Fresh medicinal materials refer to unprocessed or non-dried botanical and zoological substances utilized in their fresh state. By circumventing conventional drying and preparation procedures, they preserve a higher concentration of volatile compounds, heat-sensitive constituents, and other bioactive ingredients, thereby offering distinct advantages in treating external-contraction febrile diseases, dermatological conditions, and similar ailments. A systematic comparison of pharmacological activities between fresh and dried medicinal materials reveals that fresh variants of some species generally exhibit elevated levels of volatile oils, alkaloids, and other components, along with more pronounced antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects. Simultaneously, it provides a comprehensive review of the research progress on modern formulations of fresh medicinal materials. Novel dosage forms, such as juice preparations, capsules, and vesicular carrier systems, have, to some extent, mitigated the challenges associated with the storage and transportation of fresh medicinal materials. Nevertheless, issues persist in practical applications, including inconsistent quality standards and inadequate stability assessment frameworks. This review aims to compare and analyze the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of fresh and dried Chinese medicinal materials, sort out the existing problems in the application of fresh medicinal materials, prospect the research directions of their preparations, further summarize the current principles for selecting appropriate dosage forms for fresh Chinese medicinal materials, and explore the direction of constructing a suitable quality standard system oriented toward active ingredients. It is expected to provide theoretical basis and technical references for the in-depth development and rational utilization of fresh Chinese medicinal materials, and promote the inheritance, innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine.

fresh medicinal materials  /  dried medicinal materials  /  pharmacological activity  /  modern preparations  /  quality standards