Hou Po is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, known for its precise efficacy and reliable therapeutic effects. It plays irreplaceable roles in drying dampness, resolving phlegm, relieving asthma, improving appetite and digestion, and alleviating pain. Due to the scarcity of Hou Po resources in China and the long cultivation period required for medicinal use, the cultivation of Hou Po has been regarded as a resource protection project.
1. Scarcity of Hou Po Resources
Hou Po is a unique mountain tree species in China and is widely distributed. The resources can be considered relatively abundant. However, the medicinal bark of Hou Po has a long history of use, relying on the collection of wild resources for over two thousand years. With continuous collection and application throughout various dynasties, especially in modern times, the population growth and technological advances have led to a widespread and increasing use of Hou Po, while the availability of wild resources has been decreasing. The scarcity of wild Hou Po resources has become more prominent due to continuous exploitation and utilization, resulting in a more prominent supply-demand relationship.
2. Protecting Wild Resources to Save the Hou Po Species
Hou Po grows slowly, taking 10 to 15 years from sowing to the point where the stem bark can be harvested for medicinal use. The Chinese government has attached great importance to the protection of Hou Po resources since the 1970s, listing Hou Po and Ou Ye Hou Po as endangered plants and nationally protected Chinese medicinal materials. However, driven by economic interests, the destruction of wild resources remains severe. In many traditional main production areas of Hou Po, it is difficult to find any trace of Hou Po, and many excellent authentic species have disappeared. Therefore, protecting wild resources and saving the Hou Po species has become an urgent matter. Thus, the careful and effective cultivation of Hou Po is of great significance.
3. Developing Hou Po Plantations is the Fundamental Measure to Eliminate Counterfeit Hou Po
The decreasing availability of Hou Po resources has led to its scarcity, causing prices to rise and resulting in the frequent appearance of counterfeit Hou Po. Some are regionally used medicines, some are folk remedies, and some are clearly inferior counterfeits. This brings instability and hidden dangers to traditional Chinese medicine, as well as significant difficulties in pharmaceutical quality management. To fundamentally eliminate the presence of counterfeit drugs, it is necessary to strengthen management and enforcement efforts. However, the most fundamental measure is to prioritize the development of the cultivation of Chinese medicinal materials. With abundant Hou Po resources to meet market demand, the price of Hou Po can be stabilized, and the quality of Hou Po medicinal materials can be effectively improved, fundamentally eliminating the occurrence of counterfeit Hou Po.
Hou Po has a long history of medicinal use in China, treating various conditions such as typhoid headache and abdominal diarrhea. Its medicinal value is extensive. However, due to excessive exploitation and the slow growth of Hou Po trees, the scarcity of Hou Po resources and the tense supply-demand relationship have led the government to list Hou Po resources as a protected project. Therefore, the significant significance of effectively cultivating Hou Po cannot be underestimated.
