T/TFHT C015-2019 Astragalus Product Standard

Scope

Main Technical Content: 3. Terminology and Definitions 3.1 Astragalus Astragalus is the dried root of the legume plant Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch. ) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge. ) Hsiao. It is harvested in spring and autumn, with the removal of side roots and root tips, and then dried in the sun. Astragalus is cylindrical, sometimes with branches, with a thicker upper end. It is 30–90 cm long and 1–3.5 cm in diameter. The surface is light brown or pale brown, with uneven longitudinal wrinkles or grooves. It is hard and tough, difficult to break, and has a fibrous cross-section with a powdery texture. The bark is yellow-white, and the wood is pale yellow, with radial striations and cracks. The center of older roots may occasionally appear dry, black-brown, or hollow. It has a faint odor and a slightly sweet taste, with a slight bean-like aroma when chewed. 3.2 Astragalus Tablets These tablets are thick slices with a roughly circular or oval shape. The outer surface is yellow-white to pale brown, with visible longitudinal wrinkles or grooves. The cross-section shows yellow-white bark and pale yellow wood, with radial striations and cracks. The center of older roots may occasionally appear dry, black-brown, or hollow. It has a faint odor and a slightly sweet taste, with a slight bean-like aroma when chewed. 4. Technical Requirements 4.1 Astragalus should comply with the requirements in Table 1. Table 1: Physicochemical Quality Indicators of Astragalus Indicator Standard Water content ≤ 10.0% Total ash content ≤ 5.0% Heavy metals and harmful elements Lead ≤ 5 mg/kg Cadmium ≤ 0.3 mg/kg Arsenic ≤ 2 mg/kg Mercury ≤ 0.2 mg/kg Copper ≤ 20 mg/kg Leech extract ≥ 17.0% Organochlorine pesticide residues Total hexachlorobenzene (α-BHC, β-BHC, γ-BHC, δ-BHC) ≤ 0.2 mg/kg Total DDT (pp'-DDE, pp'-DDD, op'-DDT, pp-DDT) ≤ 0.2 mg/kg Pentachloronitrobenzene ≤ 0.1 mg/kg Content determination Astragaloside ≥ 0.040%

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