ABSTRACT
Object To provide a basis for the identification of the crude drug of Fructus Schisandrae Sphenantherae Methods Morpholgical characters and microstructural features of the seed surface of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils , S. rubriflora (Franch ) Rehd. et Wils., S. viridis A. C. Smith, and S. henryi Clarke were observed under light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Identification of them was also completed by TLC qualitative analysis for deoxyschisandrin and schisantherin A Results The fruits of S. sphenanthera, S. rubriflora, S. viridis and S. henryi could be classified to three types with the characters of micromorphological features of the seed surface. The results of TLC showed that deoxyschisandrin and schisantherin A were present in the fruits of S. sphenanthera from Pingli, Shaanxi, Luanchuan, Henan, Yangcheng, Shanxi, S. rubriflora and S.viridis, Hengshan Hunan Provinces The fruit of S. henryi contained a little quantity of schisantherin A, but the fruits of S. sphenanthera from Liuba Shaanxi and Xiaolongshan Gansu Provinces did not have deoxyschisandrin and schisantherin A. Conclusion The fruits of S. sphenanthera from different geographical origin, S. rubriflora, S. viridis and S. henryi can be identified by the characters of micromorphological featrues of the seed surface and the TLC qualitative analysis for deoxyschisandrin and schisantherin A