Regulation of dry substance and active components accumulation in fruit of Forsythia suspensa / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the regulation of dry substance and active components accumulation in the fruit of Forsythia suspensa. Methods The dry substance of the fruit was analyzed by the method of hundred grain mass. The contents of the active components in leaves, shucks, and seeds were analyzed by HPLC. Results The period for F. suspensa to accumulate the dry substance was mainly May and July. During the whole growth phase, the active components, such as forsythiaside, forsythin, and rutin in different parts, were decreasing. From the last ten-day of August to the first ten-day of September, the accumulation of the dry substance came to stability and the contents of active components in shucks and seed were stable. The contents of active components in shucks decreased rapidly from September to October, and then came to stability and the contents in shucks is the least during the last ten-day of October. So the contents of active components in younger F. suspensa are higher than that in elder one, and the proportion among forsythiaside, forsythins, and lution is also significantly different from elder seeds. Conclusion It is more preferable to pick younger F. suspensa from the last ten-day of August to the first ten-day of September and to pick elder F. suspensa during last ten-day of October.