中国古代秋石提炼考

全面考证了秋石提炼史,辅以模拟实验,并借助中国科学技术大学结构成分分析中心的进口设备,采用化学方法和物理方法分别对中间产物和最终产物作了交叉检测,提出了不同的观点:中国古代秋石的炼制始于东汉,兴于北宋,盛于明代,衰于清朝;中国古人虽然发明了多种提炼秋石的方法,但这些方法还不能有效地从人尿中提取性激素,也就是说,世人注目的秋石不是一种相当纯净的性激素制剂,而仅仅是一种以难溶无机盐为主要成分,与人中白具有类似功能的药物.

Study on the Extraction of "Autumn Mineral" in Ancient China

This article studied the extraction of "autumn mineral" in ancient China,which was considered by Dr.J.Needham as "Chinese iatrochemists between the 10th and 16th centuries succeeded in preparing steroid hormones in a relatively purified form." The author made typical simulated tests and a physico-chemical inspection of the resulting products and indicated that 'autumm mineral"is not a preparation of steroid hormones but a drug of inorganic salts with other organic compounds.