Chinese patent medicines refer to medicines made from traditional Chinese medicines. There are two specific applications, one is for medical use in a narrow sense, and the other is for use in daily life in a broad sense.

One is Chinese patent medicine in a narrow sense, which mainly refers to ready-made medicines made from Chinese medicinal materials according to certain treatment principles and can be taken at any time, such as various pills, powders, and granules in Chinese patent medicines. , liquors, tinctures, ointments, etc., these are the Chinese patent medicines that people often refer to in life; the other is the broad sense of Chinese patent medicines, which in addition to the concept of Chinese patent medicines in the narrow sense, also includes all processed products. Herbal medicines.

The various patent medicines referred to in the narrow sense of Chinese patent medicines are all ready-made Chinese medicines that meet urgent needs and are easy to store. Compared with traditional Chinese medicines, patent medicines save the decoction time necessary for traditional Chinese medicine decoctions, and they are very convenient to use because they can be carried around without the need for decoction and other utensils. Since most Chinese patent medicines are concentrated products after certain special processing, the dosage required each time is much less than that of traditional Chinese medicine decoctions. Moreover, the proprietary medicines have almost eliminated the unpleasant irritation of taking traditional Chinese medicine decoctions such as the peculiar smell. In terms of medication response, it is also easier to be accepted by the public.

Of course, Chinese patent medicines in the narrow sense also have certain shortcomings, which are mainly reflected in the unchanging ingredient composition and dosage ratio of the patent medicines. Since the formula has been established and the medicine has been made, patent medicines often cannot be as flexible as decoctions and can be added or subtracted according to the disease, which limits the practical application of patent medicines.