This article introduced the herbal medicine studies on Bupleurum in recent years, focused on the classification just like morphological and chemical classification, microscopic characteristics and molecular biology classification for Bupleurum. Identification combined with a variety of classification is the most effective method for Bupleurum. Due to the short supply of Bupleurum in the current market the current Bupleurum classification studies should focuses on combining pharmacological research to expand the Bupleurum's herbal sources.
Bupleurum ; chemistry ; classification ; cytology ; Microscopy

In this study, phytochemical investigation on the aerial parts of Bupleurum falcatum resulted in the isolation of fourteen compounds including three quinic acid derivatives (1 - 3), five flavonoids (4 - 8), three monoterpene glycosides (9 - 11), and three saikosaponins (12 - 14). Compound 1 was first isolated from nature and unambiguously determined to be 3-O-feruloyl 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid on the basis of the extensive spectroscopic evidence. Biological testing revealed that saikosaponin A (12) and saikosaponin D (13) showed moderate antiproliferative effects on HL-60 and HepG2 cancer cell lines.
Bupleurum* ; Cell Line ; Flavonoids ; Glycosides ; Quinic Acid

OBJECTIVETo explore the genetic evolutionary distance between plants by using karyotype parameters identification of medicinal plants.

METHODThe cluster analysis of karyotype resemblance-near coefficient and evolutionary distance was used for 6 Bupleurum species.

RESULTThe results showed that there were the biggest karyotype resemblance-near coefficient (0.9920) and the smallest evolutionary distance (D(e) = 0.0080) between B. scorzonerifolium and B. chinense, indicating the closest relationship, and the minimum karyotype resemblance-near coefficient (0.4794) and the maximum evolutionary distance (D(e) = 0.7352) between B. smityii and B. falcatum, indicating the most distant relationship.

CONCLUSIONKaryotype was an important parameter for identification of medicinal plants because karyotype was stabilized for species. The genetic distance between in 6 species of Bupleurum species was obtained by karyotype clustering analysis of karyotype resemblance-near coefficient. There was the bigger evolutionary distance between the species which had different chromosome number.

To maintain the precision and stability of the efficacy of classical formulas, this study compared the origins and specifications of Bupleuri Radix and revealed the precise application regularity of Bupleurum chinense(Beichaihu) and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium(Nanchaihu) in classical formulas. The efficacy and indications of formulas with Bupleuri Radix as the sovereign drug in the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases(Shang Han Za Bing Lun) were investigated. The difference in the efficacy of Bupleuri Radix as well as the differences in the chemical composition, and liver-protecting and lipid-lowering effects of the decoctions of Beichaihu and Nanchaihu were analyzed with LC-MS technology based on the CCl_4-induced liver injury model in mice and sodium oleate-induced HepG2 hyperlipidemia cell model. The results showed that seven classical formulas with Bupleuri Radix as the sovereign drug in the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases were mainly used in the treatment of digestive, metabolic, immune, circulatory, and other diseases. Bupleuri Radix mainly played the functions of protecting the liver, benefiting the gallbladder, and lowering the lipid, and had different focuses in different formulas. There were 14 differential components in the decoctions of Beichaihu and Nanchaihu, and the chemical structures of 11 components were identified, including 10 saponins and one flavonoid. The results of the liver-protecting efficacy experiment showed that compared with the Nanchaihu decoction, Beichaihu decoction could reduce the serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST) activity in liver injury model mice(P<0.01). The results of the lipid-lowering efficacy experiment proved that Beichaihu and Nanchaihu decoctions both showed highly significant differences in lowering the total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride(TG) content in HepG2 cells(P<0.01), and Nanchaihu decoction was superior to Beichaihu decoction in lowering the lipid. The results of this study preliminarily proved that there were differences in chemical composition, and liver-protecting and lipid-lowering effects of Beichaihu and Nanchaihu decoctions, indicating that it was necessary to determine the precise origin of Bupleuri Radix in the clinical formulation of traditional Chinese medicine. The study provides a scientific basis for both precise clinical medication and purpose-based accurate quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical application.
Animals ; Mice ; Liver ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Bupleurum

