中草药名称在英文中如何精准表达

随着中药国际交流增加,中草药药名能否精准表达不仅关系到国际科研工作者能否进行正确的科技交流,而且关系到临床用药安全问题。文章调查了科技期刊英文交流中有关中草药药名的使用情况,系统归纳出目前存在的6大常见乱象,即同物异名、同名异物、名称相近、基原植物交叉且名称重叠、药材英译混乱、药味写法不一致,举例分析其表述缺陷并说明英文如何精准表达。最后,提出英文科技交流只有综合使用中草药的法定药材名、植物学名、拼音和异名,结合英文使用习惯,才能提高药名的精准表达,提高英文论文的国际可信度。

How to Accurately Express the Nomenclature of Traditional Chinese Medicines

Variable nomenclature of traditional Chinese medicines(TCM)causes confusion, especially when scientific reports have to be interpreted in relation to a TCM herb or using drug safely in clinical trials. Semitransparent translation cases from journals in TCM herbal nomenclature can be classified as the following aspects: homonym, synonyms, similar spellings, multiple botanical origins of a drug with overlapping names, mistranslation between Chinese and English, and conflicting name standards. Transparency and accuracy of nomenclature were elucidated by a couple of examples. we concluded that high quality of scientific reports related to a TCM herb or herbs can be achieved only when TCM herbs are appropriately provided with the corresponding Chinese Materia Medica(CMM)names according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Latin scientific names, along with Chinese pinyin, vernacular names, and proper English names.