Objective To study the shape differences of upper epidermal cells in leaves of medicinal plants of Swertia L. and establish the new method for identifying them. Methods The epidermis were mounted in ordinary technique, and then scanned and binarized through HPIAS-1000 image analytic system. The waveness of the anticlinal walls (SFC) and the ratio of the Ferets diameter (SLF) of upper epidermal cells were detected. The leaf epidermal cells of 21 kinds of raw materials in 12 plants of Swertia L. from various regions were examined. Results The precision and reproducibility of software system were good, and the shape characters of the upper epidermal cells of the middle lamina in the third node arising from ground are the stablest inside the same species by the magnification 20?10 under microscope. The SFC and SLF of the upper epidermal cells of the same species of plants are relatively constant, conversely that of different species of plants are obviously different and distinguishable from each other. Conclusion The proposed method is a useful technique for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials originated from herbs and leaves of plants. HPIAS-1000 is simple, rapid, accurate, and practical for shape analysis of upper epidermal cells of plant leaf.

Aim To Compare the quality of Pinellia Tubers between Nanchong Sichuan and relevant areas in order to standardize plant and to provide evidence for further exploitation and application. Methods Expectorant experiment was conducted with methods of washing mice's respiratory tract with phenol red and antitussive effect, with ammomia caused mice cough. Results In the experiment of expectorant effect, oral administration of the water or the ethanol extracts of pinellia Tubers showed no obvious expectorant effect, it also showed no significant difference compared with control NS. In the antitussive effect experiment, however the water or the ethanol extracts of pinellia Tuhers prolonged the incubation period and reduced the frequency of coughing. It presented significant difference compared with the control NS and clear time-effect relationship. Conclusion Pinellia Tubers from Nanchong Sichuan and relevant areas showed no apparent expectorant effect and have destinct antitussive effect. As for antitussive effects, water extracts were stronger than those of ethanol extracts, and wild Pinellia Tubers outmatched planted ones. Antitussive effect of wild Pinellia Tubers samples was rather stronger from Nanchong, Guangan, Suining, and Liangshan of Sichuan and Xihe Gansu.

This article was aimed to survey the use of Chinese minority medicine, in order to provide differences and similarities among different Chinese minority medicine, and to analyze the relations among species resources, using range, functions and indications. It provided a basic scientific platform for the development, research and use of minority medicine. The books and journals published since the late 1970s (the country after the reform and opening up) had been collected, classified. And reference books on current Chinese minority medicine had been compiled. The results showed that the first draft of the book had been completed and delivered to the press. The dictionary had cited 53 traditional medicine used by minority groups. The total number of minority medicine was 7 734. The total characters amount in the book was 1 700 000 words. It was concluded that the species of minority medicine were various. There was rich information on their harvest, medicinal parts, functions and indications with prominent features. The existing major problems were to clarify the standard of the species as well as their major functions and indications.

OBJECTIVE:To study varieties,indications and usage features of Tibetan medicine preparations,and provide refer-ence for the clinical treatment and new drug development for Tibetan medicine. METHODS:Tibetan medicine preparations in offi-cial standards were collected,variety features(formula scale,license number,pharmaceutical enterprise,name and dosage form, herbal medicine number),action features(indication name,clinical application)and medicine features(category and quantity,me-dicinal part,commonly used drug,frequency,three fruitsuse feature) were summarized. RESULTS:Totally 458 preparations were included,including 18 recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (part 1,2015 edition),200 recorded in Pharmaceutical Stan-dards of the Ministry of Health of China(Tibetan medicine,1995 edition),240 recorded in Tibetan Medicine Standards(six prov-inces). 129 had obtained 430 license numbers,from 52 pharmaceutical companies;the prearations were mainly named byherbal medicine+principal medicine+dosage formprincipal medicine+dosage formandindication+dosage form. Dosage forms had powder,pill,cream,oil,syrup and wine; the number of herbal medicine was(13.81±13.28). The Tibetan preparations were com-monly used in the clinical treatment of diseases of the digestive system,respiratory system,genitourinary system,circulatory sys-tem,infectious and parasitic diseases,etc. 442 medicines had been used,including 297 herbal medicines,70 animal medicines, 47 mineral medicines and other 28 medicines. The common medicinal parts were seed or fruit,root or rhizome,whole grass,flow-er,stem,over-ground part,tuber or bulb,etc. The top 10 frequency of medicines were as follows as Terminalia chebula,Cartha-mus tinctorius,Aucklandia lappa,Amomum kravanh,Phyllanthus emblica,Piper longum,Inula racemosa,Punica granatum, Moschus berezovskii,Adhatoda vasica;and 19% preparations contained three fruits(T. chebula,P. emblica,Terminalia bellirica). CONCLUSIONS:Tibetan medicine preparations have rich varieties,reasonable herbal medicines,more solid preparations,widely clinic application,contain more herbal drugs and commonly usethree fruits,while fewer preparations have obtained license number.

OBJECTIVE： To analyze the characteristics of 169 single-flavored drugs in The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of Indian， and to provide reference for China to expand new drug sources and study new indications. METHODS： Sanskrit drug names， botanical names （family names）， Chinese medicine names， medicinal parts， therapeutic uses in Ayurveda， distributions in India， distributions or cultivations （introductions） in other countries and regions， the main treatments of other countries and regions were introduced comprehensively， so as to analyze the distribution， family names characteristics， medicinal part and indication characteristics of 169 single-flavored drugs. RESULTS： Totally 169 single-flavored drugs were mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. There were 116 single-flavored drugs distributed throughout India （including introduction or cultivation） and medicinal； while 51 single-flavored drugs were only distributed in India； 21 single-flavored drugs were distributed and used in China； 10 single-flavored drugs have a distribution in China but have not been used； only one single-flavored drug had been used in China but had no distribution. Yunnan， Guangdong， Guangxi， Fujian were provinces （districs） where Ayurveda single-flavored drug was planted and used more frequently. Sri Lanka， Vietnam and Malaysia were countries where Ayurveda single-flavored drug was planted and used more frequently. The original plants of the 169 single-flavored drugs were derived from Euphorbiaceae and Dipterocarpaceae， Umbelliferae and Morus， etc. More roots and rhizomes were used. The types of commonly treatment diseases were digestive diseases， respiratory diseases， “symptoms， signs， and clinical and laboratory abnormalities， which cannot be classified elsewhere”， skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases， genitourinary system diseases， blood diseases， etc. The diseases with characteristic diagnosis and treatment were caused by imbalance of body wind， intermittent heat， imbalance of mucin and imbalances of three diseases. CONCLUSIONS： 169 single-flavored drugs in this paper are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions， and are often used to treat digestive diseases. This study can provide reference for the introduction and cultivation of Ayurveda single-flavored drug and for the development of new drug sources and new uses in China.