[X-ray diffraction Fourier Pattern Analysis of the Chinese materia medica "shannai" (Kaempferia Galanga L.)].

Every Chinese materia medica consists of dozens of ingredients. It is a multiingredient system. X-ray diffraction provides a way to determine Chinese materia medica in diffraction space which can reflect the general structural characteristics of Chinese materia medica and quantitative changes of partial ingredients. Considering the influence of varieties, growing places, growing periods, collecting seasons and other phenological factors, we selected 6 samples of Kaempferia galanga L. and Kaempferia marginata Carey, collected in different seasons from different growing places for X-ray diffraction Fourier Pattern Analysis. We have obtained characteristic peaks and diffraction fuzzy figures for distinguishing purposes. The result shows that X-ray diffraction Fourier Pattern Analysis can be used for distinguishing Chinese materia medica with similar shape and properties, similar tissue texture or similar chemical composition.