Objective To establish and optimize the ISSR-PCR reaction system for Prunella vulgaris and lay foundation for its genetic diversity research.Methods The single-factor and orthogonal design were applied for optimizing seven factors in the ISSR-PCR reaction system including Mg2+,dNTP,primers,Taq DNA polymerase,the template DNA,annealing temperature,and cycles.Results The suitable PCR reaction system contained 2.2 mmol/L Mg2+,175 ?mol/L dNTP,0.75 ?mol/L primer,1.0 U Taq DNA polymerase,and 30 ng template DNA in total 20 ?L reaction solution.On this basis,18 primers were screened with stable amplification and rich polymorphism from 92 ISSR primers.The optimal annealing temperature for ISSR-PCR reaction was proposed by gradient PCR.Conclusion It is a way to establisb the ISSR-PCR system for orthogonal design combining with single-factor test.And it is proved to be stable and credible for the result of 24 P.vulgaris populations.This optimized ISSR reaction system would provide the basis for the genetic analysis of P.vulgaris.

Objective To establish and optimize ISSR-PCR systems of Chrysanthemum morifolium and lay the foundation for its genetic diversity research. Methods Based on the analysis of variance, an orthogonal design was used to optimize the ISSR-PCR amplification system on C. morifolium by four factors (Taq polymerase, Mg2+, dNTP, and primer) at three concentration levels, respectively. Results A suitable ISSR reaction system was constructed with the 20 ?L reaction system containing 1.00 U Taq polymerase, 2.00 mmol/L Mg2+, 0.20 mmol/L dNTP, and 0.50 ?mol/L primer. Conclusion ISSR-PCR is significantly influenced by the concentration of Taq polymerase, Mg2+, and dNTP. This ISSR-PCR system could provide clear bands, reliable reaction system, and abundant polymorphisms . It is proved to be suitable for the study of the genetic diversity of C. morifolium

Objective To investigate the variation of chemical characteristics with environmental factors and establish a relationship betweem morphological characters and chemical composition of Prunella vulgaris collected in different areas of China.Methods Twelve phenotypic traits and three chemical compositions were assessed in 28 populations of P.vulgaris collected from different locations in China.Results The variability ranges observed at phenotypic and chemical levels were polymorphic.According to the morphological traits,28 populations of P.vulgaris could be grouped into six clusters,and two morpho-types could be clearly distinguished.Perceptible differences could be discerned in the plant height,leaf length,corolla length,calyx length,fruiting spikes length,and maturity period.Based on three kinds of components including ursolic acid,total flavonoids,and total polysaccharides,all populations could be identified as four types.Cluster Ⅳ showing high content of ursolic acid,total flavonoids,and total polysaccharides could be utilized to develop superior derivatives.Conclusion The variation of chemical characteristics is influenced by the genetic and environmental factors,such as soil,climate,longitude,and altitude.It provides a solid basis for efficiently evaluating qualities and establishing good agricultural practices for P.vulgaris.

OBJECTIVETo study the quality of medicinal material of Thesium chinense.

METHODThe active ingredients of total flavonoids, kaempferol, mannitol, polysaccharides were selected as the evaluative indicators to comprehensively evaluate the quality of medicinal material of T. chinense.

RESULTThe total flavone 3.38%, kaempferol 0.984 7 mg x g(-1), mannitol 6.12%, polysaccharides 14.08% and water soluble extract 30.28% were measured in the sample of T. chinense. There was a certain correlation among these selected active ingredients. The compositions of most biological activities component in T. chinense of different populations were similar, but the contents were different significantly. The content of activities component in T. chinense showed a general tendency of declining during growth period and with the increase time of storage.

CONCLUSIONFlavone, kaempferol, mannitol, polysaccharides should be selected as the indicators to evaluate the quality of medicinal material of T. chinense.

Flavones ; analysis ; Mannitol ; analysis ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Santalaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study species diversity and the host of Thesium chinense community.

METHODThe investigation on phytocoenology was carried out on the T. chinense community in 7 areas of Anhui Province and Jiangsu Province. The correlation between species diversity of community and T. chinense abundance was analyzed regarding to the abundance of species, the abundant index of species, species diversity index and community even index.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe results showed that T. chinense liked light, warm climate, liked acidic to neuter soil. The majority of T. chinense distributed in the humid wasteland and herbaceous community. There was a positive correlation between the abundance of T. chinense and the unity numbers of community, and a negative correlation between the abundance of T. chinense and the abundance, coverage, diversity index, Pielou even index of community. T. chinense host species was various. This investigation found 28 host species belong to 11 Families, among them 5 Families and 18 species were found for the first time.

