Unique trilingual work on medicinal plants, created in partnership with Nicolae Testemitanu Medical University of Moldova

A unique trilingual work on medicinal plants has been produced by a team of professors from the Northwest Normal University of China, in partnership with the Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF), the Confucius Institute of the Free International University of Moldova (ULIM), and the International High School in the Haikou Advanced Technology Development Zone.

The book titled, Medicinal Plants of Eastern Europe Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a distinctive trilingual work (Chinese–Romanian–Russian) that includes the research of Professor Wang Yifeng, a botany specialist who has been living in Moldova since 2015, drawing on more than 30 years of research experience. The work combines the traditions of phytotherapy from Eastern Europe with the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. During seven years (2016–2022), the author took nearly 10,000 photographs of around 500 plant species, of which 247 were selected for the final version of the book.

Thus, the work represents an illustrated collection of 247 species of seed plants used for medicinal purposes. Each species is presented with suggestive images and detailed descriptions of therapeutic effects and the main conditions treated. The description for each species is provided in three languages – Chinese, Romanian, and Russian.

“I discovered that in Moldova and neighboring countries, there are folk traditions regarding the use of plants to treat diseases and maintain health. Just like in my home country, there is the custom of consuming infusions of linden flowers, sea buckthorn, and rose hips for therapeutic purposes,” emphasized Professor Wang Yifeng, the main coordinator of the publication.

Lucia Fișer, head of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Center at USMF and coordinator of the work, noted that the book was meant for doctors, pharmacists, students, as well as the general public interested in natural remedies for the treatment and prevention of various diseases, using local plants through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine.

The work, Medicinal Plants of Eastern Europe Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, was published in 1,000 copies. The team of authors consists of Professor Wang Yefeng (main coordinator), Lucia Fișer and Sun Mei (coordinators), and Tatiana Calalb, Jing Jing, Gao Hui, and Lilia Cusov (contributors).

A copy of this work was donated to Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy during the launch ceremony of phase III of the technical assistance project for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Center.