The original text of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica) was compiled in the first or second century A.D. and consists of three parts. The first part discusses high-grade medicines that can prevent illnesses and lead to longevity, the second part contains medicines to cure patients, and the third one deals with toxic medicines of the lowest grade, which cure diseases, but have side effects. There are 365 herbs described in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, and in the following translation, there are 116 medicinals which have been excerpted...