Comparative Research of Six Kinds of Callicarpa Medicinal Herbs in the Character Identification, Semi-microscopic Identification and Microscopic Identification.

[Objective] To establish a simple and easy identification method for six kinds of Callicarpa medicinal herbs, to ensure the clinical medication safety, and to provide references for the quality control of Callicarpa medicinal herbs. [Methods] Character identification, semi-microscopic identification and microscopic identification were used to identify the six kinds of Callicarpa medicinal herbs. [Results] In external characters, they were identified mainly through color, hair and morphological characteristics. In microscopical characters, they were identified though the form, distribution and quantity of glandular hairs and nonglandular hair; crystal types in leaves were used for supplementary identification of Callicarpa medicinal herbs. [Conclusions] Characters identification method could identify several Callicarpa medicinal herbs, while some varieties were difficult to distinguish. Different kinds of Callicarpa could be identified by using semi-microscopic identification and microscopic identification methods to observe the morphological features and distribution characteristics of glandular hairs, non-glandular hairs and crystals. An accurate, rapid and economical microscopic identification method was important to identify leaves of different varieties of Callicarpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]