Bupleuri Radix, serving as the sovereign medicinal in many antidepressant compound preparations, has been proved effective in treating depression in mice, but its effect on the intestinal flora remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Bupleurum chinense(one of the original materials of Bupleuri Radix) on the behaviors and the diversity of intestinal flora of depressed mice. A depression mouse model was induced by repeated social defeat stress. Specifically, C57 BL/6 J male mice were exposed to the attack from the CD-1 mice. Then, C57 BL/6 J male mice were divided into a depression group and a B. chinense group, with normal saline and B. chinense administered(ig) respectively. Sucrose preference test and tail suspension test were conducted during and after the experiment respectively, to analyze the effects of B. chinense on the behaviors of the depressed mice. The feces were collected after the experiment. The V3-V4 16 S rDNA regions of intestinal flora of mice in each group were sequenced by Ion S5 TMXL for the analysis of the number of operational taxonomic units(OTUs), richness, alpha and beta diversity indexes, and differential phyla and genera. The results indicated that B. chinense could decrease depressive-like behaviors of mice, increase sucrose preference, and shorten the time of immobility in tail suspension test. After B. chinense intervention, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased, while that of Bacteroidetes was increased at the phylum level. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Lachnoclostridium decreased(P<0.05), while that of Bacteroides, Alistopes, etc. was elevated(P<0.05). The findings demonstrate that B. chinense can regulate the intestinal flora and improve the depressive-like behaviors of mice with depression.
Animals ; Bupleurum ; Feces ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Lactobacillus ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

In order to select high quality and suitable Bupleuri Radix varieties in Qingchuan, and establish a new comprehensive method to evaluation the quality of Bupleuri Radix, 12 characters of 14 samples were evaluated by DTOPSIS and grey related degree. The results showed that varieties No. 8 and No. 10 had high quality. DTOPSIS and grey related degree gave the uniformity result, and the biggest difference of value of Ci in DTOPSIS method was 46. 33% , but the biggest difference of the weighting correlation number( r (i)) in grey related degree was only 13.10%. The DTOPSIS combined with grey related degree can evaluate the quality of Bupleuri Radix comprehensively and objectively.
Bupleurum ; chemistry ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; supply & distribution ; Quality Control ; Statistics as Topic ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors influencing the seed germination of Bupleurum chinense and B. falcatum.

METHODThe seeds of different maturity, and the seeds whose coat were removed or nicked before dipping in water, were germinated in a light growth chamber.

RESULTThe different inflorescence level represents different development period. Seeds harvested from cultivation have different maturity. The germination rate of the seeds in period I to III was nearly zero, and it was significant different from period IV to VII. The seed coat is not an obstacle for water absorption or gas exchange, but its removal led to significant increase of seed germination rate. However, to dip the seeds without coat into water for 48 h had no more effect on germination.

CONCLUSIONThe seed maturity and germination inhibitors in seed coat are two important factor influencing seed germination in B. chinense and B. falcatum.

Bupleurum chinense is a commonly used Chinese medicinal material, which has been used medicinally in China for over 2000 years, the development of it is of great value. There have been great advances of studies on its embryology and seed biology in recent years. In this paper, we make a review of the growth of its embryo and fruit, the characteristics of dormancy and storage and the germination of its seed. Besides, we summarize the reasons of its low germination rate and the achievements in improving the situation, for the purpose of providing reference in research on seed physiology of B. chinense.
Bupleurum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Plant Dormancy ; Seeds ; chemistry ; growth & development ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of male sterility of Bupleurum chinense and further explore the developmental period and reason of abortion for the male sterile plants.

METHODThe morphological characteristics of B. chinense male sterile and normal plants were investigated and compared. The anther development process and pollen viability of two types of plants were examined by microscopic assay.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe shapes and sizes of anther and filament were different between the male sterile and the normal plants. For the male sterile plant's, the filament size was no more than 1/2 of that of normal plants and the anthers were shriveled, failed to dehisce and pollinate naturally, and the pollen grains in the anthers had no vitality. Other morphological characteristics were similar between two types of plants. The main reason leading to male sterility of B. chinense was the abnormal development of tapetum cells with two circumstances. The one is that the tapetum cells degraded early during the period of microsporocyte phase to tetrad phase and the other is that the tapetum cells proliferated with delayed degradation in the tetrad to uninucleate phase.

OBJECTIVETo investigate ingredient differences of the aerial part of Bupleurums from different germplasm resources by HPLC.

METHODTwenty-one different germplasm resources were sown and cultured at the same conditions and the aerial parts of the biennial plants were analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTThe chromatograms were established and the data were analyzed by Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to compare the similarity of the samples. The results showed that ingredients from various germplasm resources were significantly different, which indicated the germplasm diversity of Bupleurum.

CONCLUSIONThe method can be used for comparison of the ingredient differences and quality control, the results provide important references for classification of Bupleurum species.