Do you know about the identification of properties of Chinese medicinal materials? You must know these popular science knowledge

In daily life, we may come into contact with a variety of Chinese medicinal materials, but there may be some confusion and misunderstanding about how to correctly identify the properties of Chinese medicinal materials. Next, let us learn some popular science knowledge about the identification of the properties of Chinese medicinal materials!

Shape Identification

Different medicinal materials have unique appearance characteristics. By observing and comparing these characteristics, we can preliminarily judge the type and quality of the medicinal materials. The following are some common shape characteristics and the medicinal materials they represent:

Cylindrical shape is a common shape feature, such as astragalus and licorice. Astragalus has a cylindrical appearance, a smooth surface, and is usually yellow-brown. Licorice also has a similar cylindrical appearance, but the surface is smooth and shiny, and is brown-yellow.

The spindle shape is another common shape feature, such as Ophiopogon japonicus and Stemona radix. Ophiopogon japonicus has a spindle shape, which is thin at one end and gradually thickens, with a smooth surface, usually white or light yellow. Stemona radix also has a similar spindle-shaped appearance, but is usually slightly thicker than Ophiopogon japonicus, with a smooth surface and light yellow.

Chicken claw shape is also a unique shape feature, and representative medicinal materials include Coptis chinensis. Coptis chinensis has a chicken claw shape with obvious longitudinal stripes and is brown or light yellow.

The lumpy shape is a common shape feature, such as Alisma and Rehmannia. Alisma has a lumpy appearance with a loose structure and a brown or light yellow color. Rehmannia also has a similar lumpy appearance, but is usually more solid than Alisma and appears off-white or light yellow.

Color identification

The color and brightness of the medicinal material surface can often directly reflect the quality and authenticity of the medicinal material. The following are some common medicinal material color characteristics and the medicinal materials they represent:

Cinnabar is a common Chinese herbal medicine with a bright red or dark red surface and a lustrous luster. High-quality cinnabar is bright, shiny, and has a uniform color. In contrast, poor-quality cinnabar may be darker in color and lack luster.

Safflower is another common Chinese herbal medicine, and its surface color is red-yellow or red. High-quality safflower has bright and full color, bright red and golden yellow. Poor-quality safflower may be lighter in color, uneven in color, or even have impurities mixed in.

Chuanxiong is a traditional Chinese medicine with unique medicinal value. Its surface color is generally dark brown or black brown, and has a certain luster. Chuanxiong of good quality has a deep color and sufficient luster, while Chuanxiong of poor quality may have a lighter color and insufficient luster.

By observing and comparing the color and gloss of the medicinal materials, we can preliminarily judge the quality and authenticity of the medicinal materials, and provide an important reference for subsequent identification work. Therefore, in the process of identifying Chinese medicinal materials, color identification is an important step that cannot be ignored.

Surface Identification

The outer or inner surface of medicinal materials has unique features, such as smoothness, roughness, pores, wrinkles, etc. These features can provide important clues for identification. The following are some common surface features and the medicinal materials they represent:

The surface characteristics of rhizomes and bulbs of medicinal materials often have obvious characteristics. For example, the rhizomes of monocotyledonous plants may have membranous scales and root scars. The presence and degree of these characteristics are often one of the main bases for identifying medicinal materials. By observing these characteristics, the type and quality of the medicinal materials can be preliminarily judged. For example, the surface of Coptis chinensis often has scales, while Phellodendron chinense has cork.

The surface characteristics of ferns are also an important basis for identifying medicinal materials. The scales, hairs and other characteristics of ferns can reflect the type and quality of medicinal materials. For example, there are often thorns on the surface of Xanthium sibiricum. By observing the presence and degree of these thorns, the authenticity and quality of Xanthium sibiricum can be preliminarily judged.

In addition, the surface characteristics of some medicinal materials may change with changes in processing or storage. Therefore, during the identification process, it is necessary to pay attention to the changes in these surface characteristics and compare them with the original medicinal materials.

Let us learn and explore together the identification of properties of Chinese medicinal materials to improve our health literacy and awareness of medication safety.

Author: Wang Sheng Nanyang Zhang Zhongjing Hospital