ABSTRACT
Curcuma drugs have been used discriminatingly for invigorating blood circulation, promoting digestion, and as a cholagogic in China. However, there is confusion about the drug's botanical origins and clinical uses because of morphological similarity of Curcuma plants and drugs. Comparative sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene in nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and trnK gene in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was carried out in order to examine interspecies phylogeny and to identify ultimately Curcuma species. A total of a hundred of accessions of eighteen species were analyzed. This resulted in an aligned matrix of 1810 bp for 18S rDNA and 2 800 bp for trnK. 18S rDNA sequence divergence within the ingroup ranged from 0-0.05%, trnK ranged from 0-0.19%. One base transversion-substituted site (from cytosine to thymine) was observed from the upstream of 18S rDNA at nucleotide position 234 in C. kwangsiensis and Japanese population of C. zedoaria which have separated genetic distance to other Curcuma taxa. Two noncoding regions embedded in trnK intron showed higher variability, including nucleotide substitutions, repeat insertion and deletions. Based on consensus of relationship, eighteen major lineages within Curcuma are recognized at the species level. The results suggest that Curcuma is monophyletic with 100% bootstrap support and sister to the genera Hedychium and Zingiber. The trnK sequences showed considerable variations between Curcuma species and thus were revealed as a promising candidate for barcoding of Curcuma species, which provide valuable characters for inferring relationship within species but are insufficient to resolve relationships among closely related taxa.
Subject(s)
China , Curcuma , Classification , Genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis , DNA, Chloroplast , Genetics , DNA, Plant , Genetics , Introns , Japan , Molecular Sequence Data , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Phylogeny , Plants, Medicinal , Classification , Genetics , Plastids , Genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 18S , Genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
Curcuma drugs have been used discriminatingly for invigorating blood circulation, promoting digestion, and as a cholagogic in China. However, there is confusion about the drug's botanical origins and clinical uses because of morphological similarity of Curcuma plants and drugs. Comparative sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene in nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and trnK gene in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was carried out in order to examine interspecies phylogeny and to identify ultimately Curcuma species. A total of a hundred of accessions of eighteen species were analyzed. This resulted in an aligned matrix of 1810 bp for 18S rDNA and 2 800 bp for trnK. 18S rDNA sequence divergence within the ingroup ranged from 0-0.05%, trnK ranged from 0-0.19%. One base transversion-substituted site (from cytosine to thymine) was observed from the upstream of 18S rDNA at nucleotide position 234 in C. kwangsiensis and Japanese population of C. zedoaria which have separated genetic distance to other Curcuma taxa. Two noncoding regions embedded in trnK intron showed higher variability, including nucleotide substitutions, repeat insertion and deletions. Based on consensus of relationship, eighteen major lineages within Curcuma are recognized at the species level. The results suggest that Curcuma is monophyletic with 100% bootstrap support and sister to the genera Hedychium and Zingiber. The trnK sequences showed considerable variations between Curcuma species and thus were revealed as a promising candidate for barcoding of Curcuma species, which provide valuable characters for inferring relationship within species but are insufficient to resolve relationships among closely related taxa.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To analyze the ginsenosides in Kou zi qi (rhizomes of Panax japonicus C. A. Mey. var. major (Burkill) C. Y. Wu et K. M. Feng), and to supply evidences for chemotaxanology of Panax species and clinical uses of Kou zi qi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The ginsenosides were isolated by HPLC, then the positive- and negative-ion API-MS/MS of constituents collected from HPLC were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight ginsenosides were identified as ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Ro, chikuseksusaponins IV, IVa, notoginsenoside R2, ginsenosides Rb1, Rc and Rd, respectively, based on comparison of retention time with those of standards by HPLC, and analysis on their API-MS/MS data. Ginsenoside Ro and chikuseksusaponin IVa are the major components of Kou zi qi.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This plant had a close relationship to P. stipuleanatus, P. zinginensis and P. japonicus var major; a relatively remote relationship to P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius, in a view of chemotaxanology. Ginsenoside Ro and chikuseksusaponin IVa might be the anti-inflammatory constituents of Kou zi qi.</p>
Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Ginsenosides , Panax , Chemistry , Phylogeny , Plant Roots , Chemistry , Plants, Medicinal , Chemistry , Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray IonizationABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To establish a rapid and simple molecular identification method for six medicinals: Curcuma: C. longa, C. phaeocaulis, C. sichuanensis, C. chuanyujin, C. chuanhuangjiang, and C. chuanezhu in Sichuan Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A molecular approach (trnK nucleotide sequencing) was used in this study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sequenced entire chloroplast trnK gene region spanned 2,699-2,705 bp. The matK gene (an intron embodied in trnK gene) sequence and the intron spacer region of the trnK gene have great diversity within these six medicinal Curcuma species. There were six single bases substitutions between trnK coding region and matK region, the 9-bp deletion and 4-bp or 14-bp insertion repeat at some sites of matK region in each taxon.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These relatively variable sequences were potentially informative in the identification for these six Curcuma species at the DNA level.</p>
Subject(s)
Base Sequence , Chloroplasts , Genetics , Curcuma , Classification , Genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis , Methods , DNA, Plant , Genetics , Genes, Plant , Introns , Phylogeny , Plants, Medicinal , Classification , Genetics , RNA, Transfer, Lys , Genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Methods , Sequence DeletionABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a simple, reliable approach for evaluating the quality of Huangqin (Scutellaria baicalensis).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>To determine the DPPH free radical scavenging activity and assay of four bioactive components: baicalin, baicalein, wogonin and wogonin-7-O-glucuronide by HPLC.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The correlative relationship between DPPH free radical scavenging activity and baicalin content was obtained.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bioassay of DPPH free radical scavenging activity could be used as one of the methods for quality evaluation of Chinese drug Huangqin.</p>
Subject(s)
Biphenyl Compounds , Flavanones , Flavonoids , Chemistry , Pharmacology , Free Radical Scavengers , Pharmacology , Free Radicals , Molecular Structure , Picrates , Plant Roots , Chemistry , Plants, Medicinal , Chemistry , Quality Control , Scutellaria baicalensis , ChemistryABSTRACT
We used questionnaires to assess training in the use of Kampo medicine which took place mostly at our outpatient clinic. Most of the 18 trainees (6 medical doctors and 12 medical students) felt that the quantity and the quality of the lectures and the amount of time spent in the outpatient clinic were satisfactory. In addition, all trainees thought that attending the outpatient clinic was the most instructive activity and made the deepest impression, but 14 of the 18 trainees (78%) thought that it was a difficult learning strategy. Fifteen trainees (83%) rated this training curriculum as good or very good. Sixteen trainees (88%) were conscious of a change in their study or work attitudes 3 to 6 months after training; this result suggests that this curriculum has an educational effect.