Korean Native Medicinal Plants

Korea is one of the Northeast Asian countries in the Northern climatic zone. It is wide spread from north to south so that can be affected by various kinds of plants flora of the continent of Asia. Korea has complicated topography, mountains and hills included by an alpine belt. According to the distribution of plants, it can be classified to 5 areas; Northern part, Central part, Southern part, JeJuDo(濟州道) and UlLungDo(鬱陵島). Nakai of Japan, reported Plants in Korean peninsula as 3176 species, 841 varietal species and 174 varieties in "A Synoptical sketch of Korean flora". Lee of Korea, reported 3409 species, 6 sub-species, 756 varietal species and 287 varieties in "Korean Plants Resources". Isidoja(石戶谷) of Japan, simply described crude drug names, scientific names, effects, etc. of 45 species of Korean Medicinal Plants in the book "Journal of Jo-Seon Pharmacy(朝鮮藥學會會報)" third edition (published in 1925) and also explained 250 species of crude drug collected in Manchuria, Mongolia and Korean peninsula in the book "Medicinal plants in Northern Asia(北支那의 藥草)"(1931). Im and Jung organized 227 species of Medicinal Plants in "Wild Medicinal Plants from Jo-Seon(北支那의 藥草)" and it is said that 1000 species of plants can be used for medicinal purposes in Korea.