在非洲原始森林，湖南中医找到野生草药

游雄，中国（湖南）第24批、第25批援塞拉利昂医疗队队员、湖南省康复医院诊疗中心医生。于2023年3月抵达非洲塞拉利昂。

Dr.You Xiong, member of the 24th and 25th dispatch of Chinese (Hunan) Medical Team to Sierra Leone, is from the Hunan Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital. He arrived in Sierra Leone of Africa in March, 2023.

再过3个月，塞拉利昂将暂别雨季，迎来旱季。这段时间，游雄一直在计划第二次踏入非洲广袤而神秘的高山原始森林，希望能进一步寻找更多适合在当地种植的中草药。这也是他在塞拉利昂留任一年的原因之一。

In three months, Sierra Leone will transition from the rainy season to the dry season. During this time, Dr. You Xiong is planning his second journey into the vast and mysterious highland primitive forests of Africa. His goal is to discover more suitable Chinese herbal medicines for local cultivation. This endeavor is one of the reasons he has graciously decided to extend his stay in Sierra Leone for another year.

将中医思维融入当地传统医学

Incorporating the Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine into Local Traditional Medical Practices

塞拉利昂以其丰富的文化遗产而闻名，是各种传统医学治疗方法和医药的发源地。传统医学的治疗方法之一就是野生草药，当地人经常用草药煎服预防疟疾、止痛。

Sierra Leone is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and serves as the birthplace of different traditional medical treatments and medicines. One of the traditional medical treatments is the use of wild herbs, which locals often use in a decoction to prevent malaria and relieve pain.

在游雄投身援非医疗事业的数月后，塞拉利昂卫生部传统医学委员会向他发出入会邀请，希望他能够将中医的思维模式融入塞拉利昂传统医学法的编纂工作。

After several months of dedicating himself to medical aid in Africa, Dr. You Xiong received an invitation from the Traditional Medicine Commission of Sierra Leone Health Ministry to join them with an expectation of incorporating the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into the drafting of Sierra Leone’s traditional medicine legislation.

在此期间，游雄发现，当地使用草药大多没有经过炮制，药物有效性很低。而且野生草药分布不均，在塞拉利昂的边远地区，缺医少药更加严重。

Meanwhile, Dr. You Xiong found that most of the herbal medicines used locally have not been processed, resulting in low efficacy. Additionally, wild herbs are unevenly distributed, and the lack of medical resources is even more severe in remote areas of Sierra Leone.

“塞拉利昂非常适宜中草药生长，如果能在当地找到几种有医疗价值、经济价值的草药进行大规模培育，既解决了当地少药的问题，也能为当地居民提供就业机会，更能完善当地传统疗法的治疗体系。”游雄告诉记者，如果能将中草药在塞拉利昂大规模种植，然后人工采挖、炮制，生产出更多适应当地特殊情况的产品，将极大提高当地医疗水平，推动中医药文化的国际传播。

"Sierra Leone is highly suitable for the growth of Chinese herbal medicines. If we can identify a few medicinal and economically valuable herbs for large-scale cultivation in the region, it would not only address the shortage of medicines but also provide employment opportunities for local residents and improve the local traditional medical system. " You Xiong told the reporter that if Chinese herbal medicines could be planted on a large scale in Sierra Leone, followed by manual harvesting and processing, producing more products tailored to local conditions, it would significantly enhance the local medical standards and promote the international spread of traditional Chinese medicine culture.

自驾370多公里开展传统草药调研

Conducting Traditional Herbal Medicine Research by Driving Over 370 Kilometers

今年2月，游雄和其他4名医疗队员从医疗队驻地——塞拉利昂首都弗里敦出发，自驾370多公里，来到马肯尼地区的吉阿马尼米科罗酋长领地，进入神秘的高山原始森林，对当地的草药资源进行了深入的调查和研究，这也是中国医疗队的首次。

In February, 2024, You Xiong and four other medical team members set out from their base in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, driving over 370 kilometers to enter the mysterious high mountain forests to conduct an in-depth survey and study of local herbal resources. This was the first such expedition by the Chinese medical team.

出行前，游雄做了许多功课，在马肯尼地区的原始森林内藏着许多危险因素，例如非洲最致命的毒蛇之一——黑曼巴蛇。加之当地蚊虫滋生，很容易染上疟疾。

Before the trip, You Xiong did extensive research. The local forests are filled with many dangerous factors, including one of Africa's deadliest snakes—the black mamba. Additionally, the area is infested with mosquitoes, making it easy to contract malaria.

