Pugongying (Taraxaci Herba) is a well-established medicinal and edible herb with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, known for its heat-clearing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and swelling-reducing properties. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia defines Taraxaci Herba as the dried whole plant of Taraxacum mongolicum, Taraxacum borealisinense, or several other closely related species within the genus Taraxacum (Asteraceae), making it a typical multi-origin herbal medicine. Taraxaci Herba comprises numerous species with highly similar interspecific morphological characteristics. Coupled with diverse ecological conditions across producing areas, this has led to mixed botanical origins in the marketplace and inconsistent quality of medicinal materials, thereby compromising the efficacy and safety of clinical use. This review summarizes recent advances in molecular identification technologies and quality evaluation methods for Taraxaci Herba, outlines the current status of quality control and comprehensive quality assessment research, and proposes future research perspectives. The aim is to provide a scientific reference for the standardization of medicinal materials, the selection of high-quality germplasm resources, and the high-quality development of the Taraxaci Herba industry.

Taraxaci Herba  /  multi-origin Chinese herbal medicine  /  molecular identification  /  quality evaluation  /  Taraxacum borealisinense