Dataset Information

Quality Control of Radix Astragali (The Root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus) Along Its Value Chains.

ABSTRACT: Radix Astragali (RA), the root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (Bunge) P.K. Hsiao, known as "Huangqi" in Chinese, has been used as a traditional herbal medicine or food in China for more than 2,000 years and is now consumed globally. Unfortunately, the increasing demand for RA has led to the overexploitation of its wild stock, as well as quality problems, including adulteration and contamination. Therefore, the sustainable cultivation of RA is urgently needed. In the present research, semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews were conducted, over a 2-year period, to collect data from stakeholders in the main production areas; moreover, a targeted chemical analysis-based quality assessment strategy was applied to understand the quality of RA. Accordingly, 10 different types of value chains (VCs) were identified in RA production; meanwhile, the contents of the main active ingredients (astragaloside and calycosin-7-O-?-D-glucoside) were analyzed by HPLC-ELSD-UV and the yield of medicinal material was demined and further analyzed using k-means clustering analysis. The results show that the tight relationship between quality of the RA and stakeholders' revenues among the VCs, which reflects a more general trend in the production system. Over the past few decades, vertical coordination has emerged increasingly in VCs of RA, which leads to a more coherent traceability system and rigorous regulations in the supply chains. Daodi herbs can be considered to be a standard that is distinctive with good quality characteristics that emphasize the origins of the medicinal plants. We find that the suitability of geographical areas and vertical integration can improve the VCs of RA, which further contributes to its quality control, as well as its sustainable production.

SUBMITTER: Bi Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7746871 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Quality Control of Radix Astragali (The Root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus) Along Its Value Chains.

Bi Yaqiong Y Bao Haiying H Zhang Chunhong C Yao Ruyu R Li Minhui M

Frontiers in pharmacology 20201204

Radix Astragali (RA), the root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (Bunge) P.K. Hsiao, known as "Huangqi" in Chinese, has been used as a traditional herbal medicine or food in China for more than 2,000 years and is now consumed globally. Unfortunately, the increasing demand for RA has led to the overexploitation of its wild stock, as well as quality problems, including adulteration and contamination. Therefore, the sustainable cultivation of RA is urgently needed. In the pr ...[more]

PMID: 33343346

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Project description:Radix Astragali is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, and its quality is closely related to ecological factors, such as climate and soil, in the production area. To provide high-quality Radix Astragali to Chinese and foreign markets, we used maximum entropy model and statistical analysis method, combined with data on ecological factors, Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus geographical distribution, and index component content to predict the ecological suitability distribution of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus and establish the relationship between astragaloside IV and calycosin-7-glucoside in this species and ecological factors. Subsequently, we could determine the suitability regionalization of high-quality A. membranaceus var. mongholicus in Inner Mongolia, China. The results showed that the standard deviation of seasonal changes in temperature (40.6%), precipitation in October (15.7%), vegetation type (14.3%), soil type (9.2%), and mean sunshine duration in the growing season (9.1%) were the top five most influential factors out of the 17 main ecological factors affecting the distribution of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. The standard deviation of seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation in October, precipitation in April, soil pH, and mean sunshine duration in the growing season were found to be the key ecological factors affecting the accumulation of astragaloside IV and calycosin-7-glucoside in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. The regions with the highest-quality A. membranaceus var. mongholicus were distributed in Baotou (Guyang County), Hohhot (Wuchuan County), and central Wulanchabu (Chahar Right Middle Banner, Chahar Right Back Banner, and Shangdu County) and its surroundings in Inner Mongolia. Baotou, Hohhot, and their surrounding areas were the main traditional production areas of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus, and central Wulanchabu was a potentially suitable distribution area of this species. The main production areas were consistent with the actual production base of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. This study therefore provides a scientific basis to guide the cultivation of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus.

Project description:BackgroundIn recent years, global climate change in tandem with increased human activity has resulted in habitat degradation or the migration of rare medicinal plants, potentially impacting the quality of medicinal herbs. Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus is a valuable bulk medicinal material in Northwest China. As the demand for this medicinal herb continues to increase in both domestic and international markets, ensuring the sustainable development of high-quality Astragali Radix is important. In this study, the maximum entropy (Maxent) model was applied, thereby incorporating 136 distribution records, along with 39 environmental factors of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus, to assess the quality zonation and potential distribution of this species in China under climate change.ResultsThe results showed that the elevation, annual mean temperature, precipitation of wettest month, solar radiation in June, and mean temperature of warmest quarter were the critical environmental factors influencing the accumulation of astragaloside IV and Astragalus polysaccharide in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. Among the twelve main environmental variables, annual mean temperature, elevation, precipitation of the wettest month, and solar radiation in November were the four most important factors influencing the distribution of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. In addition, ecological niche modelling revealed that highly suitable habitats were mainly located in central and western Gansu, eastern Qinghai, northern Shaanxi, southern Ningxia, central Inner Mongolia, central Shanxi, and northern Hebei. However, the future projections under climate change suggested a contraction of these suitable areas, shifting towards northeastern high-latitude and high-elevation mountains.ConclusionsThe findings provide essential insights for developing adaptive strategies for A. membranaceus var. mongholicus cultivation in response to climate change and can inform future research on this species. By considering the identified environmental factors and the potential impacts of the predicted climate changes, we can visualize the regional distribution of high-quality Radix Astragali and develop conservation strategies to protect and restore its suitable habitats.

Project description:Glehniae Radix (GR) is one of the major medicinal materials in China. The global demand for GR, especially in Asian countries, is constantly increasing, and the supply of wild medicinal materials falls short of the demand. Previous studies have shown that the production and processing modes of different value chains (VCs) impact the quality of medicinal materials. After 4 years of field and market research, this study includes interviews with stakeholders in the VCs, integrates different types of VCs, and further analyzes the VCs. GR characteristics were also assessed; the length and upper-middle diameter of the collected samples were measured, and the effective components of the samples were determined to rank the GR samples according to their quality. The effective components were further analyzed by the K-means clustering method. Concomitantly, the local price (the sales price of the place where the medicinal materials are produced) and market price (the sale price of medicinal materials in the market) of GR in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, and Anguo, Hebei, were documented, and the ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) method was used to predict the GR price. Ten VCs are summarized in this article. The results showed that the income of the staff at the beginning of the VC is inadequate. Regarding GR origin, Inner Mongolia GR showed higher quality than that of other areas. As a result, the price of medicinal materials is relatively high, which corresponds to the market price of the survey. The forecast results showed that the market price of GR would increase slightly in the future, which could provide reference for the selection of medicinal materials cultivation in the future. Through the study, it was found that the vertical integration in the VCs of GR could guarantee not only the benefit of the growers but also the traceability of the medicinal materials, which further guarantees the quality of the medicinal materials. However, the complex relationship between the cultivation area and the quality of the medicinal materials is not clear, which should be addressed in future research.

Dataset Information

Quality Control of Radix Astragali (The Root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus) Along Its Value Chains.

Publications

Quality Control of Radix Astragali (The Root of <i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> var. <i>mongholicus</i>) Along Its Value Chains.

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