Biodiversity ; Ecosystem ; Santalaceae ; classification ; physiology ; Soil ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the original plant and dietotherapy history of Prunella vulgaris by textual researches, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical medication, exploitation and protection of wild resources.

METHODThe ancient literatures in the graphic, geographical distribution and morphological description of P. vulgaris were used in this studied.

RESULTThe varieties of P. vulgaris for therapeutic were no confusion. However, there has existed confusion between P. vulgaris and its confusable species (Ajuga ciliate, A. decumbens and Lagopsis supina) with appellations, morphological description and attached drawing of original plant.

CONCLUSIONThe original plant is originated from two species (P. vulgaris, P. asiatica). P. hispida was used as a certified medicinal material in Yunnan province from Ming Dynasty to modern time. The dietotherapy history of P. vulgaris in China can be traced back to Ming Dynasty or before.

China ; Drug Therapy ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; history ; therapeutic use ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Prunella ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo determine the concentration of mineral elements and analyze the principal components in Thesium chinense.

METHODMineral elements were determined by ICP-DES. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used toanalyze and evaluate the characteristic elements.

RESULTT. chinense contained more than 17 mineral elements, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Sr, B, Ca, P, K, Na, Mg, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu were abundance in T. chinense. The concentration of Mn and Zn were about 100 microg x g(-1), Mg was from 1 898.0 to 3 137.73 micro x g(-1), Fe > 500 microg x g(-1). PCA concluded that four factors (F1, F2, F3, F4 ) could be used to evaluate the quality of T. chinense. The function is following: F = 0.444 77F1 + 0.237 71F2 + 0.167 28F3 + 0.150 24F4. The scores of different populations of T. chinens were from 0.627 to 0.189. Zn,Cu,Mg,P, K, Al, Fe, Cr, Na, Co, Pb, Mn, B and Ca were the characteristic elements of T. chinense.

CONCLUSIONT. chinense contain more than 17 mineral elements. Zn, Cu, Mg, P, K, Al, Fe, Cr, Na, Co, Pb, Mn, B and Ca were the characteristic elements of T. chinense.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Santalaceae ; chemistry ; Trace Elements ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo determine the residues of organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals in Radix Ophiopogonis and Ophiopogon japonicus.

METHODThe residues of 4 isomers of benzene hexa chloride (BHC) and 4 isomers of dichloro dipheny trichloroethane (DDT) were determined by gas chromatography. The contents of Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg and As were determined by ICP.

RESULTThe residues of organochlorine pesticides in Radix Ophiopogonis were lower than the permissible maximum limits of the Chinese national standard except hexachloride (BHC) in Radix Ophiopogonis from Cixi as well as Cu in soil of Luojiang.

CONCLUSIONThe enrichment capacity of Radix Ophiopogonis for (BHC) and Hg is higher. It is suggested that we should try to select herbs-growing soil for O. japonicus with a particular emphasis on the pesticides residues in soil.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Pesticide Residues ; analysis ; Pesticides ; analysis ; Soil Pollutants ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the arbuscular mycorrhiza and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with cultivated and wild Pinellia ternata in Guizhou province.

METHODWild and cultivated P. ternata roots were observed through staining and microscopic examination, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spores were isolated through wet thieving according to Gerdemann & Nicolson (1963), the spores were identified following the description of Schenck & Pérez (1988), and some previous publications.

RESULTThe typical arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) structure was showed according to a research of wild and cultivated P. ternata. In the survey of AM fungi species in the rhizosphere of wild and cultivated P. ternata, 3 genera and 21 species were found, 3 genera and 7 species were identified. 5 species of them belong to Glomus, 1 species belongs to Scutellospora, 1 species belongs to Gigaspora, including Glomus mosseae, G. intraradices, G. melanosporum, G. deserticola, G. aggregatum, Scutellospora castanea, Gigaspora albida, and one of them was a new record, i.e., Scutellospora castanea which was the dominant species in Bijie.

CONCLUSIONThe diversity of AM fungi between wild and cultivated Pinellia ternata was showed on this survey, the fungi associated with wild ones are different form the cultivated ones, such as Gigaspora albida only occurs in cultivated ones, Glomus melanosporum only occurs in wild ones, while Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices occur in both wild and cultivated ones, and there were specialization species in Bijie, all these can provide new though for solving degradation problem of cultivated Pinellia ternata.

Biodiversity ; Fungi ; classification ; cytology ; isolation & purification ; Mycorrhizae ; classification ; cytology ; isolation & purification ; Pinellia ; microbiology ; Plant Roots ; microbiology ; Soil Microbiology ; Spores, Fungal ; classification ; cytology ; isolation & purification