medicinal materials remain uncertain. Processing fresh plants under conditions where active components are unclear makes it difficult to predict how various enzymes within the cells will affect these components, thereby impacting the efficacy of fresh herbal preparations.Numerous challenges remain to be explored and innovated upon in the development of fresh herbal preparations. Nevertheless, in the 21st century, fresh herbal formulations that integrate traditional Chinese medicine characteristics with modern scientific technology will become a vital component of the contemporary Chinese herbal medicine industry.