OBJECTIVE  To provide the basis for commodity grade classification and quality evaluation of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao by studying the correlation between the microscopic quantification of transsection tissue of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao and the content of quality markers.

METHODS  The microscopical quantitative parameters of 7 tissues in the cross section of 13 batches of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao were measured, and the chemical components of 7 quality markers were measured by HPLC. For 7 tissues microquantitative parameters and 7 quality markers of 13 batches of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao and 8 results of addition and division calculation(hereinafter referred to as “calculation results”), SPSS 26.0 software was used for Spearman correlation analysis and cluster analysis, Graphpad Prism 8.0 was used for multiple linear regression of significant correlation variables, and SIMCA 14.1 was used for principal component analysis.

RESULTS  There were many pairs of significant correlation between wood ray number, xylem width, cork layer width, phloem width/xylem width and the quality markers and their calculation results. The tissue morphology of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao transverse section could describe the content of quality markers. Two principal components were extracted by principal component analysis, and the six variables that contributed significantly to the principal components were calycosin-7-glucoside, ononin, phloem width/xyloside width, astragaloside IV, Astragaloside I and Astragaloside II. Thirteen batches of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao were divided into two categories, and the results were consistent with cluster analysis.

CONCLUSION  Based on the correlation between the microscopic quantification of cross-section tissue and the content of quality markers, this study indirectly represents the content of quality markers with the microscopic quantitative parameters of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge. var. mongholicus(Bge.) Hsiao cross-section tissue, which provides a new scientific basis for the comprehensive basis of commodity grade classification of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao medicinal materials, and has reference value for the formation of modern evaluation model of Astragalus membranaceus(Fisch.)Bge.var.mongholicus(Bge.)Hsiao medicinal materials quality.