A novel fingerprint system of Chinese medicinal materials employing both DNA and chemical means has been proposed. To establish the fingerprint system is very effective to the quality control of Chinese medicinal materials, because it will be controlled from chemical substance and genetic information. The chemical components and DNA fingerprints will show the complex chemical components and biological source, respectively. DNA fingerprint could give a further proof to distinguish Chinese materia medica from the chemical. The combination of chemical and DNA fingerprints is constructive to quality control of Chinese materia medica, the cultivar identification and the selective breed of good varieties for medicinal use. To carry out the fingerprint system of Chinese medicinal materials, it is necessary to establish fingerprint database of Chinese medicinal materials, including chemical and DNA fingerprint, as well as many detection methods, and the pattern recognition system by computer is also necessary.

Object To study the chemical constituents of Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S. C. Chen. Methods The constituents were isolated on silica gel chromatography, preparative TLC, and spectral data. Results Six compounds were isolated and identified from the resin of D. cochinchinensis as: 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachloro-3, 6-dimethoxybenzene (Ⅰ), cholest-4?-methyl-7-en-3?-ol (Ⅱ), cholest-4?-methyl-7-en-3-one (Ⅲ), hexacosane (Ⅳ), cholest-7-en-3?-ol (Ⅴ), cholest-7-en-3-one (Ⅵ). Conclusion Compounds Ⅳ-Ⅵ were isolated from D. cochinchinensis for the first time.

Objective To observe the effects of cistanchis glycosides on scopolamine -induced impariment of learning and memory and on sodium nitrite -induced impariment of learning and memo ry consolidation in mice.Methods Step down test was performed to reflect th e learning and memory of mice.Cistan chis glycosides were administered c onsecutive-ly for 30days.The mice were trained o n the 29th day and measurements were c arried out on the 30th day .Latent period and number of errors within 5min were noted.Scopolamine was given by intr aperitoneal injection 15min before train-ing,and sodium nitrite was administered subcutaneously right after trainin g.Results(1)Compared with model mice in-duced by scopolamine,cistanchis glycosides 200and 400mg /kg together with piracetam 600mg /k g considerably in-creased latent period and decreased error times.Cistanchis glycosides100mg /kg also increased latent time but decreased error times to some extent.(2)Compared with model mice induced by s odium nitrite,cistanchis glycosides 200and 400mg /kg increased latent time significantly but had no significant effect on the error times.Cistanchis glycosides 100mg /kg decreased latent time and error time s to some extent.Conclusion Cistanchis glycosides could obviou sly improve scopo-lamine -induced impariment of learn ing and memory and on sodium nitrite -induced impariment of learning and memory in mice.

Objective To study the chemical constituents of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. Methods The constituents were isolated and purified by several chromatographic techniques and identified by chemicophysical properties and spectral analyses. Results Nine flavonoid compounds had been obtained from A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. They were determined as formononetin (Ⅰ), (3R)-8, 2′-dihydroxy-7, 4′-dimethoxy-isoflavane (Ⅱ), calycosin (Ⅲ), (6aR, 11aR)9, 10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-?-D-glucoside (Ⅳ), 7, 2′-dihydroxy-3′, 4′-dimethoxy-isoflavane-7-O-?-D-glucoside (Ⅴ), formononetin-7-O-?-D-glucoside (Ⅵ), calycosin-7-O-?-D-glucoside (Ⅶ), pratensein-7-O-?-D-glucoside (Ⅷ), and genistin (Ⅸ), respectively. Conclusion Compound Ⅷ is obtained from the plants of Astragalus Linn. for the first time and compound Ⅱ is obtained from this plant for the first time. Compounds Ⅰ-Ⅶ show cell multiplication activity.

Objective To establish chromatographic fingerprint of Cistanche deserticola by HPLC and evaluate the difference of inner qualities of samples from different habitats.Methods HPLC gradient elution was applied to establish the chromatographic fingerprint and "Computer Aimed Similarity Evaluation System" was used in data analysis.Results This chromatographic fingerprint method has good precision, stability, and repeatability; the fingerprints of the samples from different habitats were quite different.Conclusion There are notable differences in inner qualities of the samples from different habitats.This chromatographic fingerprint method can be used to evaluate the quality of C.deserticola.