As a famous-region Dao-di Herbs, Ligusticum chuanxiong which mainly grows in the west of the upper reaches of Jinma River in Dujiangyan for a long time. In recent years, the history, species and origin of L. chuanxiong were researched by many scholars. However, the forming pattern of Dao-di herbs of L. chuanxiong has not been reported systematically. Basing on the general principles of the formation of Dao-di herbs, it can be concluded that the forming pattern of L. chuanxiong is the type of two determinants, which are combined both unique ecological environment of genuine regions and advanced cultivation techniques.
China ; Ecology ; Ligusticum ; growth & development

Chuanxiong Rhizoma is a traditional Chinese medicinal material mainly produced in Sichuan and Chongqing of China. In recent years, the cadmium content in Chuanxiong Rhizoma produced in most of the genuine producing areas has exceeded the standard, which makes Chuanxiong Rhizoma difficult to be exported. To solve the problem of excessive cadmium content in soil, this study employed the MaxEnt model to simulate the potential geographic distribution of Ligusticum chuanxiong and evaluate important environmental factors, and re-plan its ecologically suitable areas based on the mineral distribution characteristics and soil cadmium pollution status. The results showed that the places suitable for L. chuanxiong growing covered an area of 335 523.69 km~2, mainly in central and eastern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi and most parts of Chongqing. Among them, the highly suitable areas of L. chuanxiong were mainly concentrated in Chengdu, Ya'an, Deyang, and Mianyang. Solar radiation, annual precipitation, and annual range of temperature were evaluated as important variables affecting the distribution of L. chuanxiong, with the contribution rates of 62.3%, 13.3%, and 6.8%, respectively. In addition, Qionglai county, Chongqing county, Mianyang city(Youxian district and Fucheng district), Qingchuan county, and Xinjin county were classified into the first-class ecologically suitable zone, covering a total area of 2 768.87 km~2. The se-cond-class ecologically suitable zone was even wider, involving such counties as Tongjiang county, Renshou county, Jianyang county, and Nanjiang county, and the total area reached 43 616.92 km~2. The re-planning of the ecologically suitable areas for L. chuanxiong has provided strong data support for the cultivation and resource development of L. chuanxiong and also new ideas for solving the problem of excessive cadmium content in L. chuanxiong.
Cadmium/toxicity* ; Environmental Pollution ; Ligusticum ; Rhizome ; Soil

OBJECTIVETo prepare sustained-release pellets of active components from Ligusticun chuanxiong by coating in the fluid-bed.

METHODThe fast-release pellets were prepared by the extrusion-spheronization process. The coating formulation was optimized with the release of ferulic acid as criteria. The micromeritic properties and drug dissolution behaviors of the prepared pellets were evaluated.

RESULTThe pellets presented perfect sphericity. The obviously sustained-release effects were shown in 12 h. The coating weight gain was the major factor impacting drug release.

CONCLUSIONThe coating pellets show the obviously sustained-release effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between entophytic fungal community, habitations and varieties of Ligusticum.

METHODThe solidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) of plates was applied for the isolation of the endophytic fungi, and the identification was completed by spot-planting method.

RESULTFifty strains of the entophytic fungi were isolated from the rhizome of L. chuanxiong collected from 6 habitations. They were morphologically identified as belonging to 13 genera, 4 families, 3 orders and 1 class.

CONCLUSIONThere were some differences at quantity, species and distributing of the entophytic fungi in different habitats and varieties of Ligusticum, which was suggested that entophytic fungal community is related with specific habitat.

Preparative HPLC was used to prepare ferulic acid, senkyunolide I and senkyunolide H from Ligusticum chuanxiong. The separation was conducted on a Shim-Pack Prep-ODS (20.0 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column with the mobile phase of methanol-0.2% glacial acetic acid (50:50)at the flow rate of 5 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 278 nm, and the purity of each compound was detected by HPLC analysis. Spectral data analyses including UV, ESI-MS and NMR were used to identify their structures. This method is simple, fast, which is suitable for preparation of standard reference of ferulic acid, senkyunolide I and senkyunolide H from L. chuanxiong and can meet the requirement of new drug research and development.
Benzofurans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ligusticum ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo research the diversity of endophytic fungal communities among Ligusticum chuanxiong growing at 5 areas in Sichuan province, and illuminate the developing mechanism of geoherbs from the microecological perspective.

