Objective To analyze the literature record and applic ation of 500 commo nly used Chinese medicinals.Methods Database was estab lished and frequency quan titative statistics was conducted.Among 8980 Chinese medicinals recorded in Zho nghua Bencao（Chinese Herbal Foundation）

4033 Chinese medicinals those were rec orded more than 10 times were selected.Five hundred Chinese medicinals were fin ally selected according to the frequency of being recorded.The nature attribute of these 500 Chinese medicinals and their recording condition in Chinese Pharma cy（lecture book） and Pharmacopoeia of People’s Republic of China（Pharmacopoeia） were analyzed.Results There were 425 plants

24 mine rals

51 animals among 50 0 Chinese medicinals according to the nature attribute.Comparing with Shennong Bencaojing（The Divine Husbandman’s Herbal Foundation Canon）

173 plants were ne w

and 22 minerals and 16 animals were missing.There were 450 and 439 recorded in Chinese Pharmacy and Pharmacopoeia respectively among 500 Chinese medicinals.Conclusion At present

plants and medicinals with non-toxicity or minimal side-effect are commonly used and the application of minerals and animals were limited.