Snakes are not only precious wildlife resources

but also an important source of medicinal snakes

and it has a good effect in the treatment of rheumatic arthralgia syndrome. In recent years

driven by economic interests

coupled with more species and inconspicuous morphological differences

there are a large number of adulterants. Paper focuses on the identification methods of medicinal snakes and its adulterants over the last decade

and a comprehensive overview of various identification methods researches progress in this herb were displayed

including the character identification

microscopic identification

physical and chemical identification and molecular identification

and the applicable objects

advantages and disadvantages of each method of identification are described and discussed.It is found that medicinal snakes in the field of fast check

identification of Traditional Chinese Medicine Patent Prescription are still faced with some difficulties

and it showed that traditional and modern methods should be combined

authenticity of identificationand pros and cons of identification should be combined when objective assessment of medicinal snakes.