Textual research on medicinal blue herbs / 中国中药杂志

In this paper, through the collection and collation of ancient herbs, medical books and prescriptions, combined with modern literature, the historical changes of the name, origin, position, medicinal parts, collection, processing and processing of bluegrass were systematically combed and verified.It can be seen from the research that bluegrass was first used as medicine by the fruit, namely blueberry, which was originally Polygonum tinctorium. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, blueberry was rarely used, and it has been no longer used medicinally. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the medicinal parts extended to the stems and leaves, and most of them used juice as medicine.Since the Tang Dynasty, origin has been extended to Isatis indigotica, Baphicacanthus cusia, Indigofera tinctoria, Compositae plant Wulan, etc. In the Song Dynasty, the medicinal parts extended to the roots, and the "Banlangen" began to appear, and gradually became the main medicinal parts of blue medicinal materials, the main base of which was B. cusia. Since the Qing Dynasty, I. indigotica, a Cruciferae, has gradually become a genuine indigo root, while B. cusia has become a southern indigo root. It was the first mineral dye imported from abroad for thrush, and then used as medicine, also known as clam powder. Because it was found that it had the same effect with the extract of bluegrass, it was also named indigo naturalis in China, which has lasted till now. The main stream of Isatidis Folium in the past dynasties is the dry stem and leaf of Clerodendrum cyrtophylum. Since the Qing Dynasty, the stem and leaf of Isatis indigotica, P. tinctorium and other blue grasses have been gradually mixed as substitutes and gradually become the mainstream.

In vivo and in vitro investigations on rotenoids from Indigofera tinctoria and their bioefficacy against the larvae of Anopheles stephensi and adults of Callosobruchus chinensis.

Various plant parts of Indigofera tinctoria L. were collected separately at different growth stages and analysed for their rotenoid content. The total rotenoid content decreased with age; among the plant parts, maximum content was in leaves and minimum in stem. The identity of different rotenoids was confirmed by melting point, mixed melting point, UV and infrared spectral studies, and gas-liquid chromatography. Six rotenoids (deguelin, dehydrodeguelin, rotenol, rotenone, tephrosin and sumatrol) were isolated, identified and quantified in vivo. The static cultures of Indigofera tinctoria were established from seeds on RT medium, and maintained for a period of six months by frequent subculturings. Only four rotenoids were present in callus cultures; sumatrol and tephrosin were absent. The maximum content was found in eight week old tissue after fresh subculturings and minimum at 2 weeks. The toxicological studies of in vivo and in vitro extract against the pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis) and mosquito (Anopheles stephensi) larvae, showed that rotenoids were more effective against mosquito larvae than Callosobruchus chinensis. Extracts from callus was more effective against both the test animals than that from plant parts.