Application of microscopy in authentication of the 3 species of Traditional Tibetan and Qiang Herbs of “Wu-Jia Vegetables”

Background: The new tender leaf of Acanthopanax giraldii Harms, A. leucorrhizus (Oliv.) Harms var. fulvescens Harms & Rehd, and A. setchuenensis Harms ex Diels are collected as “Wu-Jia Vegetables” in every spring. Objective: To distinguish the 3 species of “Wu-Jia Vegetables” collected from the Aba and Ganzi Autonomous Prefectures in Sichuan province of China and ensure their safety and efficacy. Materials and Methods: The 3 species of “Wu-Jia Vegetables” were collected during flowering and fruiting in high mountain boscage slopes about 3100 meters above sea level from Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China (SWUN). (Table1). Fresh materials were fixed in FAA. Samples were passed through the traditional ethanol and dimethylbenzene series, embedded in paraffin, and then sliced with a microtome and stained with safranine-fast green and finally mounted. The leaves were isolated by Nitric acid Chromate method. The samples of herbs were powdered. Results: The 3 species of “Wu-Jia Vegetables” were studied to compare the distinguishing morphoanatomic details of root, cortex of stem, leaf and petiole, fruit and fruit stalk, and powders. The microscopic features were systematically described and illustrated. And detailed key authentication parameters based on these anatomic characteristics were presented. A key was constructed to the 3 species for convenient classification. Conclusion: This method was simple, accurate and repeatable. It was useful for the study of authenticating and distinguishing 3 species of “Wu-Jia Vegetables”.