中药主要由植物药（根、茎、叶、果）、动物药（内脏、皮、骨、器官等）和矿物药组成。因植物药占中药的大多数，所以中药也称中草药。中国各地使用的中药已达5000种左右，把各种药材相配伍而形成的方剂，更是数不胜数。经过几千年的研究，形成了一门独立的科学——本草学。现在中国各医学院校都开设了天然药物这门课，所讲述的内容就是通称的中草药。 -Traditional Chinese medicine is mainly composed of plant medicine (roots, stems, leaves, fruit, animal medicine (visceral, skin, bone, organ, etc.) and mineral medicine composition. Because of most of the traditional Chinese medicine plant medicine, so Chinese medicine is also called the Chinese herbal medicine. Around China use of traditional Chinese medicine has reached about 5000 species, all kinds of medicinal materials phase compatibility and the formation of the formula, it is countless. After thousands of years of research, formed an independent science- herbalism. China is now the medical colleges and universities have opened the natural medicine this course, account of the content is appellative Chinese herbal medicine.