OBJECTIVETo study the seeds dormancy release and physiological change of Thesium chinense.

METHODTo release dormancy, the seeds of T. chinense were treated with chemical reagent and stratification under 3-5 degrees C.

RESULTWhen washed with flowing water for 24 h, then soaked in 500 mg x L(-1) GA3 for 24 h, finally, treated with stratification method under 3-5 degrees C for 150 day, the split rate of T. chinense seeds reached 22%, crude fat decreased 50%, total sugar and dissolvability sugar increased 3-4 times, ABA decreased more than 90%, GA3 increased more than 5 times.

CONCLUSIONThe seeds dormancy of T. chinense can be released with the method of washing with flowing water for 24 h, then soaking in 500 mg x L(-1) GA3 for 24 h, finally, treated with stratification method under 3-5 degrees C for 150-180 day.

Abscisic Acid ; pharmacology ; Carbohydrates ; analysis ; Cold Temperature ; Fats ; analysis ; Germination ; physiology ; Gibberellins ; pharmacology ; Magnoliopsida ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plant Dormancy ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Seeds ; drug effects ; physiology ; Time Factors ; Water ; pharmacology

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 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 study the hemiparasitic mechanism of Thesium chinense.

METHODThe anatomical structure of T. chinense was studied by using paraffin slice and electron microscope slice. Chlorophyll content was measured by UV spectrometry. Foliar photosynthesis (P(n)) and gas exchange were measured by using a LI-6400 photosynthesis system.

RESULTChloroplast possesses intact granal thylakoid system, lamella was strong. Vascular tissue of T. chinense was strong. Vessel aperture and its transport power were strong both in root and stem. There were many global haustoriums on lateral roots. Vascular tissues were strong inside haustorium, haustorial stylet penetrated epidermis and cortex of host root, and reached pith place, haustorial vessel was integrated with host root vessel. The maximum of P(n) of T. chinense reached 7.06 micromol x m(-2) x s(-1), its water use efficiency was lower, about 0.735 mmol x mol(-1), its transpiration varied notable in daytime and was relatively invariant at nighttime, and the value of daytime was greatly exceed that of nighttime.

CONCLUSIONT. chinense despoils water and nutrition from its host by haustorium. T. chinense can mostly be independent as for C supply by photosynthesis.

Carotenoids ; metabolism ; Cell Respiration ; Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Photosynthesis ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; anatomy & histology ; metabolism ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; metabolism ; Santalaceae ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; metabolism ; Thylakoids ; metabolism ; Water ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the biological and growth characteristics of Thesium chinense.

METHODThe wild population was observed in certain sites, pot and indoor experiments were applied for cultivated plant.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONT. chinense is an obligate root hemiparasite and perennial herb, stem and leaf were green, there were haustoriums on its root, can only achieve its whole life process when parasitized to host. T. chinense grows mostly in the humid wasteland and herbaceous community where water is generally abundant. T. chinense likes light, warm climate and acidic to neuter soil. The seeds of T. chinense have dormancy characteristics. The life history of T. chinense can divide into 5 stages: seedling, ramify, florescence, fructification and withering periods.

Flowers ; growth & development ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Santalaceae ; growth & development ; Seasons ; Seedlings ; growth & development ; Seeds ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of host species on growth and development and active component content of Thesium chinense.

METHODPlant morphology and active component content of T. chinense grown with different hosts were measured. The hosts were evaluated by using index-sum method.

RESULTHosts significantly promoted the growth of T. chinense by increasing height, per plant weight, stem diameter, leaf area, the number of seed and haustorium,and decreased RW/SW ratio compared to without host treatment. Considerable differences existed among the effect of different host species treatments. Synthetical evaluation score of Gnaphlium affine was the highest (37), followed by Imperata cylindrical and Prunella vulgaris (36). It is suggested that they were superior hosts for T. chinense. But the scores of Triticum aestivum (25) and Eremochloa ophiuroides (17) were lower, so they were unsuited hosts for T. chinense.

CONCLUSIONHosts significantly promoted the growth of T. chinense. Considerable differences existed among the growth and development of T. chinense grown with different hosts, as well as active component content. Gnaphlium affine, Imperata cylindrical and Prunella vulgaris were superior hosts for T. chinense. While Triticum aestivum and Eremochloa ophiuroides were unsuited hosts for T. chinense.

Host-Parasite Interactions ; Poaceae ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Prunella ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Santalaceae ; growth & development ; physiology ; Triticum ; growth & development ; parasitology