Identification & Quality Standard
Radix Astragali
Botanical Origin
The dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao or Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)(Fabaceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has thick and long root, obvious ‘chrysanthemum center’, small hollow, lack of broken skin; hong qi has red and moisture skin, even root, firm texture, and powdery.
Macroscopic Features
Straight root is cylindrical, some has branches, apex is relatively thick, 30~90cm long, 1~3.5cm diameter; externally longitudinally wrinkled, pale brownish-yellow or pale brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles or longitudinal grooves, hard, pliable and powdery; cortex is yellowish-white and relatively loose, xylem has chrysanthemum-like lines, bean-like flavor, slightly sweet taste. Old root center occasionally is rotten, black-brown or hollow. faint odor, slightly sweet taste, bean-like flavor when chewed.
