Encyclopedia

The Encyclopedia is a multi-level interactive reference tool that includes a multi-parameter search and filtration system based on herb properties. It provides a detailed description of the constitutional properties of medicinal herbs from the perspectives of Western herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

It consists of 4 subtabs: Botanics, Clinical phytotherapy, Ayurveda, TCM.

For greater convenience, the "Herbal Encyclopedia" and "Aroma Encyclopedia" modules feature an Instant Search function. This option displays all possible results matching the search criteria either after clicking the Search button or dynamically as you type (which is particularly useful for slower computers).

The Botanics subtab generates a detailed botanical description of the medicinal herb, complete with an illustration.

The botanical description includes the Latin name and family, a description of all plant parts, the flowering/harvesting season, regions of distribution, and the part of the plant used for medicinal purposes.

The list of medicinal plants is arranged in alphabetical order while retaining the color-coding legend and quantitative rating system.

You can quickly search for a medicinal herb using two filters:

• Search by name: Includes botanical, synonymous, and Latin names; family; foreign plant names; and Sanskrit and Chinese names.

• Search by botanical description.

The icon clears the current filter selection.

The Clinical phytotherapy subtab generates a detailed description of the herb's medicinal properties, based on an analysis of the latest scientific data in the field of phytopharmacology.

The description includes:

• Botanical and Latin names,
• An illustration,
• Conditions and diseases for which the efficacy of the herb has been demonstrated,
• Its pharmacological constituents,
• Contraindications.

The list of medicinal plants is arranged in alphabetical order while retaining the color-coding legend and quantitative rating system.

The herbs selected in the Ratingtab are carried over into this list for a quick analysis of their medicinal properties from the perspective of clinical phytotherapy.

You can quickly search for a medicinal herb by its therapeutic properties and phytotherapeutic description.

The search by therapeutic properties allows for multiple selection of medicinal herbs based on more than 90 pharmacological properties. To use this feature, click the Choose Properties button and choose the desired pharmacological properties for filtering in the window that opens.

The icon clears the current filter selection.

The Ayurveda subtab provides an Ayurvedic description of the herb, based on an analysis of canonical Dravyaguna (Nighantu) sources and the expert recommendations of the AYUSH Ministry.

The herb is verified by its common, botanical, and Latin names, as well as its Sanskrit name (and other languages used in Ayurveda).

The description of the medicinal herb's properties includes:

• Rasa (taste): Madhura (sweet); Kat̩u (pungent), Tikta (bitter), Kas̩āya (astringent), Amla (sour), Lavana (salty);
• Gun̩a (properties): Snigdha (oily), Guru (heavy), Laghu (easy), Rūks̩a (dry);
• Vīrya (energy): Śita (cold), Us̩n̩a (hot)
• Vipāka (taste after digestion): Madhura (sweet), Kat̩u (pungent), Amla (sour);
• Prabhāva (unique effect);
• Dos̩a: influence on Dosha;
• Dhātu (tissues): Rasa, Meda;
• Karma (pharmacological effect);
• Rogagnata (therapeutic effect)

The list of medicinal herbs is arranged in alphabetical order, with the herbs selected in the Rating tab pinned to the top. This helps speed up the analysis of their Ayurvedic properties while still retaining the color-coding legend and quantitative rating system.

You can search and filter for medicinal herbs by their Ayurvedic properties — Rasa, Guna, Virya, and Dhatu. Simply check the boxes for the properties required to balance a specific constitution or qualities. You can also select one or more Doshas; the list will then display only the herbs that help reduce the selected Dosha(s)

The icon clears the current filter selection.

The TCM subtab provides a detailed description of the medicinal herbs' properties from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The following canonical and authentic texts were used in the development:

• Yao Xing Lun – Treatise on the Properties of Medicines;
• Ming Yi Bie Lu – Supplementary Records of Renowned Physicians;
• Ben Cao Tu Jing – Illustrated Materia Medica;
• Ben Cao Gang Mu – The Comprehensive Compendium of Materia Medica;
• Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing – The Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica;
• Xin Xiu Ben Cao – Newly Revised Materia Medica.

The herb is verified by its common, botanical, and Latin names, as well as its Chinese name.

The description of the medicinal herb's properties includes:

• Taste: Gan (sweet), Xan (salty), Suang (sour), Xin (spicy), Ku (bitter), Se (astringent), Dan (neutral, fresh);
• Energy: cold, slightly cold, neutral, warm, hot
• Meridian tropism: Lungs, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium, Triple Heater, Gallbladder, Liver;
• Effect: description of action on Yin-Yang, Heat-Cold, Damp and Phlegm, Blood, Qi energy, Wind, etc.;
• Syndromes in TCM: for which syndromes a particular herb is used;
• Pharmacological properties: Interpretation through the lens of modern phytopharmacology;
• Contraindications;
• Note: compatibility with other herbs.

The list of medicinal herbs is arranged in alphabetical order, with the herbs selected in the Rating tab pinned to the top. This helps speed up the analysis of their TCM properties while still retaining the color-coding legend and quantitative rating system.

You can quickly search for herbs using multiple filters, including TCM energy, taste, syndromes, effects' directions, organ syndromes, and meridian tropism.

The Meridian Tropism filter shows only the medicinal herbs that have an affinity for the selected meridian. In medicine, "tropism" refers to an attraction or specific action on certain systems, tissues, or cells. Selecting this filter will display herbs that, according to TCM theory, are associated with the chosen meridian based on their properties.

The search for the desired herb by the main TCM syndromes includes:

• Emptiness of Qi energy;
• Emptiness of the Blood;
• Emptiness of Yang;
• Syndrome of the Full Heat;
• Emptiness of Yin Syndrome;
• Heat and Dampness Accumulation Syndrome;
• Dampness and Phlegm Accumulation Syndrome;
• Blood Stagnation Syndrome;
• Qi Energy Stagnation Syndrom

The search for the desired herb by the effects' direction includes:

• herbs that "release" the surface of the body (diaphoretic);
• herbs expelling (cleansing) the Heat (antipyretics);
• purgatives;
• anti-rheumatic;
• aromatic herbs that remove Dampness;
• herbs expelling Dampness through diuresis;
• herbs that expel internal Cold;
• herbs that move Qi;
• herbs that promote digestion;
• herbs that remove parasites;
• hemostatic herbs;
• herbs that move Blood and remove Stagnation;
• herbs expelling Phlegm and eliminating cough;
• soothing herbs;
• herbs that open the "brain light" (revitalizing);
• herbs for tonifying Emptiness;
• astringent herbs;
• herbs that cause vomiting;
• herbs that remove the Wind of the Liver and "pacify" the Liver.

The search for the desired herb by applying the filter for one of more than 150 organ syndromes in TCM includes:

• Lungs (Fei);
• Large Intestine (Da chang);
• Stomach (Wei);
• Spleen (Pi);
• Heart (Xin);
• Small intestine (Xiao Chang);
• Bladder (Pang guang);
• Kidney (Shen);
• Gallbladder (Dan);
• Liver (Gan);
• Musculoskeletal system.

The icon clears the current filter selection.