ABSTRACT
Objective: To identify two different growth types vertical growth (V-class) and lateral growth (L-class)) of Justicia procumbens, and compare the contents of chemical compounds between upper part and different organs. Method: DNA was extracted from the leaves of two growth forms of J. procumbens. Internal transcriptional spacer 2 (ITS2) and psbA-trnH sequences were obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and bidirectional sequencing. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the contents of justicidin B (JB) and chinensinaphthol methyl ether (CME) from the above-ground parts of V-class and L-class J. procumbens and their inflorescence,leaves,and stems. Independent sample T-test and Paired-sample T-test were used to compare the contents of JB and CME from two different growth forms of J. procumbens and their different organs. Result: The DNA sequences after shearing were shown to be identical between the V-class and L-class samples. Independent sample T-test showed no difference on the content of JB between the above-ground parts of V-class and L-class samples,but the content of CME was higher in V-class J. procumbens than L-class (PT-test showed that the content of JB and CME were different in the inflorescence,leaves,and stems of J. procumbens (PJ. procumbens was higher than that in L-class. Conclusion: DNA barcoding and comparison of JB and CME content indicated that the two different growth forms of J. procumbens belong to the same species. The contents of CME were different in J. procumbens between different growth forms,and was higher in V-class. Meanwhile,due to the little content of JB and CME in stems,the best picking time of J. procumbens is the flowering and fruiting period with more inflorescence and leaves.