A review.The medicinal effects of Coptis chinensis and its application prospect were summarized with several subsections as follow: main origins of Coptis chinensis, morphol. characteristics of Coptis chinensis, harvesting and processing of Coptis chinensis, main ingredients of Coptis chinensis, pharmacol. effects and clin. effects of Coptis chinensis, main Chinese medicine formulations containing Coptis chinensis, anal. on market price trend of Coptis chinensis, and side effects of Coptis chinensis.