Ci Wu Jia

ACANTHOPANACIS SENTICOSI RADIX ET RHIZOMA SEU CAULIS (刺五加, Ciwujia) Manyprickle Acanthopanax Root, Rhizome, or Stem The dried root, rhizome, or stem of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms (Fam. Araliaceae). The drug is collected in spring or autumn, washed clean, and dried. Description Root and Rhizome Rhizomes irregularly nodular and cylindrical, 1.4–4.2 cm in diameter. Roots cylindrical, mostly tortuous, 3.5–12 cm long and 0.3–1.5 cm in diameter. Externally greyish-brown or blackish-brown, rough, with fine longitudinal furrows and wrinkles. Bark relatively thin and sometimes exfoliated, exposing a greyish-yellow surface. Texture hard. Fracture yellowish-white and fibrous. Odour characteristic and aromatic. Taste slightly pungent, somewhat bitter, and astringent. Stem Long cylindrical, mostly branched, varying in length, 0.5–2 cm in diameter. Externally pale grey; old branches greyish-brown with longitudinal furrows and spineless. Young branches yellowish-brown and densely covered with prickles. Texture hard and difficult to break. Fracture showing a thin bark, broad pale-yellow wood, and a central pith. Odour slight. Taste slightly pungent. Identification (1) Transverse section Root Cork consisting of 10 or more layers of cells. Phelloderm narrow and scattered with secretory canals. Most parenchymatous cells contain clusters of calcium oxalate, 11–64 μm in diameter. Fibre bundles scattered mainly in the outer phloem, becoming gradually fewer toward the inner phloem. Secretory canals subrounded or elliptic, 25–51 μm in radial diameter and 48–97 μm in tangential diameter. Cambium forming a continuous ring. Most of the root occupied by xylem. Rays 1–3 cells wide. Vessels relatively thin-walled, mostly occurring in groups. Xylem fibres well developed. Rhizome Phloem containing considerably more fibre bundles than the root. Pith present. Stem Pith well developed. (2) Thin-layer chromatography To 5 g of the powder add 50 mL of 75% ethanol. Heat under reflux for 1 hour. Filter. Evaporate the filtrate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 10 mL of water. Extract with two 5-mL portions of chloroform. Combine the chloroform extracts. Evaporate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 1 mL of methanol as the test solution. Prepare a solution of 5 g of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis Reference Drug in the same manner as the reference drug solution. Dissolve Isofraxidin CRS in methanol to prepare a solution containing 1 mg/mL as the reference solution. Carry out Thin-Layer Chromatography (0502) using silica gel G as the coating substance and a mixture of chloroform and methanol (19:1) as the mobile phase. Apply separately 10 μL each of the test solution, reference drug solution, and reference solution to the plate. After development, remove the plate and dry in air. Examine under ultraviolet light (365 nm). The fluorescent spots obtained with the test solution correspond in position and colour to those obtained with the reference drug solution. A blue fluorescent spot in the chromatogram obtained with the test solution corresponds in position and colour to that obtained with the reference solution. Water Not more than 10.0% (0832, Method 2). Total Ash Not more than 9.0% (2302). Extractives Carry out the method for determination of ethanol-soluble extractives (2201, Hot Extraction Method), using methanol as the solvent. Not less than 3.0%. Assay Carry out the method for High Performance Liquid Chromatography (0512). Chromatographic system and system suitability Use octadecylsilane bonded silica gel as the stationary phase and a mixture of methanol and water (20:80) as the mobile phase. The detection wavelength is 265 nm. The number of theoretical plates is not less than 2000, calculated with reference to the peak of syringoside. Reference solution Weigh accurately a quantity of Syringoside CRS, dissolve in methanol to produce a solution containing 80 μg/mL. Test solution Weigh accurately 2 g of the coarse powder into a stoppered conical flask. Accurately add 25 mL methanol and weigh. Ultrasonicate (power 250 W, frequency 33 kHz) for 30 minutes. Cool and weigh again. Replenish the loss of solvent with methanol. Mix well, filter, and use the subsequent filtrate as the test solution. Procedure Inject accurately 10 μL each of the reference solution and the test solution into the chromatograph and calculate the content. It contains not less than 0.050% of syringoside (C₁₇H₂₄O₉), calculated with reference to the dried drug. Prepared Slices Processing Remove foreign matter. Wash clean. Soak briefly and soften thoroughly. Cut into thick slices and dry. Description Subrounded or irregular thick slices. Root and rhizome: Externally greyish-brown or blackish-brown, rough, with longitudinal furrows and wrinkles. Bark relatively thin and sometimes exfoliated, exposing a greyish-yellow surface. Stem: Externally pale grey or greyish-brown and spineless. Young branches yellowish-brown with dense prickles. Cut surface yellowish-white and fibrous. Stem showing thin bark, broad wood, and distinct pith. Odour of the root and rhizome characteristic and aromatic. Taste slightly pungent, somewhat bitter, and astringent. Stem odour slight; taste slightly pungent. Identification As required for the crude drug except for the transverse section. Water Not more than 8.0%, following the method for the crude drug. Total Ash Not more than 7.0%, following the method for the crude drug. Extractives As required for the crude drug. Assay As required for the crude drug. Property, Actions and Clinical Use Property and Flavor Warm; pungent and slightly bitter. Meridian Tropism Spleen, Kidney and Heart meridians. Actions Tonify qi Fortify the spleen Tonify the kidney Tranquilize the mind Indications Spleen–lung qi deficiency with weak constitution, lassitude, and poor appetite Dual deficiency of the lung and kidney with chronic cough and dyspnea of deficiency type Kidney deficiency with soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees Heart–spleen deficiency with insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep Administration and Dosage 9–27 g. Storage Preserve in a ventilated and dry place, and protect from moisture.