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KMID : 0861020190340060025
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Korea Journal of Herbology
2019 Volume.34 No. 6 p.25 ~ p.32
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The Anatomical Identification-key of Ephedrae Herba and its adulterant
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Lee Guem-San
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Abstract
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Objectives : Ephedra regeliana, although similar to the other E. sinica, E. intermedia, and E. equisetina, is not authorized by The Korean Pharmacopoeia and yet has also been imported under the name of 'Ma-Hwang'. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative anatomical evaluation of Ephedrae Sinicae Herba (ESH), Ephedrae Intermedicae Herba (EIH), Ephedrae Equisetinae Herba (EEH) and Ephedrae Regelianae Herba (ERH).
Methods : Permanent paraffin-embedded specimens were produced using the paraffin-tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) method, to visualize their anatomical features via light microscopy.
Results : ESH and ERH transverse sections were in the shape of a long ellipse, while those of EIH and EEH were in the shape of a circle. These anatomical characteristics substantiated the results of external morphological examination. The sections revealed that each of the four samples showed significantly different cortexes. The cortex of ESH was wider than two thirds of the section, unlike that of the other samples which was relatively narrow. The xylems of ERH, EIH, and EEH demonstrated interconnectivity with other adjacent xylems, contrary to those in ESH. Therefore, the characteristic development of the xylems over time was used to distinguish ERH from the other. Furthermore, parenchymal morphology in the central cylinder was also a good criterion to differentiate between EIH and EEH, since EIH demonstrated parenchymal cells that were shaped like a rounded-triangle, whereas EEH parenchymal cells were chrysanthemum-shaped.
Conclusions : The identification-keys established in this study would facilitate the accurate identification of microscopic features of the four varieties of 'Ma-Hwang'.
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KEYWORD
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Ephedara sinica, Ephedara intermedia, Ehpedra equisetina, Ephedra regeliana, identification, microscopy
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