Objective: To understand the varieties of Shayuanzi on sale and establish the method for evaluating its quality.
Method: 22 samples collected from all over the country were identified by TLC and the contents of total flavone in them were determined with UV.
Result: All samples could be classified into three varieties, and they could be identified by TLC. The contents of total flavone in them were 0.3%-1.0%.
Conclusion: Shayuanzi on sale mainly includes Astragalus complanatus, and there are A. adsuragen and A. sinicus as well. TLC is a better method for the identification of shayuanzi. The total flavone in A. complanatus is 0.33%-0.82%.