当归
Dɑnggui
ANGELICAE SINENSIS RADIX
This product is the dried root of the plant Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, belonging to the Umbelliferae family. It is harvested in late autumn, with the fibrous roots and soil removed. After slight evaporation of moisture, it is bundled into small bunches and dried slowly with smoke.
【Properties】 The product is slightly cylindrical, with 3 to 5 or more lateral roots at the lower part, measuring 15 to 25 cm in length. The surface is light brown to brownish-yellow, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticels. The root head (gui tou) has a diameter of 1.5 to 4 cm, with annular markings, the upper end is rounded or has several prominent root scars, with remnants of purple or yellow-green stems and leaf sheaths; the main root (gui shen) has an uneven surface; the lateral roots (gui wei) have a diameter of 0.3 to 1 cm, thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, often twisted, with few fibrous root scars. The texture is flexible, with a cross-section that is yellowish-white or light yellow-brown, thick periderm, with cracks and numerous brown punctate secretory cavities, while the wood part is lighter in color, with the cambium ring being yellow-brown. It has a strong aroma, with a sweet, spicy, and slightly bitter taste.
Roots that are large, dry, without oil, or with a greenish-brown cross-section are not suitable for medicinal use.
【Identification】 (1) The transverse section of the product shows a cork layer consisting of several rows of cells. The inner cork layer is narrow, with few oil chambers. The phloem is broad, with many fissures, and the oil chambers and oil ducts are round, with a diameter of 25 to 160 μm, larger on the outside and gradually smaller inward, surrounded by 6 to 9 secretory cells. The cambium forms a ring. The xylem rays consist of 3 to 5 rows of cells; vessels are scattered singly or in groups of 2 to 3, arranged radially; parenchyma cells contain starch grains.
The powder is light yellow-brown. The phloem parenchyma cells are spindle-shaped, with slightly thick walls, and the surface has very fine oblique intersecting textures, sometimes with thin septa. Ladder-like vessels and reticulate vessels are common, with a diameter of about 80 μm. Fragments of oil chambers may sometimes be seen.
(2) Take 0.5 g of the powdered product, add 20 ml of ether, and treat with ultrasound for 10 minutes, filter, evaporate the filtrate, and dissolve the residue in 1 ml of ethanol to prepare the test solution. Take 0.5 g of the reference material of Danggui and prepare the reference solution in the same manner. Perform thin-layer chromatography (TLC) as per the general rule (0502), applying 10 μl of each solution on the same silica gel G thin-layer plate, using n-hexane-ethyl acetate (4:1) as the developing solvent, develop, remove, dry, and examine under ultraviolet light (365 nm). In the test solution, fluorescent spots of the same color appear at the corresponding positions as in the reference material.
(3) Take 3 g of the powdered product, add 50 ml of 1% sodium bicarbonate solution, treat with ultrasound for 10 minutes, centrifuge, take the supernatant, and adjust the pH to 2 to 3 with dilute hydrochloric acid. Extract with ether twice, each time with 20 ml, combine the ether solution, evaporate, and dissolve the residue in 1 ml of methanol to prepare the test solution. Take reference solutions of ferulic acid and ligustilide, each prepared in methanol to contain 1 mg/ml, as reference solutions. Perform thin-layer chromatography (TLC) as per the general rule (0502), applying 10 μl of each of the three solutions on the same silica gel G thin-layer plate, using cyclohexane-dichloromethane-ethyl acetate-formic acid (4:1:1:0.1) as the developing solvent, develop, remove, dry, and examine under ultraviolet light (365 nm). In the test solution, fluorescent spots of the same color appear at the corresponding positions as in the reference solutions.
【Examination】 Moisture must not exceed 15.0% (General Rule 0832, Method 4).
Total Ash must not exceed 7.0% (General Rule 2302).
Acid-insoluble Ash must not exceed 2.0% (General Rule 2302).
Heavy Metals and Harmful Elements are determined by methods for lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and copper (General Rule 2321, atomic absorption spectrophotometry or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Lead must not exceed 5 mg/kg; cadmium must not exceed 1 mg/kg; arsenic must not exceed 2 mg/kg; mercury must not exceed 0.2 mg/kg; copper must not exceed 20 mg/kg.
【Extractives】 Determined by the method for alcohol-soluble extractives (General Rule 2201) using 70% ethanol as the solvent, must not be less than 45.0%.
【Content Determination】 Volatile Oil is determined by the method for volatile oil (General Rule 2204, Method B).
The product must contain volatile oil not less than 0.4% (ml/g).
Ferulic Acid is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (General Rule 0512).
The chromatographic conditions and system suitability test use octadecylsilyl-bonded silica gel as the stationary phase; acetonitrile-0.085% phosphoric acid solution (17:83) as the mobile phase; detection wavelength at 316 nm; column temperature at 35 °C. The theoretical plate number calculated from the ferulic acid peak should not be less than 5000.
Preparation of the reference solution: Take an appropriate amount of ferulic acid reference substance, accurately weigh, place in a brown volumetric flask, and add 70% methanol to prepare a solution containing 12 μg/ml.
Preparation of the test solution: Take about 0.2 g of the powdered product (passed through a No. 3 sieve), accurately weigh, place in a stoppered conical flask, accurately add 20 ml of 70% methanol, stopper tightly, weigh, heat under reflux for 30 minutes, cool, reweigh, and add 70% methanol to make up for the weight loss, shake well, let stand, filter the supernatant, and take the filtrate.
Determination method: Accurately take 10 μl of the reference solution and the test solution, inject into the liquid chromatography system, and measure.
Based on the dried product, it must contain ferulic acid (C10H10O4) not less than 0.050%.
Processed Slices
【Preparation】 Danggui Remove impurities, wash clean, soak thoroughly, cut into thin slices, and dry in the sun or at low temperature.
【Properties】 The product appears as round, oval, or irregular thin slices. The outer skin is light brown to brownish-yellow. The cut surface is light brown-yellow or yellow-white, flat, with fissures, and has a light brown cambium ring in the middle, with numerous brown oil spots, a strong aroma, and a sweet, spicy, and slightly bitter taste.
【Identification】 (excluding transverse section) 【Examination】 【Extractives】 Same as the medicinal material.
Wine-Processed Danggui Take clean Danggui slices and fry them according to the wine-frying method (General Rule 0213) until dry.
【Properties】 The product resembles Danggui slices. The cut surface is deep yellow or light brown-yellow, with slight scorch marks. It has a strong aroma, with a hint of wine fragrance.
【Examination】 Moisture Same as the medicinal material, must not exceed 10.0%.
【Extractives】 Same as the medicinal material, must not be less than 50.0%.
【Identification】 (excluding transverse section) 【Examination】 (total ash, acid-insoluble ash) Same as the medicinal material.
【Taste and Meridian Entry】 Sweet, spicy, warm. Enters the Liver, Heart, and Spleen meridians.
【Functions and Indications】 Tonifies blood, invigorates blood circulation, regulates menstruation, and alleviates pain. Used for blood deficiency with sallow complexion, dizziness, palpitations, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain due to deficiency-cold, rheumatic pain, trauma, carbuncles, and constipation due to dry intestines. Wine-processed Danggui invigorates blood circulation and regulates menstruation. Used for dysmenorrhea, rheumatic pain, and trauma.
【Dosage】 6 to 12 g.
【Storage】 Store in a cool, dry place, protect from moisture and pests.