[Source]

 Umbelliferae family, root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels.

[Characteristics of Medicinal Material]  

The root head and main root of this product are thick and short, with five or six, or over ten, lateral roots of similar thickness and length growing unevenly from the lower end, sometimes further branching into fine roots, forming a whole slightly like a horse’s tail. The total length is about 15-25 cm, and the diameter of the root head is about 0.5-1 cm. The outer surface is yellowish-brown to scorched brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles. When dry, this product is hard, but easily absorbs moisture and becomes soft and tough. When squeezed hard, yellow oily substances will ooze out. The aroma is rich, distinctive, slightly sweet, and then slightly bitter.

The cut slices are transverse, oblique, or longitudinal thin slices. In Taiwan, they are often flattened, with the main and lateral roots cut longitudinally. The thickness is about 0.5-1 mm. The transverse or oblique sections of the lateral roots have uneven, indented edges, with a brown ring at the cambium. The bark accounts for about half of the root diameter and is light brown. There are numerous small oil dots. The wood is pale yellowish-white, with faint rays radiating from the center. There is an oily, light brown ring and brown oil dots, which are characteristic. The transverse sections of the root head have a broad pith. Longitudinal sections of the root head alone are less common, and are made by longitudinally cutting the main root into long rectangles, about 3-5 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. The cambium appears as dark linear stripes, and the wood is whitish with longitudinal fine stripes (vascular bundles). Wine-prepared Angelica sinensis: yellowish-brown with scorched spots. Fragrant aroma, with a wine scent, sweet, slightly acrid. Carbonized Angelica sinensis: surface appears dark brown, fracture surface appears grayish-brown.

Commonly processed products: 1. Angelica sinensis 2. Wine-prepared Angelica sinensis 3. Carbonized Angelica sinensis

[Quality Identification]    

“Zheng Lei Ben Cao” states: “Fan Zi said: The best Angelica sinensis is non-withered.” “Generally, those with thick flesh and not withered are superior.” “Only those that are plump and moist, not dry, are good.”  

“Pu Ji Fang” states: “Sweet Angelica sinensis is good, pungent ones should not be used.”

“Pu Ji Fang” states: “Angelica sinensis (select large, horse-tail-shaped, moist, sweet, fragrant ones from Sichuan are best).”  

“Pu Ji Fang” states: “Longxi Angelica sinensis is best.”

“Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao” states: “Roots with much toughness and moisture are good.”

“Ben Cao Gang Mu” states: “Roots are dark yellow-brown, those with thick flesh and not withered are superior.”  

“Ben Cao Gang Mu” states: “Those with purple color, fragrant, plump, and moist are called horse-tail Angelica, the best.”

“Ben Cao Bei Yao” states: “Sichuan produced ones are strong and good for attacking, while Qin produced ones are soft and good for tonifying. Qin produced ones with round heads and many tails, plump and moist with a fragrant aroma are excellent, called horse-tail Angelica.”  

“Ben Cao Hai Li” states: “[Processing] Roots are collected in February and dried in the shade. The head and tail are round, with many purple or yellow-green stem scars and residual leaf base scars. Plump, moist, fragrant, with a white interior and not oily are good. Those produced in Qin, known as horse-tail Angelica, are the best.”

“Liang Lie Jian Bie” states: “Plump and large, with dense lateral roots like a horse’s tail, brown outer skin, yellowish-white interior, initial taste slightly sweet, then slightly pungent, fragrant and moist are best.”  

Those with dry bodies, large branches, plump branch tips, long bodies with few legs, golden-brown outer skin, plump and powdery flesh, white fracture surface, strong aroma, and sweet taste are best. Main roots that are short, with many lateral roots, weaker aroma, and fracture surfaces that turn reddish-brown are of inferior quality.  

[Terminology]  

