Quality evaluation of Bombyx Batryticatus from different sources in China and quality analysis based on cross sectional silk gland rings

Bombyx Batryticatus is a widely used traditional Chinese medicinal material known for its effects on the nervous system. Current market products are typically sold in bulk with inconsistent quality grading. According to the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, first-grade specimens require four distinct black Silk Gland Rings (SGRs), while lower grades do not specify SGR quantity. This study investigates the relationship between SGR characteristics and the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus from different sources, including farm cultivation, household production, and commercial markets. Samples were classified into five groups based on cross-sectional SGR features: SG4, SG3, SG2, SG0, and W (white rings). Thirteen quality indicators were analyzed, including four flavonoids (rutin, astragalin, quercetin, kaempferol), five nucleosides (hypoxanthine, guanosine, uracil, adenine, uridine), beauvericin, total ash, extractives, and total protein. Results showed that SG4 samples, particularly from farms, had the highest overall quality. A decrease in SGR number correlated with increased ash and extract content but reduced beauvericin, hypoxanthine, and astragalin levels. Uracil content increased as SGRs decreased. Significant correlations were observed between SGR quantity and various chemical markers. This study demonstrates that the number of SGRs is a reliable visual indicator of Bombyx Batryticatus quality, supporting its use in quality control and grading standards.