ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo analyze the production of Poria in 5 major producing areas and the problems through field investigation and literature review and thus to lay a foundation for healthy development of Poria industry. MethodEach production process of Poria in Anhui， Hubei， Hunan， Yunnan， and Sichuan was probed and related research was retrieved for the analysis. ResultSichuan， Guangxi， Guizhou， and other areas have been the emerging producers of Poria. However， a few Poria cocos lines were used and the variety breeding lagged behind. Different cultivation techniques were adopted in different production areas. For example， the "induction" method failed to be widely used. Moreover， the harvest time was mainly dependent on the market demand not matter it was suitable or not. Furthermore， steaming has replaced the traditional diaphoretic processing in the processing of this medicinal material in production areas. In addition， fumigation with sulphur was still used in the processing of Poria. ConclusionAn excellent variety is the key to the quality of Poria. Efforts should be made to strengthen the evaluation of the germplasm resources of P. cocos and variety breeding and standardize the processing in production areas， thereby ensuring the safety and effectiveness of Poria and the decoction pieces. In addition， the contradiction between artificial cultivation and woodland ecology should be fully coordinated to ensure the sustainable development of Poria industry in China.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng in Chinese), the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata, lacks commodity specification and grade standardization in the current market. This study investigated the existing specifications and grades of Saposhnikoviae Radix to provide a standardized scientific reference for its market use. Methods: Based on a textual research of Chinese herbal medicine from the Han Dynasty to the present, medicinal materials of different specifications and grades obtained from Saposhnikoviae Radix in the main producing areas of China were collected and the markets for these materials were investigated. Field investigations were performed in the major producing areas such as Northeast China, Hebei Province, and Inner Mongolia. Four major Chinese herbal medicine markets in China were investigated. Sensory indices were used to categorize the two specifications (wild and cultivated) according to the shape, color, texture, and cross-section. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed to determine the active components. Vernier calipers and measuring tape were used to measure the diameter and length, respectively, of 41 samples. Using Excel and the R Language software, cluster analysis and descriptive statistical analysis were performed to assist in the application of new specifications and grades based on physical characteristics, pharmacological activity, and chemical composition. Results: The two specifications (wild and cultivated) of Saposhnikoviae Radix were divided into three grades each based on the length and diameter. Prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, 5-O-methylvisamminoside, and the length of Saposhnikoviae Radix can be used as a basis for classifying the commodity specifications and grades. The specifications and grade standards of Saposhnikoviae Radix were established based on the following eight aspects: shape, surface characteristics, texture, cross section, taste, prim-O-glucosylcimifugin content, 5-O-methylvisamminoside content and length. Conclusion: The formulation of this standard stipulates the commodity specification level of Saposhnikoviae Radix. It is also suitable for the evaluation of commodity specifications in the process of production, circulation and use of Saposhnikoviae Radix.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo establish an integrated method of fingerprint qualitative， multi-component quantitative analysis and chemometrics， and to evaluate the quality attributes and differences of Aurantii Fructus from different production areas and origins. MethodAnalysis was performed on COSMOSIL 5C18-MS-Ⅱ column （4.6 mm×250 mm， 5 μm） with the mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid solution for gradient elution （0-4 min， 19%A； 4-5 min， 19%-21%A； 5-18 min， 21%A； 18-19 min， 21%-28%A； 19-27 min， 28%A； 27-28 min， 28%-40%A； 28-36 min， 40%A； 36-37 min， 40%-50%A； 37-42 min， 50%-60%A； 42-46 min， 60%-95%A； 46-55 min， 95%-100%A）， the flow rate was 1 mL·min-1， the column temperature was 30 ℃， the detection wavelength was set at 320 nm， and the injection volume was 10 μL. High performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） fingerprints of Aurantii Fructus from different production areas and origins were established. Then， the quality of 26 batches of samples was evaluated by cluster analysis （CA）， principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）. A method for the determination of 12 components was developed and verified， and a thermal map-based CA of Aurantii Fructus from different production areas and origins was carried out based on the content difference of samples. ResultThe fingerprint and determination methods were well verified. The similarity of HPLC fingerprint of 12 batches of Aurantii Fructus was 0.85-0.996， 20 common peaks were calibrated and 14 of them were assigned. The resolution and linear relationship of 12 components in quantitative analysis were good. The recovery rates were 99.2%-101.0% with RSD≤2.0%. The results of CA， PCA and OPLS-DA indicated that the differentiation of Aurantii Fructus in different production areas was great， and there were differences among different cultivars. ConclusionThe qualitative analysis of fingerprint and quantitative analysis of multiple indexes based on the same chromatographic analysis conditions are convenient， accurate and reliable， and combined with chemometrics， the identification and quality analysis of Aurantii Fructus from different production areas and origins can be realized， which can provide reference for quality control and evaluation of Aurantii Fructus.