1. **He Kou (Closed Mouth):** The root head of Angelica sinensis and Notopterygium incisum is blunt and round, with purple or yellowish-green stem scars and residual leaf stalk bases.
2. **Shen (Body):** Refers to the main root of certain root and rhizome medicinal materials. For example, the main root of Angelica sinensis is called “Gui Shen” (Angelica body). Descriptions of the “body” include “length and shortness,” “slenderness,” etc., while quality descriptions include “loose,” “dense,” “heavy,” etc.
3. **You Xing (Oily nature):** The transverse section of the medicinal material is moist and oily, with abundant secretions, soft and moist texture, yielding when gripped, often with yellowish-brown oil dots and a fragrant aroma. For example, Angelica sinensis.
4. **You Dian (Oil dots):** The medicinal material contains volatile oil, with yellowish-brown oil dots on the fracture surface and a fragrant aroma, such as Angelica sinensis.
5. **Qian Shan Tui Zi Hou Shan Wang (Front Mountain Legs Rear Mountain King):** This is an evaluation of Angelica sinensis medicinal material. “Front Mountain” refers to areas south of the Minshan Mountains, such as Dangchang and Wudu in the Bailong River basin. Angelica sinensis produced in the front mountains has thick heads, short bodies, long tails, and loose quality, considered of inferior quality. “Rear Mountain” refers to areas like Minxian, Lintan, and Daili in the Taotiao River basin of the Minshan Mountains. Angelica sinensis produced in the rear mountains has thick main roots, long bodies, few lateral roots, and a strong aroma, considered superior to that from the front mountains.
6. **Yuan Zhi Gui (Whole Branch Gui):** Refers to whole Angelica sinensis.
7. **Yuan Lou Gui (Original Basket Gui):** Also called Yuan Lai Gui, refers to unprocessed raw Angelica sinensis medicinal material.
8. **Ma Wei Gui (Horse Tail Gui):** The main root of Angelica sinensis is thick and short, with numerous fine lateral roots resembling hair, purple in color, resembling a horse’s tail.
9. **Chang Xing Gui (Long Traveling Gui):** Refers to extremely small Angelica sinensis medicinal material.
10. **Hu Shou (Gui) (Gourd Head (Gui)):** A commodity specification of Angelica sinensis medicinal material, referring to the root head, but actually including the root head and the root body.
11. **Tui (Leg):** Generally refers to the lateral roots of root and rhizome medicinal materials, also called “Wei” (tail). For example, Angelica sinensis, Panax ginseng. Descriptions of the legs include “length and shortness,” “curvature,” “straightness,” “quantity,” etc., with fewer legs generally being preferred.
12. **Tou (Head):** Generally refers to the tip or upper rhizome of root and rhizome medicinal materials. It is distinguished from the middle main root (Shen) and the lower lateral root (Wei); sometimes it is used to distinguish between the upper-middle and lower parts, such as the rhizome of Angelica sinensis called “Gui Tou” (Angelica head).
13. **Gui Wei Tui (Angelica Tail Leg):** Refers to the lateral roots of Angelica sinensis.
14. **Can Tou Gui (Silkworm Head Gui):** The root head of Angelica sinensis is large, the lateral roots are thick, and the body has fine annular lines, resembling a silkworm’s head.

Taiwan Market Product: Angelica sinensis is mainly produced in the Minshan Mountains area bordering southern Gansu and Sichuan, which is considered the best. In addition, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Guizhou, and Yunnan also produce Angelica sinensis. “Yun Gui” cultivated in the Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan is sold in the market.

In the past, Gansu Angelica sinensis was transported out in two ways: one route transported via railway from Longxi and Tianshui to Xi’an, marketed as Xi Gui or Qin Gui; another route was transported via the Bailong River to Chongqing for further processing, marketed as Chuan Gui.

The market is generally divided into three major categories:

1. **Whole Angelica Sinensis (Yuan Zhi Gui):** Large in size and long, with strong legs and dense body, yellowish-brown skin, and powdery white interior. Imported goods in Taiwan are “Xiang Gui” (Box Gui) and “Tou Di Gui” (also called Tong Di Gui). Xiang Gui is long, with strong legs, fine texture, dry body, and mottled white color, each piece with 5-6 thick legs, with the tail hair trimmed off.
2. **Gui Tui Wei (Gui Tui, Gui Jiao, Gui Wei):** Refers to branches and young tendrils cut off from the forks.
3. **Hu Shou Gui (Gui Tou, Gui Shen):** Refers to cut-off branches and fine rootlets, retaining only the root head and a portion of the main root body. Yunnan Gui Tou is dried after the bark is scraped off and fumigated. This category is not imported in large quantities to Taiwan, and is occasionally seen as smuggled goods. Hong Kong and Southeast Asia use it extensively.

In terms of grade classification, Xiang Gui is graded and packaged, with uniform specifications. Its external characteristics are a thick root body, few fine roots, and short, thick root hairs. It was formerly packaged in wooden boxes, hence the name Xiang Gui (Box Gui). (Now both Xiang Gui and Tou Di Gui are packed in corrugated cardboard boxes). The quality is good, graded from 1 to 4.

Tou Di Gui, also known as Tong Di Gui, is of a lower grade than Xiang Gui. Its characteristic is thin and long root hairs, abundant and dense. Although the root body is also thick, due to the abundance of root hairs, the entire Angelica sinensis has a smaller proportion of root body compared to Xiang Gui. The grade is consequently lower.

Gui Tui, also known as Gui Wei or Gui Jiao, is taken from the branches and young tendrils of Angelica sinensis or from the upper part of large lateral roots. It lacks the root body and fine root hairs, so its medicinal efficacy is inferior. In market classification, it is the lowest in quality and cheapest in price.

Whether Xiang Gui, Tou Di Gui, or Gui Tui, the color of the root body is yellowish-white. If it is brown, it indicates deterioration or a rotten core, and its medicinal efficacy is reduced. If the outer skin is damaged and black, it is not good.

The general color of the whole root body is scorched brown or yellowish-brown. Angelica sinensis contains 0.2% to 0.4% volatile oil. Therefore, its internal properties are a strong aroma and a slightly pungent, sweet, and bitter taste.

Due to the abundant volatile oil content, the aroma is strong and pungent. When fresh Angelica sinensis is squeezed hard, yellow oily substances will ooze out.

For Angelica sinensis slices, special attention should be paid to the following points due to differences in slicing and processing techniques:

(1) The transverse section of the sliced medicinal material must be yellowish-white and dry and soft, indicating that it was not sliced after soaking in water.

(2) The taste must be purely that of Angelica sinensis. If other flavors are mixed in, it indicates the use of chemical preservatives or sulfur fumigation, which will reduce the medicinal efficacy.

(3) The entire slice should ideally be free of yellowish-brown intermingling.