TABLE 1.

History of processing on charcoal drugs.

Dynasty	Representative ancient book on charcoal theory	History of processing
Qin and Han Period	52 Bing Fang (Prescriptions for fifty-two Diseases) Essentials from the Golden Cabinet	● Some contents of processing methods are recorded (e.g., burning, calcining, stewing, and soaking with wine and vinegar)
Wei, Jin and North-South Dynasties	Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun (Lei Gong Processing Handbook)	● Lei Gong Processing Handbook was the first monograph that summed up previous processing records and experiences.
		● The preparation of charcoal medicine is much more thoroughly described at this time.
Tang Dynasty	Supplement to “Important Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces”	● A large number of animal-based charcoal medicines are recorded that make charcoal medicine more widely used in disease treatment.
Song and Yuan Period	Divine Book of Ten Medicinal Formulas	● Plant-based charcoal medicines are widely used to treat hemorrhagic diseases.
		● The theory of stir-fried charcoal for hemostasis has been initially developed.
Ming Dynasty	Pao Zhi Da Fa (Processing Methodology)	● The processing methods of 439 Chinese medicines are cited.
		● The theory of stir-fried charcoal for hemostasis has been refined.
Qing Dynasty	Xiu Shi Zhi Nan (Xiu Shi Guidelines for Processing)	● Data relevant to processing from many classic texts of Chinese Materia Medica are cited, especially Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) and Materia Medica Arranged According to Pattern (Zheng Lei Ben Cao)
		● Description on processing methods was much more standardized and uniform in Qing Dynasty.
Present	State Pharmacopoeia Committee (2010)	● Fifteen processing methods are recorded, mainly include stir-frying without additional adjuvants (e.g., charred Zingiber officinale Roscoe); stir-frying with liquid adjuvants; steaming; calcining; boiling.