ABSTRACT
By referring to the materials of ancient materia medica， prescriptions and medical books， combining with modern literature， this paper made textual research on the name， origin， producing area， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing methods of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix in famous classical formulas， so as to provide a basis for the selection and use of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix in the development of famous classical formulas. Through textual research， it can be seen that Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix is the correct name in all dynasties， but it still has many aliases. The main strain of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix was Ligusticum sinense and L. jeholense， in addition， there are also L. tenuissimum， Sinodielsia yunnanensis， and Conioselinum vaginatum， L. sinense var. hupehense used in different regions. Since modern times， the textual examination of its scientific name is more complicated. Different foreign scholars have given many scientific names from their local observation， but most of them do not match the actual situation of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix in ancient China. It is probably because they did not collect the original plants of Chinese Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix and conduct accurate identification. After the founding of the People's Republic of China， the L. sinense and L. jeholense was identified as the original plants through systematic investigation and arrangement of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix. Since modern times， L. sinense is distributed in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River and the south of the region， a small amount of production in Sichuan， Hubei， Hunan and Jiangxi. L. jeholense is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and the north of the region， mostly produced in Liaoning and Hebei. The ancient harvesting period of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix was concentrated in January and February according to the lunar calendar with thick roots， dry， fragrant， heavy quality as the best. But now the collection of roots and rhizome more than concentrated in spring before seedling emergence and autumn when leaves were gone， and take the large， dry， yellow， strong， fragrant， less roots， residual short as the best. In the past dynasties， raw products were the main processing methods， and there were also roasting， grinding and so on. Based on the research results， it is suggested that the raw roots and rhizomes of L. sinense and L. jeholense should be used in the development of famous classical formulas.
ABSTRACT
This study is to clarify the composition and content differences of water-soluble nutrients in Lycium barbarum leaves(LBLs) from different areas. The total polysaccharides, free monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, nucleosides and amino acids in 35 batches of LBLs were analyzed with use of spectrophotometry, HPLC-ELSD and UPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that LBLs contained abundant polysaccharides, fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose, with an average contents of 39.07, 12.69, 8.99, 17.44, 8.32 mg·g~(-1), respectively. Besides, eight nucleosides and twelve amino acids were detected in LBLs, and their average total contents were 54.95, 336.9 μg·g~(-1). Principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discrimination analysis(PLS-DA) of carbohydrate, nucleoside and amino acid showed that the water-soluble nutrients of the samples from Qinghai Province were significantly different from those from other areas mainly in asparagine, proline, glutamine, sucrose, adenine and guanosine. In this study, the compositions and contents of water-soluble nutrients in LBLs were preliminarily clarified, which provided basis for further development and utilization of LBLs resoures.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, Liquid , Lycium , Nutrients , Plant Leaves , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , WaterABSTRACT
The problems of non-standard use of pesticides, and excessive pesticide residues and excessive heavy metal, etc. are common in the productive process of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and they are the factors restricting the sustainable development of safflower industry. Pollution-free production is an effective measure to ensure high quality of safflower. This paper summarized the environment of production area, selection of improved varieties for the production in the local places and its characteristics, the standardized comprehensive agronomic management and pollution-free rational fertilization technology. Additionally, the pollution-free control of safflower pests and diseases should follow the principle of priority to prevention and comprehensive prevention. Agricultural, biological and physical control should be preferred to use, and be combined with safe and low toxicity of chemical control. The standardization and industrialization of safflower production were realized by the construction of a comprehensive control technology system of pests and diseases of pollution-free safflower, which promoted the healthy development of the safflower plantation industry and achieved pollution-free standards.
ABSTRACT
During the Edo Period (1603-1867), the main area of production of “moxa” (processed medicinal herbs) was thought to be Omi (present-day Shiga Prefecture). However, extensive research of archives and contemporary documents, as well as field studies in west-central Japan, indicates that moxa wasoriginally produced in Mino (Gifu Pref.) and Omi (Shiga Pref.) in the early Edo Period, but subsequently spread to the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures). By the 1830's, production had extended to Echigoin present-day Niigata Prefecture. Evidence also points to producers in Iyo (Ehime Pref.) and Tsukushi (Fukuoka Pref). However, most of the production appears to have been centered on Hokuriku. The main reasons for this may have been as follows : <BR>1) Yomogi grasses used in production are abundant in this region.<BR>2) Since moxa was manufactured in the winter, it was easy to find workers in Hokuriku, where heavy snows preclude outdoor employment in this largely agricultual area.