Angelica sinensis (root)

Nomenclature

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels   Apiaceae  
Standardized common name (English): dong quai

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels Source: Images courtesy of the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden

Macroscopic Characteristics

Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org.

Microscopic Characteristics

Orange brown oddly shaped cork of Angelica sinensis viewed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories	Scalariform vessel in longitudinal view of Angelica sinensis viewed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Chinese Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 254 nm Chinese Angelica (root) (Angelica sinensis) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 4 µL Imperatorin, z-Ligustilide (incr. Rf) 4 µL Osthole 4 µL Angelica root 1* 4 µL Angelica root 2 4 µL Angelica root 3 4 µL Chinese Angelica root 4 µL Dahurian Angelica root 4 µL Doubleteeth pubescent Angelica root 1 4 µL Doubleteeth pubescent Angelica root 2 4 µL Lovage root 1* 4 µL Lovage root 2 4 µL Lovage root 3 4 µL Chinese lovage root (Ligusticum sinensis) 4 µL Chinese lovage root 1 (Ligusticum jeholense) 4 µL Chinese lovage root 2 (Ligusticum jeholense) 4 µL Chinese lovage root (Ligusticum chuanxiong)  Reference Sample(s) Reference:Dissolve 1 mg each of osthole and imperatorin in 10 mL of methanol. Optional: Dissolve 1 mg of Z-ligustilide in 10 mL of methanol.  Stationary Phase Stationary phase, i.e. Silica gel 60, F254  Mobile Phase Toluene, ethyl acetate, glacial acetic acid 90:10:1 (v/v/v)  Sample Preparation Method Sample: Mix 1.0 g of powdered sample with 4 mL of heptane and sonicate for 5 minutes, then centrifuge and filter the solutions and use the filtrates as test solutions.  Detection Method Saturated chamber; developing distance 70 mm from lower edge; relative humidity 33%  Other Notes Images presented in this entry are examples and are not intended to be used as basis for setting specifications for quality control purposes. System suitability test: Imperatorin: greenish fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.31 (UV 366 nm). Osthole: blue fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.36 (UV 366 nm). Identification: Compare result with reference images. The fingerprint of the test solution is similar to that of the corresponding botanical reference sample. Additional weak zones may be present. Under UV 254 nm the chromatogram of the test solution shows a blue fluorescent zone corresponding to reference Z-ligustilide (red arrow). Below this zone there are two weak quenching zones, one of them at the position corresponding to osthole. Under UV 366 nm the chromatogram of the test solution shows an intense blue white fluorescent zone corresponding to reference Z-ligustilide. Test for adulteration: Under UV 254 nm no zone is seen at or below the position of imperatorin. Under UV 366 nm no zone is seen at or below the position of osthole (Angelica root, Dahurian Angelica root, Doubleteeth pubescent root, Lovage root, Chinese lovage root. Chinese Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 254 nm Chinese Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 366 nm Source: HPTLC Association

Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 254 nm Angelica (root) (Angelica archangelica) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 4 µL Imperatorin, z-Ligustilide (incr. Rf) 4 µL Osthole 4 µL Angelica root 1* 4 µL Angelica root 2 4 µL Angelica root 3 4 µL Chinese Angelica root 4 µL Dahurian Angelica root 4 µL Doubleteeth pubescent Angelica root 1 4 µL Doubleteeth pubescent Angelica root 2 4 µL Lovage root 1* 4 µL Lovage root 2 4 µL Lovage root 3 4 µL Chinese lovage root (Ligusticum sinensis) 4 µL Chinese lovage root 1 (Ligusticum jeholense) 4 µL Chinese lovage root 2 (Ligusticum jeholense) 4 µL Chinese lovage root (Ligusticum chuanxiong)  Reference Sample(s) Reference: Dissolve 1 mg each of osthole and imperatorin in 10 mL of methanol. Optional: Dissolve 1 mg of Z-ligustilide in 10 mL of methanol.  Stationary Phase Stationary phase, i.e. Silica gel 60, F254  Mobile Phase Toluene, ethyl acetate, glacial acetic acid 90:10:1 (v/v/v)  Sample Preparation Method Sample: Mix 1.0 g of powdered sample with 4 mL of heptane and sonicate for 5 minutes, then centrifuge and filter the solutions and use the filtrates as test solutions.  Detection Method Saturated chamber; developing distance 70 mm from lower edge; relative humidity 33%  Other Notes Images presented in this entry are examples and are not intended to be used as basis for setting specifications for quality control purposes. System suitability test: Imperatorin: greenish fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.31 (UV 366 nm). Osthole: blue fluorescent zone at Rf ~ 0.36 (UV 366 nm). Identification: Compare result with reference images. Under UV 254 nm the chromatogram of the test solution shows quenching zones corresponding to references imperatorin and osthole (Rf ~ 0.31 and Rf ~ 0.36, orange and yellow arrow). Below these zones several quenching zones are detected. Under UV 366 nm the chromatogram of the test solution shows a dark blue fluorescent zone corresponding to the reference osthole. Right below a greenish fluorescent zone corresponding to imperatorin is detected. Below this zone several blue fluorescent zones are detected. Test for adulteration: No zone is seen at or directly below Rf ~ 0.57 (red arrow) (Chinese Angelica root, Dahurian Angelica root, Doubleteeth pubescent root, Lovage root, Chinese lovage root). Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 254 nm Angelica (root) HPTLC ID - UV 366 nm Source: HPTLC Association