title: Distinguishing the Chinese materia medica Tiepishihu from similar Dendrobium species of the same genus using histological and microscopic method.
abstract: The Chinese Materia Medica, Tiepishihu, used as a tonic for over one thousand years, is a well-known precious medicine in China. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, its source is the species Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, which is distinguished from other species in Dendrobium genus. However, these species from the same genus are similar with Tiepishihu and caused confusion in the market. To find a quick and simple method to distinguish Tiepishihu from other similar species, histologic and microscopic methods were combined together to investigate the transverse section of stem of Tiepishihu and other similar species. Phloroglucinol test solution with hydrochloric acid was used to reveal the lignified tissue by staining the transverse section of Tiepishihu and similar species. Results revealed the unique identification characteristics to distinguish Tiepishihu from similar species, which were difficult to distinguish by other methods. The identification characteristics of Tiepishihu include the cells of vascular bundle sheath were stained red, parenchyma cells were not stained red. What's more, other species can be distinguished from each other with microscopic and histological characteristics. These characteristics proved stable and can be easily observed by normal light microscopic examination. This method is rapid, accurate, stable, and inexpensive.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Kun-Zi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2763-5087
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Xishuangbanna Institute for Food and Drug Control, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Nan-Ping
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Institute for Food and Drug Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zeng-Xi
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shuang-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Division of Chinese Materia Medica, Institute for Control of Chinese Traditional Medicine and Ethnic Medicine, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D031667:Dendrobium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000145:classification; D008853:Microscopy
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008419:Materia Medica
keywords: Chinese materia medica; Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo; authentication; histological method; microscopic characteristics