What is the latest market price situation for Forsythia suspensa?
Forsythia suspensa, also known as Huanghua Tiao, Lian Ke, Qing Qiao and so on, is a commonly used Chinese medicinal material. It is a plant of the genus Forsythia in the family Oleaceae, and has the effects of clearing heat, removing toxins, dispersing nodules and reducing swelling. It is mainly used to treat warm diseases, erysipelas, skin rashes, carbuncles and toxic swellings, scrofula, difficult urination and other conditions. Let us take a look at the market price of Forsythia suspensa below!
The market price of Forsythia suspensa
The market price of Forsythia suspensa fluctuates depending on the location, and generally it should be around 45-60 yuan/kg. If bought in large quantities at a large medicinal materials market or distribution center, it will be even lower.
The grade classification of Forsythia suspensa
1. Huangqiao (yellow forsythia): general goods, dried goods, narrowly ovate to ovate, with both ends narrow and elongated, mostly split into two valves, the surface has one obvious longitudinal groove and irregular longitudinal wrinkles and raised small spots, occasionally with residual fruit stalks, the surface is brownish yellow, the inner surface is light yellowish brown, smooth, with a longitudinal septum inside, the texture is hard and brittle, the seeds have fallen off, slight fragrant odor, bitter taste, free of twigs, seeds, impurities and mildew.
2. Qingqiao (green forsythia): general goods, dried goods, long ovate or ovate, with both ends narrow and elongated, mostly not dehiscent, the surface is greenish green or greenish brown, with two longitudinal grooves and raised small spots, with a longitudinal septum inside, hard texture, aromatic odor, bitter taste, occasionally with residual fruit stalks, free of twigs, leaves, withered forsythia, impurities and mildew.
Identification methods for Forsythia suspensa
1. Genuine Forsythia suspensa: according to different harvest times, it is divided into Qingqiao and Laoqiao. The fruit is long ovate to ovate, 1.5-2.5 cm long, 0.5-1.3 cm in diameter, the surface has irregular longitudinal wrinkles and many raised small spots, each of the two sides has one obvious longitudinal groove, the apex is acute, and the base has a small fruit stalk or it has fallen off.
① Qingqiao: Qingqiao is mostly not dehiscent, the surface is greenish brown, with fewer raised grayish white small spots, hard texture, most seeds are yellow-green, slender, with a wing on one side.
② Laoqiao: Laoqiao dehisces from the apex or splits into two valves, the surface is yellowish brown or reddish brown, the inner surface is mostly light yellowish brown, smooth, with one longitudinal septum, brittle texture, seeds brown, mostly fallen off, slight fragrant odor, bitter taste.
2. Qinling forsythia: Qinling forsythia is long elliptical, 0.5-1.8 cm long, 0.3-1.0 cm in diameter, the apex is acute, mostly dehiscent, the base is mostly connected, the surface is light brown, relatively smooth, the raised small spots are not obvious, one valve curves slightly to the side, the other valve curves slightly outward, shaped like a chicken beak, with two seeds inside, light brown, somewhat long elliptical, wing-like around, one side has 3-5 relatively obvious longitudinal ridges, most seeds have fallen off, slight fragrant odor, bitter taste.
3. Forsythia viridissima (narrow-leaf forsythia): the whole plant is toxic, the stem usually has plate-like pith between the nodes, the leaves are slightly wider and not divided, the fruit is slightly shorter and ovate, 1.0-2.0 cm long, the pericarp is slightly thin, the base has wrinkled wart-like protrusions, distributed from the middle to the top on both sides of the longitudinal groove, brittle texture, seeds golden yellow, with three ridges, the seed coat is shrunken, with irregular textures, and after being rubbed and crushed, threads connect them.
4. Ovate forsythia: ovate, 0.8-1.1 cm long, the pericarp has small protrusions and irregular fine dense longitudinal wrinkles, hard texture, seeds light yellow, with three ridges, after being rubbed and crushed the seed coat easily falls off, with no threads connecting them.
5. Lijiang forsythia: ovate, about 1 cm long, the pericarp has no protrusions, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles, hard texture, seeds brown or reddish brown, with three ridges, after being rubbed and crushed there are no threads connecting them.
6. Strange forsythia: the fruit is ovate and flat, about 1.5 cm long, the pericarp is dark brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles, seeds brown, slender, slightly curved, with a wing on one side, semi-transparent.