The authentication and quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) materials remain critical challenges because of the widespread presence of counterfeit and adulterated products in modern markets. Although traditional sensory identification methods remain widely employed in professional practice, these methods are affected by subjectivity, limited observational resolution, and susceptibility to deliberate deception. In response to these limitations, this study presents a comprehensive analytical framework that integrates micro-morphological identification with biomechanical interpretation to improve the accuracy, reliability, and scientific validity of TCM material authentication and quality assessment. Using high-resolution stereomicroscopy, ultraviolet fluorescence imaging, and extended-depth-of-field (EDF) image synthesis, we analyzed the microstructures of several commonly used TCM materials, including Aurantii Fructus, Amomum villosum, Atractylodis Rhizoma, and Ziziphi Spinosae Semen. The analyses were conducted to identify and characterize important anatomical markers, including oil-chamber density, surface-spine morphology, fiber width, glandular distribution, and cell-wall thickness. These distinguishing features were cross-referenced with fluorescence responses and authenticated standard reference materials to determine the authenticity and quality grade of the examined samples. Furthermore, the study quantified selected microstructural measurements, such as fiber width and gland distribution, that may be associated with biomechanical properties, including elasticity, structural strength, and tissue resilience. These structural and mechanical characteristics may influence the processing behavior, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic performance of medicinal plant materials. The results demonstrate that authentic samples possess structurally distinctive and biomechanically robust characteristics, including denser oil chambers in Aurantii Fructus and clearly defined spiny pericarp surfaces in Amomum villosum, whereas these diagnostic characteristics are absent, less distinct, or substantially diminished in counterfeit counterparts. Image-processing procedures and quantitative morphometric data not only improve visual clarity and identification accuracy but also facilitate a more systematic interpretation of the mechanical behavior and structural integrity of medicinal tissues. Consequently, this integrated approach helps bridge the gap between traditional empirical identification practices and modern scientific validation in the authentication and quality evaluation of TCM materials. By combining micro-morphological microscopy with biomechanical interpretation, the proposed method offers a reliable, cost-effective, accessible, and scalable strategy for frontline pharmacy applications, routine quality grading, professional authentication, and educational training. The findings emphasize the potential relevance of structural and mechanical properties to the therapeutic efficacy and processing performance of herbal materials and provide a foundational methodology for modernizing quality-control protocols within traditional medicine.
