Characteristics and comparative study of medicinal materials between China and India based on data mining from literatures

China and India have unique traditional medicine systems with vast territory and rich medical resources. Traditional medicines in China include traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, Mongolian medicine, Uyghur medicine, Dai medicine, etc. In the third national survey of Chinese medicine resources, 12694 medicinal materials were identified. Traditional medicines in India include Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, etc. There are 7263 medicinal materials in India. To reveal the characteristics of medicinal materials between China and India respectively, and to compare the similarities and differences in terms of properties, tastes, medicinal parts and therapeutic uses and to promote the exchange of traditional medicine between China and India and the international trade of traditional medicine industry. The information of medicinal materials between China and India was extracted from The Chinese Traditional Medicine Resource Records and Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, as well as from 71 Indian herbal monographs. The information of each medicinal material, such as types, families, genera, properties, distribution, medicinal parts, efficacy, therapeutic uses, dosage form and dosage, was recorded in Excel for statistical analysis and visual comparison. A total of 12694 medicinal materials in China and 5362 medicinal materials in India were identified. The medicinal materials were mostly distributed in Southwest China and northern India. Plants were the main sources of medicinal materials. The common medicinal parts in China were whole medicinal materials, roots and rhizomes, and India used more renewable fruits, seeds and leaves. They are commonly used in the treatment of digestive system diseases. There were 1048 medicinal materials used by both China and India, which were distributed in 188 families and 685 genera. The Chinese and Indian pharmacopoeias had a total of 80 species of medicinal materials used by both China and India. The characteristics of medicinal materials between China and India were somewhat different, which was conducive to provide a reference basis for traditional medicine in China or India to increase the medicinal parts and indications when using a certain medicinal material, as well as to expand the source of medicine and introduce new resources. However, there were certain similarities and shared medicinal materials, which can tap the potential of bilateral trade of medicinal materials between China and India, so as to promote the medical cultural exchange and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.