Study on 80 plant samples and medicinal plants stored at Specimen Department of National Institute of Medicinal Materials from 1990 until now. Results showed that: 5 species of Panax L. were recognized in Vietnam, among them 3 species grew wildly and 2 species were imported. Besides China, Vietnam, India and Nepal are three countries have 3 ginseng species which grew wildly. Among three wildly ginseng species, Panax stipulenatus is considered as new species, adding to Vietnam plant system and is endemic of Southern of China - Northern Vietnam. Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv is narrow endemic of the Middle area of Vietnam. The three species are especially valuable and need to be protected from extinction in Vietnam. Some samples of P.pseudoginseng Wall in Vietnam collected before 1970s were identified as Panax pseudoginseng Wall. To avoid confusion, it should be called as "pseudoginseng" or "sâm tam thất". Medicinal plant named "Tam thất" in Vietnam market at the moment, which imported from China, is P. notoginseng (Burk.) Chen. The successful P.ginseng import and grow is shedding the light on widening a new valuable medicinal plant in our country
Plants, medicinal ; Medicine, Traditional

Studies on botanical characteristics and determination of Nomenclature of Aconitum in Sa Pa (Lao Cai province). 40 specimens of flowers and fruit stored in Specimen Museum, Institute of Medicinal Materials and Department of Botanical Medicine, Hanoi College of Pharmacy were collected from September to October 2003. This is a herbaceous perennial plant that has main root, simple leaf, and alternate sprout in the body, screw shape. The flowers grow in raceme, small peduncle, 2 small leaves, hermaphrodite and symmetrical flowers. Calyx has petal shape, blue purple color: 2 inferior calyx leaves, narrow tapering shape; 2 side calyx leaves, nearly round; superior calyx leaf has curved shape. It has many stamens; anther is round to elliptic shape; carpel 5; short stamen sprout, durable. Aconitum specimen collected in Sa Pa belonged to Aconitum L. genus, and the Aconitum trees which were planted in Sa Pa has nomenclature is Aconitum carmichaelii Debx, or Aconitum carmichaelli Debx. var. carmichaelli, Ranunculaceae. In addition, results also confirm that the Aconitum specimen which was formerly collected in Sa Pa province, stored in Institute of Medicinal Materials also belonged to above species, it was not A.fortunei Hemsi species
Terminology ; Aconitum

Studying on Clausena lansium (Lour.) samples collected from Pu Mat, Nghe An province in March 2004 to isolate and determine structure of some sterol compounds. Bough samples were dried and pounded leached with methanol in 20 days. Methanol extract was collected via distilling process to get solvents. Extracting with ethyl acetate, n-butanol and then distilling to get solvent we collected corresponding sediments. The corresponding solid extracts were collected by extract method with ethyl acetate, n-butanol solvents and then segment distill. A1, A2 solids were isolated by chromatographic method and segment crystallization. Using EI - MS, 1H - NMR, 13C - NMR spectroscopic methods to determine structure, A1 were identified as beta - sitosterol and A2 as stigmasterol. This is the first time these compounds isolated from Clausena lansium (Lour.) in Vietnam
Clausena ; Plants, medicinal

Study on chemical components of Fissistigma capitatum Merr. ex Li (scientific name was defined by Bachelor Ngo Van Trại, National Institute of Medicinal Materials) collected at Sa Pa in June 2003. 600g of dried and grinded leaves and branches were leached with methanol:water (95:5) at room temperature. Methanol solvent was distilled at decreased pressure. The remained fluid was extracted many times with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol. N-hexane was vacuum-evaporated, which collected 11.2g sediment. N-hexane sediment fluid was refined by silica gel chromatographic, which collected compounds 1 and 2. The structure of compound 1 was taraxerol, compound 2 was 16-hentriacontanone with white crystal form when comparing with document data. This compound named palmitone and previous isolated from the leaf of Annona diversifolia
Annonaceae ; Chemistry

