Roots and rhizomes Chinese medicine identification experiment
The objectives and requirements of this experiment are to master the traits of Mianma Guanzhong, rhubarb, He Shouwu, hyssop, Sichuan hyssop, Shanglu, white peony, red peony, Huanglian, Fangji, Yanhuisuo, Panax quinquefolium, Diyu, licorice, Astragalus and other herbs to identify the characteristics of the traits; to master the rhubarb, Huanglian, licorice powder microscopic and physicochemical characteristics as well as understanding of commonly used medicinal herbs, so as to see the medicines well known.
Operation method
microscopic observation
Materials and Instruments
Powdered herbs Move 1. Herb traits identification points of attention (1) Mianma guanzhong The rhizome with petiole residue, yellowish brown to black brown in appearance, densely covered with neatly arranged petiole residue and scales, petiole residue or rhizome is brown or dark green in cross section, with yellowish white dots (split in the middle column) 5 to 13, arranged in a ring. (2) Rheum palmatum Roots and rhizomes are light reddish brown or yellowish brown in cross-section, with a large rhizome pith in cross-section, in which there are 1～3 rings of "star dots" (abnormal vascular bundles). Root formation layer ring obvious, xylem developed, with radial texture, no star point. The odor is fresh and fragrant. 2. Experimental guide to identification techniques of Chinese medicine The taste is bitter and slightly astringent, and the chewing is sticky to the teeth with a sandy feeling, and the saliva is stained yellow. (3) He Shou Wu The root section is light reddish brown, powdery, with 4-11 scattered abnormal vascular bundles in the cortex, forming a "brocade-like pattern", with the center forming an obvious laminar ring, and some of them have a heart of wood. (4) Hyssop The root is slender cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved, the surface is gray-yellow or light brown, and the color deepens when stored for a long time. The texture is hard and brittle, easy to break, become pliable by moisture, the section is light yellow, slightly horny and oily, visible veins and veins point, the center has a small yellow-white wood heart, surrounded by yellow-white dots (abnormal vascular bundles) intermittently arranged into two to four rounds of concentric rings. (5) Sichuan hyssop The roots are cylindrical, thick, slightly twisted, with a brownish-yellow or grayish-brown surface, tough and not easy to break, yellowish-white or brownish-yellow on the cross-section, with a majority of yellowish dots (vascular bundles), arranged in several rounds of concentric rings. (6) Shangluo The roots are mostly thick slices cut transversely or longitudinally, and the transverse slices can be seen with several rounds of uneven concentric rings (abnormal vascular bundles), commonly known as "compass lines", with a numbing sensation when tasted orally. (7) Paeonia lactiflora The root is cylindrical with the outer skin removed. The surface is light reddish brown or off-white, solid and heavy, not easy to break, cross-section of white or reddish, keratin-like, the formation of layer ring is obvious, the wood has a subtle "chrysanthemum heart" texture. The flavor is slightly bitter and sour. (8) Paeonia lactiflora The roots are cylindrical with rough outer skin. Surface dark brown or purple-brown, easy to fall off, hard and brittle, easy to break, flat section, pinkish white or reddish, long time to be brown, wood with "chrysanthemum heart" texture. Gas slightly fragrant, taste slightly bitter and astringent. (9) Huanglian Rootstock cylindrical, with irregular nodular elevations and fibrous roots or fibrous root scars, part of the internodes smooth as stalks, habitually known as "over the bridge", the upper part of the residual brown scaly leaves or petiole residues. Cross-section orange-red or dark brown skin, golden yellow wood, reddish brown central pith, sometimes hollow, very bitter taste. Aroma Lian: rhizomes are branched, gathered into clusters, shaped like chicken's claws, habitually called "chicken's claw Huanglian". Ya Lian: rhizomes and rootstocks more single, more robust, "bridge" longer. Yunlian: rhizomes and rootstocks are single, curved and hooked, small and thin, shaped like a scorpion's tail, habitually known as "scorpion's tail even". (10) Fangji The roots are irregularly cylindrical, semi-cylindrical or lumpy, often bent and not straight, nodular, shaped like pig's intestines, with deep transverse grooves at the bends. Flouriness