T/NSFST 001-2021 Quality Standards for Cuscuta Seed

Scope

Main Technical Content: 3 Terms and Definitions The dried mature seeds of Cuscuta australis R.Br. or Cuscuta chinensis Lam., a plant of the Convolvulaceae family. The seeds are collected from plants when the fruits ripen in autumn, dried in the sun, and the seeds are removed and impurities are eliminated. 4 Sensory Requirements The sensory requirements shall comply with the provisions of Table 1. Table 1: Sensory Requirements Indicator Value Color Gray-brown to brown on the surface Taste Pungent and sweet Organizational characteristics Ovoid or spherical, with a diameter of 1–2 mm, firm, difficult to crush with fingernails, and rough on the surface with a linear or oval cotyledon line. 5 Physicochemical Indicators The physicochemical indicators shall comply with the provisions of Table 2. Table 2: Physicochemical Indicators Indicator Value Impurities/% ≤ 3.0 Water content/% ≤ 10.0 Total ash content/% ≤ 10.0 Acid-insoluble ash/% ≤ 4.0 Sulfur dioxide residue/mg/kg ≤ 150 Hypericin/% ≥ 0.206 7 Identification 7.1 Microscopic Identification The powder of this product is yellow-brown or dark brown. The seed coat epidermal cells are square or rectangular in cross-section, with thickened side walls; the surface view is polygonal with pronounced thickened walls at the corners. The sieve cells of the seed coat are arranged in two rows in cross-section; the outer row of cells is shorter than the inner row and has a glossy band, located above the inner row of cells; the surface view is polygonal and wrinkled. The endosperm cells are polygonal or oval, and the cavity contains starch granules. The cotyledon cells contain starch granules and fatty oil droplets. 7.2 Thin Layer Chromatography Identification Take 0.5g of the powdered sample and add 40ml of methanol. Heat and reflux for 30 minutes, filter, and concentrate the filtrate to 5ml as the test solution. Take 0.5g of the Cuscuta control material and prepare

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