The application of Chinese patent medicine has a long history, which was formed with the development of prescription science. The earliest existing Chinese medicine prescription is found in Huangdi Neijing, a classic of Chinese medicine written two thousand years ago, which initially formed the theory of prescription, containing "Four Black Horseshoe Crab Bone Wan Ru" and "Chicken Arrow". Although there are not many prescriptions in Huangdi Neijing, it records the prescription principles of monarch, minister, assistant and envoy, including decoction, pills, pills and wine. With the development of later generations, the science of prescriptions has been gradually improved and enriched, and some prescriptions with definite curative effect and reliable stability have been made into Chinese patent medicines. In this process, a perfect system of principle, method, prescription and medicine has been formed, which guides the preparation and application of Chinese patent medicine.
Since the founding of New China, the research of Chinese patent medicine has developed rapidly, and some new dosage forms, new materials, new equipment and new technology have been improved and created, which greatly facilitates clinical application. However, there are still many puzzling phenomena in clinical application. For example, some doctors prescribe warm tonics to every patient without distinguishing the symptoms and signs. Some patients do not understand the medicinal properties and take Dihuang pills at will. In view of the existing problems, a group of young and middle-aged clinical scholars in China have compiled this series of books on rational use of Chinese patent medicines by clinicians.