The pollen morphology of 3 species of the Echinacea Moench. from China and other coun-tries was examined under LM and SEM. 3 species were palynologically reported here for the first time. Theresults showed that the pollen morphology of the Echinacea species mentioned above was basically consis-tent, but some differences in pollen size, aperture and exine sculpture were found.

Hypotensive effects of rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, total alkaloid and non-alka-loid fraction isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks. were compared. Change in peripheralblood pressure was recorded by inserting a catheter into the right common carotid artery of anaethetizedrat, while each of the four hypotensive constituents was injected individually into the femoral vein by a mi-croinfusion pump. Results of the findings showed that the four constituents in U. rhynchophylla displayeddifferent hypotensive potency in the order of isorhynchophylline [lowering of mean arterial pressure(MAP) by 42.0%] > rhynchophylline (lowering of MAP by 32.1%) > total alkaloid (lowering of MAPby 21.3%) > non-alkaloid fraction (lowering of MAP by 12.4%). It was concluded that isorhyn-chophylline and rhynchophylline were the main hypotensive constituents in U. rhynchophylla.

The calcium antagonist action of arctigenin (ACT) was studied in order to verify the ef-fect of Fructus Arctii for the relieve of exterior syndrome. Muscular contraction of isolated rat trachea,colon, pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta induced by KC1, that of guinea pig trachea induced by CaCI2,before and after the addition of ACT were assessed and their contraction-response curves drawn and PD'2calculated according to Scott. The inhibition rate of two-phase contraction of guinea pig trachea induced byacetylcholine chloride (Ach) in comparison with verapamil (VER) was calculated. Results of the studyshowed that ACT could non-compatitively antagonize the muscular contraction of the test specimens withPD'2 of 4.01, 5.11, 5.98 and 6.05 respectively. Similar to VER, ACT could non-competitively antagonizethe isolated guinea pig trachea with PD'2 of 4.04 and 5.62 respectively. Both of them could inhibit thefirst phase contraction induced by Ach with inhibition rates of 66.14% and 81.42% respectively. It wasconcluded that ACT, as the active constituent of Fructus Arctii, relaxed smooth muscle contraction byblocking the potential dependant Ca2+ channel and the internal release of Ca2+.

Blood Replenishing Angelica Decoction [Danggui Buxue Tang (DGBXT)]is a wellknown TCM prescription composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali with the actions ofinvigorating "Qi" and enriching blood. Its action to curtail endothelial permeability induced by histaminewas studied. Endothelial cells isolated from the aorta of neonatal calf were cultured on polycarbonate mi-croporus filter membrane to develop a confluent endothelial monolayer. After purfused with either plainHank's balanced salt solution or that containing 5 g/L albumin, the monolayer was treated with 10-4 mol/L histamine for 30 min either with or without preincubation for 60 min with 10-4 g/mL of DGBXT. Fluidfiltration coefficient (Kf), filtration volume (Jv) and osmotic reflective coefficient (σ) of protein were thenmeasured. The findings showed that DGBXT could curtail the lowering of Kf and Jv and elevation of σ in-duced by histamine, indicating that DGBXT could inhibit the action of histamine on endothelial permeabili-ty, but its mechanism of action needs further study.

Antiarrhythmic effect of isoliensinine (IL) was studied on experimental arrhythmic mo-dels induced by coronary artery ligation and 4 different arrhythmogenic drugs in comparison with quinidine(Qu). Results of the study showed that the antiarrhythmic potency of IL was stronger than that of Qu atthe same dosage. The effects of IL on fast and slow response action potentials of myocardium were ob-served in guinea pig papillary muscles by standard microelectrode technique, which showed that IL couldreduce APA and Vmax and shorten the APD50. The results suggested that the antiarrhythmic mechanismof IL is related to its non-specific inhibition of the currents of Na+ and Ca2+.

Icariin and total flavonoids in "Xianlinggubao Capsule", a Chinese herbal preparationcontaining Epimedium L. as the main ingredient for the treatment of osteoporosis, were determined quan-titatively by HPLC and UV spectrophotometry respectively. It was found that the contents of icariin were4.16～27.67 mg/g and that of flavonoids were 62. 56～109.78 mg/g. The recoveries were 96.17% and103.58% respectively. The method could be used for the quality control of the drug.

Mangiferin, one of the active constituents of Rhizoma Belamcandae, in samples of Be-lamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. or its substitute was determined quantitatively by RP-HPLC. The 11 sam-ples collected from different localities for analysis were: 7 rhizomes of wildly grown or cultivated B. chi-nensis, 1 of its leaf and stem, and 3 substitutes (a wildly grown and another commercially available Iristectorum Maxim. and a I. dichotoma Pall. ). Results of the analysis showed that the contents of mangiferinin Rhizoma Belamcandae were significantly higher than that of its substitutes I. tectorum and I. di-chotoma. There were also certain significant differences between samples from different localities (P<0.05), but with no statistically significant difference between the rhizome or leaf and stem, neither be-tween cultivated and wildly grown samples, (P>0.05). The method was proved to be quick, simple andreproducible, and may provide a reliable basis for the quality control and evaluation of B. chinensis.

A reverse phase HPLC-ELSD method for the determination of ginsenoside Rg1 in the rootof Panaa pseudo-ginseng var. notoginseng (Burkill) Hoo et Tseng was reported. Chromatographic condi-tions: Shim-pack CLC-ODS column (6.0 mm×150 mm)； acetonitrile-water (30: 70) as the mobilephase； Shimadzu LC-6A with SEDEX-55 ELSD detector. The method was found to be simple and accuratewith recovery rate of 100. 50％ and RSD= 1.82 %. The established UV spectrophotometric determinationof total saponins in P. pseudo-ginseng var. notoginseng was also tried and gave an accurate result coinci-dental with that of the HPLC results. The recovery rate was 101.50%， and RSD=1. 44%. It seemed thatboth methods can be used reliably for the quality control of P. pseudo-ginseng var. notoginseng.

To determine the fatty acid composition in the oil of Semen Momordicae to evaluate itspractical use. Fatty oil was obtained by Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether and converted to methylester derivatives by methanolic potassium hydroxide. Contents of the resultant methyl esters were then de-termined by GC-MS. Eight fatty acids were characterized and determined. Results of the study may pro-vide some information for the exploitation and utilization in the oil of seed of Momordicae cochinchinensis(Lout.) Spreng.

Four compounds were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the bark of Alseodaphnehainanensis Merr. , The structures were identified as: a neolignan eusiderin A [(7R, 8R)-3,4,5,3′-tetram-ethox-△8’，9’-8-o-4’，7-o-5’lignan]（I）two benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (6,7-dimethoxyisoquinolinyl)-(4′-methoxyphenyl) methanone(Ⅱ), and( 6, 7-methylenedioxyisoquinolinyl )-( 4′-methoxyphenyl ) methanone (Ⅲ), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid ( Ⅳ ) on the basis of HR-SIMS，1HNMR，13CNMRand 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis. CompoundsⅠ～Ⅲ were obtained from the Alseodaphne genus forthe first time.