Locality identification of Chinese medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis (Lamiaceae) population-level DNA barcoding / 中国中药杂志

Scutellaria baicalensis is an important traditional Chinese medicine and Scutellaria flavonoids have received worldwide attention in recent years. It is the basis of controlling quality of S. baicalensis to develop a reliable genetic marker system used to identify locality of origin. Because of the characteristics of maternal inherited and high-rate of evolution, the cpDNA intergenic spacer can effectively elucidate the degree of genetic variation in different areas of the same species (populations), which can be used as the population-level DNA barcoding to locality identify. In this study, we have used the molecular phylogeography analysis for the three cpDNA intergenic spacers atpB-rbcL, trnL-trnF and psbA-trnH of 17 wild populations from different localities, which reveals the 20 haplotypes, including 13 polymorphic sites and constitutes a shallow gene tree. The authers have divided the haplotypes of S. baicalensis into three grades of population-level DNA barcoding according to the frequence and geographic distribution: 3 highest-frequency haplotypes as area-population-level DNA barcoding, 3 haplotypes were mainly shared by 2-3 adjacent populations as region-population-level DNA barcoding, and there are also 8 unique-population haplotypes as unique-population-level DNA barcoding. The result of this study reveals that population-level DNA barcoding is a reliable genetic marker used to locality identify of S. baicalensis.

Construction of medicinal plant core collection based on molecular phylogeography / 中国中药杂志

The paper introduces the current situation and the characteristics of the medicinal plant core collection. It expounds the significance and research methods for the medicinal plant core collection based on molecular phylogeography. Guided by molecular phylogeography, the essay explores the feasibility and methods of medicinal plant core collection for the medicinal plants with rich wild resources and without wild resources. It further forecasts the application of medicinal plant core collection methods on the basis of molecular phylogegraphy.

Improvement of Physiological Characteristic of Selenium-Enriched Candida utilis with Amino Acids Addition.

The effects of amino acids addition on cell growth, glutathione biosynthesis, glutathione distribution, and the intracellular oxidation-reduction environment of Candida utilis SZU 07-01 during selenium enrichment were investigated in this study. Most amino acids under appropriate concentrations have positive effects on cell growth of the yeast strain, except for phenylalanine and proline, compared with the control without amino acid addition. The bioconversion of selenite to organic selenium induced the reduction of glutathione synthesis and intracellular distribution of glutathione. However, amino acids including cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, isoleucine, leucine, and tyrosine could effectively promote the selenium-enriched yeast to elevate glutathione production, especially increasing the intracellular glutathione content. Moreover, addition of these six different amino acids apparently decreased malondialdehyde concentration and recovered the normal intracellular redox environment of the selenium-enriched C. utilis SZU 07-01. The improvement of physiological characteristic of the selenium-enriched yeast by increasing intracellular glutathione content and lowering malondialdehyde content will undoubtedly help to widen application of selenium-enriched yeast as food or feed additives.

GC-MS analysis on volatile components of wild Trogopterus faeces from Laishui county of Hebei province / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analysis the volatile components of Trogopterus faeces.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The volatile components of Trogopterus faeces was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Eighty-five volatile components were identified and the main components are cedrol (12.31%) and caryophyllene (7.5%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The volatile components of the samples are originated from the ingredients or other chemical compositions with similar basic structure of the fodders.</p>

Determination of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin and 5-O-methylvisammisoide in Saposhnikovia divaricata and HPLC fingerprint analysis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop HPLC methods for the determination of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin and 5-O-methylvisammisoide in Saposhnicovia divaricata and of HPLC fingerprint to compare the wild and culture varieties.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Conditions of determination: Shimadzu C18 column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm), methanol-water (40:60) as mobile phase with the flow rate of 1 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 254 nm. Conditions of HPLC fingerprint: MG II C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), the mobile phase was acetonitrile-water with the flow rate of 1 mL x min(-1), using linear gradient elution, the column temperature was 30 degrees C.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The average recovery of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin was 99.6% (RSD 0.72%, n=6). The average recovery of 5-O-methylvisammisoide was 102.6% (RSD 0.88%, n=6). The contents of prim-o-glucosylcimifugin in wild and culture varieties were (4.96 +/- 2.59) and (3.61 +/- 1.82) mg x g(-1) respectively. The contents of 5-O-methylvisammisoide were (3.91 +/- 2.09) and (4.37 +/- 2.02) mg x g(-1) respectively. The compositions of S. divaricata were effective separated under the conditions of HPLC fingerprint.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The HPLC determination method of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin and 5-O-methylvisammisoide is convenient and accurate. The HPLC fingerprint analysis method could be a basis for quality control and classification evaluate of S. divaricata.</p>