of the fracture, the wood has sparse radial texture, habitually called "wheel grain". (11) Yanhusuo (Yuanhu) The tuber is irregularly spherical. The surface is grayish yellowish brown, with irregular reticulate wrinkles, a slightly concave stem scar at the top, and often a pimple-like protrusion at the bottom. The cross-section is yellow and horny. Waxy luster. Taste bitter. (12) Panax quinquefolium The root is cylindrical, the root head is slightly enlarged, and the dark green or dark brown petiole residue and dense warty protrusions arranged in whorls can be seen. The broken surface of the skin part of the yellow-white, yellow wood. (13) Ground elm The root is cylindrical or irregular fusiform, the surface gray-brown to dark brown, section fibrous, pink, with radial texture. Long-leaf ground elm ( Myrmecophyllum ): reddish brown or yellowish brown in cross-section, with most yellowish white or yellowish brown woolly fibers in the cortex. (14) Licorice The root is long cylindrical, with loose or tight outer skin, reddish brown or grayish brown, slightly fibrous in section, yellowish white, powdery, with sweet and peculiar taste. Fruiting licorice: rough skin, more gray-brown or gray-brown, wood fiber, poor powder. Light fruit licorice: the outer skin is not rough, more gray-brown, lenticels fine and small inconspicuous. (15) Astragalus Roots and rhizomes are cylindrical, rarely branched, thick and thin, gray-yellow or light brown surface, corky skin is easy to peel off, revealing yellow-white skin, sometimes visible yellow-white reticulated fiber bundles. The texture is hard and slightly tough, the section is fibrous and powdery. The skin is yellowish-white, and the wood is light yellow, with radial texture and fissures. Gas slightly, taste slightly sweet, chewing slightly soybean flavor. 3. Microscopic, physical and chemical identification (1) Powdered rhubarb Pale yellowish brown. The powder is examined microscopically with glycerol acetic acid test solution and chloral hydrate test solution respectively. Starch granules: very numerous, single granules spherical or polygonal, umbilical point stellate; complex granules composed of 2-8 grains. Transparent can be seen after the paste dots traces. Calcium oxalate clusters: extremely numerous, generally very large, most of the angles short blunt. (iii) Ducts: mostly reticulated ducts, a few with ciliated holes and threaded ducts, non-woody. ④ Another take rhubarb powder a little for trace sublimation, from low temperature to high temperature were collected sublimation material microscopic examination, in order to see rhombic or needle-like, dendritic, feathery yellow crystals, crystals plus sodium hydroxide (potassium) test solution, it is dissolved and show red. (Check anthraquinone derivatives) (2) Huanglian powder Yellowish brown or yellow. Mirror examination with glycerol acetic acid test solution and chloral hydrate test solution respectively. Starch granules: many single granules, spherical. Stone cells: bright yellow, square, round, oblong or polygonal, thick walled, with obvious perforations. (iii) Middle column sheath fibers: bright yellow, fusiform or spindle-shaped, thick-walled, with pore grooves. Wood fibers: elongated, thin-walled, with punctate pores. ⑤ Wood thin-walled cells: oblong or irregularly shaped, slightly thicker walled, with pores. (6) Scale leaf epidermal cells: greenish yellow or yellowish brown, cells oblong or long polygonal, wall microwave-like curved or thickened as a series of beads. (7) Ducts: reticulated or perforated ducts. (8) take Huanglian powder on a slide, add 1 to 2 drops of 95% ethanol and 1 drop of 30% nitric acid, cover with a coverslip, leave for a moment, microscopic examination, there are yellow needle-like or needle cluster crystals (berberine nitrate) analyzed. (3) Licorice powder Pale brownish yellow. Microscopic examination with chloral hydrate test solution mounting. Fibers: bundled, thick-walled, linear cavity; crystal sheath fibers are easy to see, yellowish. Calcium oxalate square crystals: large and scattered. (iii) Ducts: ciliated ducts with large diameter, rare reticulated ducts. (iv) Cork cells: polygonal, reddish brown. ⑤ Brown masses: variable in shape. For more product details, please visit Aladdin Scientific website.
Chloral hydrate Glycerol acetic acid 95% ethanol Nitric acid Sodium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide
Laboratory equipment for microscopic identification Biological microscope Alcohol lamp Micro-sublimation device