Traditional Chinese drug effects are a highly generalized function of drug treatment and health care under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory. The identification of each drug effect has experienced a long historical evolution. Throughout the records in ancient and modern herbal literature

there are different degrees of expression

which may be attributed to the differences in geographical space

the understanding of doctors

the academic schools

and the compatible environments. The redefinition of traditional Chinese drug effects merits an in-depth discussion. Clarifying the "source" and "flow" of the drug effects

considering the basic effects and division and connection of formulas and drugs

and evaluating the dosage of drugs should be the main principles of the research. On the basis of inheritance and innovation

it is proposed that we attach importance to the collation of traditional Chinese drug effects in ancient and modern literature

strengthen the inheritance of the clinical medication experiences of national senior Chinese medicine doctors

introduce modern clinical and pharmacological research

and use the phylogenetic theory of medicinal plants as the main approaches to study traditional Chinese drug effects. This has far-reaching significance for unifying and standardizing traditional Chinese drug effects

improving clinical efficacy

and broadening the clinical application scope of traditional Chinese drugs.