Objective

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To establish the grade evaluation standard of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma decoction pieces combining traditional character evaluation and modern intrinsic quality analysis.

Method

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The appearance character parameters （thickness and weight） and contents of internal index components （tanshinones and salvianolic acid B） of 18 batches of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma decoction pieces were determined， and the relative quality constant was calculated. The maximum value of the percentage quality constants of the tested samples was assumed to be 100%， the value ≥80% was classified as the first-class， ≥50% and <80% as the second-class， <50% as the third-class.

Result

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The relative quality constants of 18 batches of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma decoction pieces ranged from 349 to 884. According to the percentage quality constant， 18 batches of samples were successfully divided into three grades. The relative quality constant of the first-class product was ≥707， including samples ds5， ds8 and ds14， accounting for about 17% of the total number of samples. The relative quality constant of the second-class product was ≥442 and <707， accounting for about 61% of the total number of samples. the other samples were of the third-class， and their relative quality constants were all <442.

Conclusion

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The method of relative quality constant overcomes the one-sidedness of the single method in the grade evaluation of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma decoction pieces， and the evaluation results can objectively， reasonably and scientifically classify the grade of the decoction pieces， which can provide reference for the establishment of the grade standard of other decoction pieces.