ISO 23959:2021

FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/FDIS
DRAFT
STANDARD 23959
ISO/TC 249
Traditional Chinese Medicine —
Secretariat: SAC
Glehnia littoralis root
Voting begins on:
2021­05­10
Voting terminates on:
2021­07­05
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
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©
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. ISO 2021

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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

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© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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ii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Descriptions . 2
5 Requirements . 3
5.1 General characteristics . 3
5.2 Macroscopic characteristics . 4
5.3 Microscopic characteristics . 4
5.3.1 Transverse section characteristics . 4
5.3.2 Powder characteristics . 4
5.4 Moisture . 4
5.5 Total ash . 4
5.6 Acid­insoluble ash . 5
5.7 Thin-layer chromatogram identification . 5
5.8 Marker compounds . 5
5.9 Heavy metals . 5
5.10 Pesticide residues . 5
5.11 Sulfur dioxide residue . 5
6 Sampling . 5
7 Test methods . 6
7.1 Macroscopic identification . 6
7.2 Microscopic identification . 6
7.2.1 Transverse section examination . 6
7.2.2 Powder examination . 6
7.3 Determination of moisture . 6
7.4 Determination of total ash . 6
7.5 Determination of acid­insoluble ash . 6
7.6 TLC identification . 6
7.7 Determination of marker compounds . 6
7.8 Determination of heavy metals . 6
7.9 Determination of pesticide residues . 6
7.10 Determination of sulfur dioxide residue . 7
8 Test report . 7
9 Packaging, storage and transportation . 7
10 Marking and labelling . 7
Annex A (informative) Microscopic identification . 8
Annex B (informative) TLC identification . 9
Annex C (informative) Determination of falcarinol .11
Annex D (informative) Referenced values of national and regional limits of moisture, total
ash, acid-insoluble ash, falcarinol and heavy metals in Glehnia littoralis root .13
Bibliography .14
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
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organizations, governmental and non­governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
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on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
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For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
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iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 249, Traditional Chinese medicine.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

Introduction
Glehnia littoralis root is the dried or dried peeled root of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. (Apiaceae),
which is recorded in the Chinese, Japanese and Korean pharmacopoeias, Hong Kong Chinese Materia
Medica Standards and Taiwan herbal pharmacopoeia. Glehnia littoralis root is internationally recognized
as a medicinal material and there is great demand for it in the international market. However, there
are many problems seriously affecting the international trade of Glehnia littoralis root, including the
following:
1) Quality requirements for Glehnia littoralis root are different among different countries and regions.
2) Glehnia littoralis root is often substituted with fake and inferior Glehnia littoralis root.
3) Different collecting times, processing methods, packaging, transportation and storage conditions
often result in different qualities of Glehnia littoralis root.
Therefore, the establishment of an International Standard for Glehnia littoralis root is necessary
to guarantee the quality, safety and consistency of this valuable herbal medicine. This document
includes sections on morphology evaluation (general, macroscopic and microscopic characteristics),
physicochemical indexes (moisture, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, maker compounds, pesticide residues
and sulfur dioxide residue) and heavy metal (lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury) content.
As national implementation may differ, national standards bodies are invited to modify the values
given in 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 in their national standards. Examples of national and regional values are given
in Annex D.
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FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)
Traditional Chinese Medicine — Glehnia littoralis root
1 Scope
This document specifies the quality and safety requirements of Glehnia littoralis root, which is derived
from the plant Glehnia littoralis Fr Schmidt ex Miq.
This document applies to Glehnia littoralis root that is sold and used as natural medicine in international
trade, including Chinese materia medica (whole medicinal materials) and decoction pieces derived from
this plant.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 1575, Tea — Determination of total ash
ISO 1577, Tea — Determination of acid-insoluble ash
ISO 1666, Starch — Determination of moisture content — Oven-drying method
ISO 18664, Traditional Chinese Medicine — Determination of heavy metals in herbal medicines used in
Traditional Chinese Medicine
ISO 21371, Traditional Chinese medicine — Labelling requirements of products intended for oral or topical
use
ISO 22217, Traditional Chinese medicine —Storage requirements for raw materials and decoction pieces
ISO 22258, Traditional Chinese medicine — Determination of pesticide residues in natural products by gas
chromatography
ISO 22590, Traditional Chinese medicine — Determination of sulfur dioxide in natural products by titration
World Health Organization, Quality control methods for herbal materials, 2011
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
tap root
main root of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. that grows straight downwards and produces smaller
side roots
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 1 B.
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

3.2
stem scar
scar left on the tap root when the stem is removed
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 1 B.
3.3
root length
longest distance from the bottom to the stem scar of the tap root
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 1 B.
Note 2 to entry: Length is measured in centimetres.
3.4
batch
samples collected from the same particular place at the same time
[SOURCE: ISO 21317:2019, 3.5]
4 Descriptions
Glehnia littoralis root is the dried or dried peeled root of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. (Apiaceae),
and the colour of its outer surface is pale yellowish-white to yellowish-brown (see Figure 1).
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

Key
A plant of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. 5 lateral root
B whole root of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. 6 tap root length
C transverse section of the tap root 7 stem scar
1 inflorescence 8 epidermis
2 leaf 9 phloem
3 leaf sheath 10 xylem
4 tap root 11 cambium
Figure 1 — Structure of Glehnia littoralis
5 Requirements
5.1 General characteristics
The following requirements shall be met before sampling:
a) Glehnia littoralis root shall be clean and free from foreign matter.
b) The presence of living insects, mouldy root and external contaminants which are visible to the
naked eye shall not be permitted.
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ISO/FDIS 23959:2021(E)

5.2 Macroscopic characteristics
a) The root is slender-cylindrical. The top section of the root is slender, the greater portion of the
middle sect
...