[Progress on chemical constituents and quality control of Bovis Calculus and its substitutes]

Bovis Calculus, a traditional medicine with the role of clearing away heat and detoxification, extinguishing wind to arrest convulsions, is often used for brain-cerebrovascular diseases. However, the quality control of Bovis Calculus and its substitutes has attracted much attention due to the scarcity of resources and limitations of use. Based on the evolution of the use of substitutes and the chemical composition as the entry point, this article reviews the quality control methods from the following three aspects. It covers various analysis methods from characteristic-microscopy-physical and chemical identification analysis to the quantitative analysis of bile acid and bilirubin using spectroscopy, chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, it develops to the research of the quality marker(Q-marker) of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) based on a correlation model of pharmacodynamics and biological direction. The aim is to provide a scientific basis for the quality standards of Bovis Calculus and its substitutes. Finally, the holographic chemical composition analysis and identification of the core effective substances in Bovis Calculus and its substitutes are anticipated to provide valuable insights for guiding strategic development.