Comparison on ingredients between cultured cell and cultivated Saffron pistils / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the differences of active ingredients between tissue cultured cells and cultivated saffron pistils.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The experiment was carried out by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The data indicated that the species and contents active ingredients in saffron pistils from different places were different. The species of active ingredients in tissue cultured cells are less than those in cultivated saffron pistils. However, the quantity of crocin A, which showed good anticancer effect, is 2-3 times more than that in cultivated saffron pistils.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The active ingredients of the tissue cultured cells are similar to those of saffron pistils, but their contents are different. Therefore, the tissue cultured cells can only be the part-substitutes of cultivated saffron pistils.</p>

Analysis of contents of berberine in Coptis chinensis of Lichuan / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the contents of berberine in Coptis chinensis of Lichuan and establish its best cultivation scheme.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>We used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to measure the contents of berberine at different altitude, growth age, and leaves.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Analytic data showed that the growth age and firry woods shading did not affect the contents of berberine in rhizome of Coptis chinensis. Low altitude was more suitable for Coptis chinensis to synthesize berberine. The contents of berberine in rhizome of Coptis chinensis with floral leaf were higher than those with lusterless and lustrous leaves, but no significant difference.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The synthesis of berberine is closely correlated with shading conditions. It is recommended that the shading ratio should be reduced or the sheds removed in the middle growth age (2-3 years), and then the herb should be reshaped at the last year to enhance the synthesis of berberine, so as to obtain high-quality Coptis chinensis in the harvest.</p>