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Traditional Medicines Along the BRI Countries

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Infectious Diseases along the Silk Roads

Part of the book series: Parasitology Research Monographs ((Parasitology Res. Monogr.,volume 17))

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Abstract

Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement, or treatment of physical and mental illness. All kinds of folk medicine and traditional medical systems all over the world are also within the scope of traditional medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a complete system of healing that developed in China about 3000 years ago, and includes herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion and massage, etc. Indian traditional medicine, named Ayurveda, is Sanskrit, which is translated into “Ayurveda” or “life Veda medicine”. Ayurvedic traditional medicine can be traced back to the Vedic era in 5000 BC. Mongolian traditional medicine and Arab traditional medicine are also an important part of traditional medicine in the world. Traditional medicines in history was also exchanged and spread along the BRI counties. It has made a great contribution to the development of modern medicine. To date, TCM in China have a high level of support from the government. The disciplinary development of TCM should embrace inheritance and innovation, and explore the scientific research and transformation of clinical experience. With the development of BRI, the traditional medical exchanges and cooperation will be more frequently, and make greater benefit to local people.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    **aoying Wu

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  1. **aoying Wu
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Correspondence to **aoying Wu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

  2. The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    **aoying Wu

  3. Deptartment of Parasitology, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China

    Zhongdao Wu

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Wu, X. (2023). Traditional Medicines Along the BRI Countries. In: Mehlhorn, H., Wu, X., Wu, Z. (eds) Infectious Diseases along the Silk Roads. Parasitology Research Monographs, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35275-1_4

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