A PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY ON THE CHINESE DRUG “QING FENG TENG”(SINOMENIUM ACUTUM)

The Chinese drug "Qing Feng Teng" is used chiefly as an analgesic. According to our collection and examination, there are 7 species of different plants bearing this name, but the stems of Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehd. et Wils. and its variety cinereum (Diels) Rehd. et Wils., family Menispermaceae, are considered the most important.In this paper, the botanical descriptions of the plants, morphorlogical and histologi-cal features of the stem, diagnostic characters of the powdered drug, results of chemical identification tests, thin-layer chromatographic analysis and the content of total alkalo-id are reported.The chief distinguishing pharmacognostical characters for identification between two species of Sinomenium are tabulated.The morphorlogical distinctions of other 4 species used in certain localities under the same name, i.e., (1) Diploclicia chinensis Merr. (Menispermaceae); (2) Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. (Rubiaceae); (3) Hedera nepalensis K. Koch. var. sinensis Rehd. (Araliaceae); (4) Cocculus trilobus DC. (Menispermaceae) are also given.