What are Active Ingredients?

Active ingredient is a term widely used in chemistry, biology, and pharmacology, and refers to a component in a mixture that acts on the metabolism or chemical reaction of an organism. In a narrow sense, active ingredients refer to the active ingredients in Chinese medicine.

Chinese name: Active ingredients

Range: Chinese medicine, chemistry, biology, pharmacology
Types of: Scientific term

Active ingredient definition

The definition of "active ingredients" in traditional Chinese medicines in China generally refers to chemical monomer compounds, which can be expressed by molecular formula and structural formula, such as aconitine, ephedrine, etc., and play a major role in traditional Chinese medicine (or proprietary Chinese medicine). chemical composition. This concept is used to try to find new chemical drugs from natural medicines, and the direction is very clear. Significant achievements have been made for decades, such as the discovery and application of cauliflower and paclitaxel. For example, ephedrine has antiasthmatic and antispasmodic effects; glycyrrhizic acid has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and gastric ulcer effects, and is considered as the representative active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine ephedra and licorice. ^[1]

Active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine

Generally, a monomer compound that has a certain biological activity, has a therapeutic effect, can be expressed by molecular formula and structural formula, and has a certain physical constant (such as melting point, boiling point, optical rotation, solubility, etc.) is called an active ingredient. For example, artemisinin, an antimalarial active ingredient extracted from the Chinese medicine Artemisa annua, has anti-leukemia and immunomodulatory functions.

The picture shows the active ingredients of ginseng.

Active ingredients of ginseng

Other definitions of "active ingredients" in traditional Chinese medicine

The World Health Organization defines "active ingredients" of herbs as: "active ingredients" are ingredients that play a therapeutic role in herbs. When the "active ingredients" in herbal medicines are identified, if appropriate analytical methods are available, the "active ingredient" content of these herbs should be standardized. When the "active ingredient" cannot be identified, the whole herb can be regarded as an "active ingredient". "(Active ingredients refer to ingredients of herbal medicines with therapeutic activity. In herbal medicines where the active ingredients have been identified, the preparation of these medicines should be standardized to contain a defined amount of the active ingredients, if adequate analytical methods are available. In case where it is not possible to identify the active ingredients, the whole herbal medicine may be considered as one active ingredient). ^[2]

The definition of "active ingredient" in the Chinese Medicine Ordinance of Hong Kong is: "active ingredient", in relation to any proprietary Chinese medicine, means one or more than one of which is used or intended to be used in the manufacture of a proprietary Chinese medicine and contributes to that proprietary Chinese medicine A medicinal substance or compound.

Other classifications of active ingredients

Active Ingredient Pesticide Active Ingredient

Ingredients in pesticide products that are toxic and killing to diseases, insects and grasses. Industrially produced technical medicines often contain only 80% -90% of active ingredients. The original medicine is processed into various dosage forms, such as 3% powder, 15% wettable powder, and 2.5% emulsifiable concentrate, based on the active ingredients.

The picture shows the active ingredient imidacloprid of a certain pesticide.

Imidacloprid

Active Ingredients Cosmetics Active Ingredients

Cosmetic ingredients with certain physical and chemical properties that can improve skin function and play a role in beauty and skin care are usually called active ingredients. Such as vitamins A and vitamin A in vitamins; tanshinone and aloe in plant ingredients; collagen and hyaluronic acid in nutritional proteins.

Active ingredients chemical reagents

For example, dilute sulfuric acid participates in the chemical reaction, and generally the sulfuric acid in the reaction participates, so the effective ingredient is sulfuric acid, not water. The other active ingredients are the solutes. In chemical reactions, the active ingredients of the reaction can play a role, because some reactions require a catalyst, the catalyst is involved in the intermediate reaction, can also be regarded as an effective ingredient.