当日，游雄与队友在森林中徒步近8公里。回程时，由于路况和车况都不佳，车辆抛锚，“我不得不持续踩下踏板，但离合器始终无法正常回弹，我用脚尖顶住踏板，行驶了300多公里才返回驻地。”游雄回忆道，好消息是此行不虚，因为他们发现马肯尼地区拥有非常适合温带地区草药生长的环境。

On the day of the expedition, You Xiong and his teammates hiked nearly 8 kilometers in the forest. On the return journey, due to poor road conditions and vehicle issues, the vehicle broke down. "I had to keep pressing the pedal, but the clutch wouldn't bounce back normally. I had to use my toes to hold down the pedal and drove over 300 kilometers back to the base," You Xiong recalled. The good news was that the trip was worthwhile because they discovered that the Makoni region has a very suitable environment for the growth of temperate zone herbs.

在原始森林中，海拔与气候之间存在着密切的关联：随着海拔的升高，温度相应降低。这种独特的气候条件对于温带地区草本植物的分层生长尤为适宜，例如天麻。“天麻对于当地常见又难以治愈的痛症、中风、小儿惊痫等症很有效果。”游雄说。

In the forest, there is a close correlation between altitude and climate: as the altitude rises, the temperature decreases accordingly. This unique climate condition is particularly suitable for the layered growth of herbaceous plants in temperate zones, such as Tianma (Gastrodia elata). "Gastrodia elata is very effective for common and difficult-to-treat ailments such as pain, stroke, and convulsions in children in the local area," said You Xiong.

建立塞拉利昂首个中医药中心

Establishing Sierra Leone's First Traditional Chinese Medicine Center

游雄告诉记者，此次中草药考察后，天麻等中草药的培植工作正在筹备中。接下来，他们将先小范围种植一批天麻，随后对这些天麻与国内种植的天麻的有效成分进行对比分析。基于对比结果再进一步规划和细化培植工作。

You Xiong told the reporter that after this herbal medicine survey, the cultivation of Chinese herbs like Tianma (Gastrodia elata) is being prepared. Next, they will start small-scale cultivation of Gastrodia elata, followed by a comparative analysis of its active components with those grown domestically. Based on the results, they will further plan and refine the cultivation work.

今年12月左右，游雄将再次前往更远的近几内亚森林，开展调研工作。

Around December this year, You Xiong will travel to the forests near Guinea for additional research.

目前，医疗队正在与当地相关部门沟通，希望在中塞友好医院内建立专门的中医药中心。

Currently, the medical team is in communication with local authorities to establish a dedicated traditional Chinese medicine center within the China-Sierra Leone Friendship Hospital.

“我们的中医药工作不仅体现在救治患者方面，更体现在中医药体系的建设。”近期，游雄还带领当地学员启动了一个旨在为当地居民提供针对高血压的中医药诊疗服务的研究课题。

"Our work in traditional Chinese medicine is not just about treating patients; it also involves building the TCM system." Recently, You Xiong led local students in initiating a research project aimed at providing traditional Chinese medicine treatments for hypertension to local residents.

与此同时，游雄参与创立的中医针灸推拿专业已被正式纳入当地学历体系，标志着塞拉利昂首个传统医学大专学历的诞生。

Meanwhile, the acupuncture and massage specialization established by You Xiong has been officially incorporated into the local education system, marking the birth of Sierra Leone's first associate degree in traditional medicine.

“学生们毕业后实习3年，就可注册当地中医医师资格证，可以来到中医药中心工作，或者自己开诊所行医，让中医深深扎根在这片土地上。”游雄说。

"Students can register for local TCM physician qualifications after three years of internship and can work at the TCM center or open their own clinics, allowing traditional Chinese medicine to take root deeply in this land," You Xiong said.

非洲人民说中医

Africans Talk on TCM

当地医生助理阿布与游雄一同参与了中草药的调研工作，他对这趟行程有深刻的体会。阿布此前已接受超过一年的中医知识培训，精通中医在治疗特定疾病方面的优势，但未曾学习过中草药知识。

Local medical assistant Abu participated in the herbal medicine research with You Xiong and had a profound experience. Abu had already received over a year of training in traditional Chinese medicine and was proficient in its advantages in treating specific diseases, but he had never learned about Chinese herbal medicine.

随着游雄的脚步踏入熟悉的非洲原始森林，阿布终于亲眼看到了许多耳熟能详的中草药。“我决定继续从事中医针灸推拿工作，如果以后有机会，我想要去中国学中医，不仅要学习针灸，还要学会使用神奇的中草药。”阿布说。

Following You Xiong's footsteps into the familiar African rainforest, Abu finally saw many of the Chinese herbs he had heard so much about. "I have decided to continue working in traditional Chinese acupuncture and massage. If I get the chance in the future, I want to go to China to study TCM, not just to learn acupuncture, but also to learn how to use these amazing Chinese herbs," Abu said.