Differences in shapes and properties and microscopic frameworks of wild and cultivated Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae from different regions / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the differences in shapes and properties and the microscopic frameworks of the wild and cultivated Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae from different regions.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The differences in the shapes and properties, the characters of transverse sections, the powder and disintegrated tissue of roots were compared using microscopic measurement and statistics analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The wild Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae had several long cylinder roots with rough flaky squama skin and brown red or wine culour, the cultivated had root of many branch with cling skin and brick-red or chestnut culour. The difference of microscopic histological structure was that the xylem vessel of wild Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae had bunched vessel with the rank form of big diameter alternating with small diameter, and had stone cell on samples from some producing region, the xylem vessel of the cultivated had no bunched vessel and no stone cell with the rank form of tangential radial. Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae cultivated in Sichuan Province is called original-region medicinal materials and named Chuandanshen. Chuandanshen had the differences with the Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix cultivated in other region. The root of Chuandanshen had 1.2 cm diameter, and was bulky and fat with solid fabric and the fracture with brownish yellow color and cutin-alikeness, its xylem vessel of transverse section of root was thin with the rank form of tangential radial, and 19-24 vascular bundle and a few wood fiber.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix of the wild and the cultivated, of the original-region (Chuandanshen) and the other-region, have the differences in the shapes and properties, and the microscopic frameworks. The character can be identified by the differences in the shapes of medicinal materials, and the rank form of vascular bundle of transverse section of root.</p>

Comparative research on pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra from different areas / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra (chishao) from different areas.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra were compared by microscope count methods.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Chishao in duolun was more straighter and longer, cortex with a set of closely spaced rill, peel off easily, pink section, etc. The wild chishao were different from the cultivated chishao on pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics, such as appearance shape, smell, vessel arrangement, and number of crystal and starch in unit area.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chishao in duolun were different form others, appearance shape, wood fiber, difference of appearance shape, vessel arrangement, and number of crystal and starch in unit area can be used as identificatin feature of the wild chishao and the cultivated chishao.</p>

Study on quality standard of Rhizoma Diosoreae and Rhizoma Dioscorea stir-baked with bran / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To perfect the current standard of Rhizoma Diosoreae and Rhizoma Diosoreae stir-baked with bran by improving quality standards of the two processed pieces.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The quality standards were established according to 9 batches of processed pieces, separately. The standards contains items of identification, water, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, extractives, heavy metals limit, organochlorine limit, microbial limit and assay.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The TLC of the two pieces was characteristed. The contents of acid-insoluble ash in the two pieces were increased, not more than 0.5%, 0.3%, respectively. The content limits of five kinds of heavy metals and harmful elements, two kinds of residual organochlorine pesticides and three microbial limits were increased. There were no more than 2 x 10(-7) of lead, 2 x 10(-7) of cadmium, 1 x 10(-5) of copper, 3 x 10(-7) of arsenic, 1 x 10(-7) of mercury, 1 x 10(-7) of hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) and 1 x 10(-7) of chlorophenothane (DDT) in the two processed pieces, respectively. There were no more than 2 000 and 600 cfu x mL(-1) in the two pieces, respectively and no more than 30 MPN x 100 g(-1) and fungi can not be tested in the two pieces. The contents of allantoin in the two pieces were no more than 0.15%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This method is simple and suitable for the quality control of the two processed pieces.</p>

Shapes, properties and microstructures of gadfly / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To search and identify the microstructure of medicinal properties of six kinds of gadfly.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The medicinal properties, different body parts and bristles microscopic characteristics were compared.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The two-spotted yellow gadfly had a smaller size. Its length no more than 14 mm, body wall debris was yellow brown or pale yellow, the seta was smaller than that of the other gadflies; while the other five varieties' body lengths all exceeded 15 mm, and their body wall debris mostly were brown black or gray and black.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The authentication between the two-spotted yellow gadfly and the other five varieties can be made by the microscopic characteristics of their medicinal properties, body wall debris colors, bristle lengths, and basal diameters.</p>

Difference of shapes and propertiesand microscopic frameworks between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find the difference of the shapes and properties and the microscopic frameworks between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The shapes and properties, the characters of transverse section, the powder and disintegrated tissue of roots of medical materials were compared by microscopic measuring.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Wild Radix Saposhnikovia had a long conical or cylindrical root, and fewer root branches. It showed a close annulus grain on top root, cortical section of root in light brown colour, many brown oil spots and possessed typical odor, While cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia had many root branches, and showed less annulus grain on top root, cortical section of root in light yellow brown colour, less brown oil spots and possessed light odor. The difference of microscopic histological structure was that wild Radix Saposhnikovia had phloem transverse section of root with many rotundity oil tube lining up 10-22 rings, xylem vessel with radiate rank, and indistinct annual ring. While cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia had phloem transverse section of root with oil tube lining up 10-11 rings and xylem vessel with distinct annual ring.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There exists several differences between wild and cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia in shapes and properties and differences of microscopic frameworks. The main characteristics are the differences of shapes and numbers of oil tube of phloem transverse section of root. The cultivated Radix Saposhnikovia of 1-4 years can be recognized by annual rings of xylem vessel.</p>

Processing technics of Rhizoma Dioscoreae stired by wheat bran / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the processing technics of prepared slice of Rhizoma Dioscoreae for its industrial production.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The effect factors, such as stiring temperature (60, 80, 100 degrees C), stiring time (10, 20, 30 min) and the proportion of pieces and wheat bran (100: 5, 100: 10, 100: 15) were evaluated by orthogonal method. The content of allantoin in Rhizoma Dioscoreae was determine by HPLC method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The amount of wheat bran could affect the content of allation significantly, and stiring temperature and stiring time almost had no effect on content of allantoin. The processing technics was tested by industrial produce, according to 11 batches from 4 growing regions. The result showed that the quality of industrial product was stable.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>That the amount of wheat bran can affect the quality of Rhizoma Dioscoreae greatly. The determined technics is simple and suitable for prepared slice of Rhizoma Dioscoreae industrival manufacture.</p>