Study on hepatoprotective effects of lingzhi extract on CCl4-induced hepatic lesion, lingzhi formulation produced by OPC Company which reached standards at basic level. Lingzhi dry powder was prepared with distilled water to make liquid extract with concentrations of 15% (15g dry extract/100ml water), 30% and 75%. These liquid extracts were used to test hepatoprotective effects. With low dose CCl4 (0,25%) induced hepatic toxication, 15%, 30% and 75% lingzhi extracts showed hepatoprotective effect. However, with high dose CCl4 (1%), only 30% lingzhi extract showed clear and stable hepatoprotective effects. Experimental trials on hepatic diseases as well as on hepatoprotective medications should provide necessary information on physiopathological characteristics and medicinal therapies
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Liver

The experimental trial was conducted on bull white mice, ddY strain, weight of 18-20g, were randomly assigned to different lots, with 8-15 mice in each lot. Experimental product was total dry lingzhi extract produced by OPC Company which reached standards at basic level. Lingzhi dry powder was prepared with distilled water to make liquid extract with concentration of 15% (15g dry extract/100ml water), 30% and 75%. These liquid extracts were used to test hepatoprotective effect effect of Lingzhi extract on chronic hepatic toxication by DEN and CCl4. The results showed that lingzhi extract did not show microprotective effects. However, lingzhi extract can inhibit hyperplastic nodule formation. On the other hand, lingzhi extract also reduced abnormal cells formation
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Liver ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Carbon Tetrachloride

The experimental trials was conducted on Swiss white mice of 7 weeks of age, both sexes, and weight of 20-22g. Results: SOD activity in mice with ischemia/reperfusion was significantly statistical lower than those in the control group, p<0.05. In the group treated by “activating the blood and clearing the obstruction” formula with dose of 200 mg/kg, SOD activity was lower than those in the research group (89.5%) and was 73.7% compared to control group. In the group treated by this formula with dose of 300 mg/kg, SOD content was still lower than those in the research group (96%) and was 79.5% compared to control group. In the group treated by the dose of 500 mg/kg, SOD activity was higher significantly than those in the research group (113.6%) and was 96% compared to control group. The result showed that with appropriate dose, this medicinal formula has antioxidant effects
Brain Injuries ; Mice ; Ischemia ; Reperfusion

Study on preserved propagation of Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms – Araliaceae by direct regeneration from 3-years-old shoot tips. Shoot tips of 1.0 to 1.5cm long taken from field growing Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms were sterilized and cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0mg/l BAP and 0.5mg/l IBA. After 8 weeks, these shoots began to regenerate directly from axil but quantity was not numerous and gave 2-3 new shoots after 4 more weeks. The results of rapid propagation of Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms’s shoots after 1, 3 and 4 months culture in MS + 2.0mg/l BAP + 0.5mg/l IBA environment showed that it was the best combination for shoot proliferation. The single shoots gained 2-3cm long were separated from shoot bushes and cultured in MS + 1.0mg/l IBA + 0.5mg/l BAP environment to make root the best. In this environment, shoots began to rooting after 11 days, gained 100% of rooting after 20 days. The plantlets were successfully transferred to PE bags. After 2 weeks, plantlets grew new roots with the rate of live 80-95%
Araliaceae ; Regeneration

Study on chemical compositions of essential oil of Cyperus rotundus L. extracted from the stem and root of plant Cyperus rotundus L. from Nghe An in October 2003. Results: 49 components were detected by combination of GC and GC/MS, in which 18 had been identified. Monoterpens accounted for high level in essential oil. The main components were -cyperon (14.5%), cyperen (7.8%), caryophylen oxid (6.5%), -selinen (6.3%). Essential oil level was 0.2% for fresh samples. Essential oil had soil-yellow color and specific slight perfume
Oils, Volatile ; Chemistry ; Cyperus

Study on the pharmacological effects of Silymarin extracted from introduced milk thistle fruits (Silybum marianum (L.)) collected at Sa Pa and Ha Noi in June 2002. Results: the silymarin product had chronic anti-inflammatory effects in experimental tumor model, inhibited formation of granuloma with the rate of 28.69% compared with control rats; had hepatic protection effect, decreased GPT enzyme activity and serum bilirubine of rats with 36.19% and 38.18%, respectively, in CCl4 poisoned model compared with control rats; increased bile flow up 32.25% compared with this before receiving silymarin and 49.88% compared with rats without drug, but didn’t change the bile quality
Silymarin ; Fruit ; Pharmacology