METHODThe PCR-DGGE and DNA sequencing techniques were used to analyze the endophytic fungi community of L. chuanxiong.

RESULTThe community of endophytic fungi present difference among different growing areas. Though minor difference were found among individuals at the same area, similarity among individuals from the same growing areas were higher significantly than those from different growing areas. Compared with the other 4 growing areas, L. chuanxiong from Shiyang town, Dujiangyan city had more abundant endophytic fungi and low similarity to others, and which probably had special types of fungi.

CONCLUSIONThe abundant and stable endophytic fungal community is an important factor for the development of geoherb L. chuanxiong at Shiyang town, Dujiangyan city.

The study was using the orthogonal test and making the extraction rates of icariin, ferulic acid, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, baohuoside I and ligustilide determinated by HPLC multiwavelength switch, gradient elution and multi-index comprehensive weighted scoring method (weight coefficient was 0.47: 0.16: 0.07: 0.07: 0.08: 0.06: 0.09) as evaluation index, combine with SPSS 16.0 software to optimizing the best extraction. It was Yinpian soak 1 h, 12 times more than the volumn of 50% ethanol solution, by heating reflux extraction for 60 min. The compliance test indicates that the optimized compatibility extraction technology is stable and practical, and it has provided an experimental basis for compound preparation technology research of Epimedium brevicornu and Ligusticum chuanxiong.
Chemical Fractionation ; methods ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Ligusticum ; chemistry

A field trial was carried out to study the influence of different kinds of spring topdressing on growth, yield and quality of Ligusticum chuanxiong. The results showed that the spring topdressing had effects of improving root length, tiller numbers and plant height to some extent. At the same time the chlorophyll content and dry weight accumulation especially the dry weight of root increased significantly. It also showed that the yield increased and quality was improved significantly. The effect of different treatment with urea58.7 kg x hm(-2)(N 27 kg x hm(-2)) was the best and the treatment with N,P,K the second.
Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Coumaric Acids ; metabolism ; Fertilizers ; Ligusticum ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Seasons

Ferulic acid (FA) is one of the main bioactive compounds in Chuanxiong (CX), the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong, but its amount in this herb is difficult to determine accurately. An accurate quantificational method was developed to investigate on the available amount of FA (free FA and total FA). Herbal samples were extracted in methanol-formic acid (95:5) and methanol-0.24 mol x L(-1) sodium hydrogen carbonate in water (95:5), respectively and then quantitatively analyzed by HPLC method. Thirty three CX samples were quantified on free and total FA. Total FA was found more abundant than free FA with an average ratio of 2.38 (n = 32) in the range of 1.03- 4.98 in 32 CX herbs, and a highest ratio of 19.6 was estimated in a rhizome seedling. Results showed that total FA content would be a better marker for the quality assessment of CX herbs. Fifteen CX typical samples were collected from the trueborn cultivating areas in Sichuan province of China. The amount of total FA in these herbs was estimated to be 1.42 mg x g(-1) (n = 15). The proposed limit of total FA in CX samples should not less than 1.25 mg x g(-1) calculated on the dried basis. It was also found that the level of total FA was related to the quality, processing method and store duration of CX samples.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Coumaric Acids ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo clarify the origin and development of Xiongqiong with medicinal literatures.

METHODMedical literatures of past dynasties were analysed combined with the modern material.

RESULTThere were two main origins of Xiongqiong in ancient times: eastern origin and western origin. It evolved into Chuanxiong and Xixiong because of cultivating in the western origin after Tang dynasty. The earliest original plant of Xiongqiong was Ligusticum sinense. Actually, Xixiong was the cultivation product of L. sinense. And L. chuanxiong was likely to be a gardening breed due to long-term cultivation of L. sinense.

CONCLUSIONXixiong is used as Xiongqiong in ancient times, but now it is used as Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix. Therefore, we need to find out the relationship between L. chuanxiong and L. sinense through modern research, and determine which Chinese herb is L. sinense classifies.