Recent advances in studies on traditional Chinese anti-aging materia medica.

Presented in this paper is a report of our studies on 386 traditional effective anti-aging medications, the effects of which on cell generation, survival time, immunomodulation, improvement of visceral and metabolic functions, and anti-infection, and their trace element contents were further summarized and analysed. This suggests that the investigations of traditional anti-aging materia medica in China are now well under way and some effective drugs and compound prescriptions have been explored, such as Ginseng, Radix Astragali seu Hedysari, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Herba Epimedii, Cordyceps, Ganoderma Lucidum seu Japonicum, Radix Polygoni Multiflori, Radix Acanthopanacis Senticosi, Rhizoma Polygonati, Fructus Lycii, and Poria. However, all of these preliminary results remain to be further investigated.