The “Basic Study on TCM Pharmacology” of the 973 Program was officially launched on December 16th in Jinan, Shandong Province, with the Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine as the first contract agency and Prof. WANG Zhenguo as chief scientist. Representatives from the Department of Basic Research MOST and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine attended the launch ceremony.

The Project will take the classical theory of TCM as guidelines and conduct in-depth systematic research on the physical basis of the TCM drug property and its pharmacodynamic mechanism so as to establish a new system of the characteristic elements of the TCM herbal property in conformity with the cognitive principles of modern science, build a platform for the modern research on TCM pharmacology and bring innovation into the system.

The study will not only provide theoretical guidance to both clinic practice and research, but also greatly promote the exploitation of new TCM resources and open up a broad prospect for R&D on TCM in modern times.