Five compounds were separated from Sambucus chinensis and identified as maslinic acid(1), 12alpha, 13-dihydroxyolean-3-oxo-28-oic acid(2), 13-hydroxyolean-3-oxo-28-oic acid (3), 3-oxo oleanolic acid (4), corosolic acid (5). Of them,compound 3 was a new compound, and compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 were seperated from this plant for the first time.
Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Sambucus ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from roots of Boehmeria nivea.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by repeated column chromatography and preparative liquid chromatography; and their structures were elucidated by chemical properties and spectroscopic analyses.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as tormentic acid (1), hederagenin (2), maslinic acid (3), 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (4), trans-p-hydroxycinamic acid (5), 2,4,4'-trihydroxychalcone (6), rutin (7).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-6 were obtained from this genus for the first time.

Boehmeria ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo breed new varieties with better uniformity and commercial quality as well as higher saikosaponin contents.

METHODThe excellent germplasm resources were selected from "zhongchai no. 1" population. Single plant method was applied to get better varieties. All the breeding material was investigated according to morphological characters, agronomic characters and the contents of saikosaponin a and saikosaponin d. The experiments of comparative test and varieties regional test were carried out.

RESULTThe bred new varieties of "zhongchai No. 2" and "zhongchai No. 3" had better uniformity. The dark brown roots ratios of the two varieties were 83.2%, 89.9%, respectively. The contents of saikosaponins (a + d) of the two varieties reached 1.31%, 1.02%, respectively.

CONCLUSION"zhongchai No. 2" and " zhongchai No. 3" both had the advantages of better uniformity, darker brown roots and higher saikosaponin contents.

Breeding ; Bupleurum ; chemistry ; genetics ; growth & development ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Saponins ; analysis

OBJECTIVEIn order to provide a theoretical foundation for the medically effective ingredient-based selection of elite cultivars in Comnus officinalis, a study has been conducted on the variation in medicinal effective ingredients of the fruit from the genuine producing areas, the correlation among effective medicinal ingredients and the correlation between effective ingredients and fruit shape as well as nutritional indexes.

METHODThe completely mature fruit was collected from the genuine producing areas Chunan county and Lin'an city of Zhejiang province. The contents of colchicine, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid were determined by HPLC, and vertical diameter/transversal diameter of the fruits, soluble solid matter and percentage of fresh flesh to the fruit were also measured.

RESULT(1) Ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and colchicine in fruits ranged from 0.1010% to 0.4786%, 0.0149% to 0.1274% and 0.59% to 2.30%, respectively, and their RSD were 34.33%, 40.48% and 28.50%, respectively. (2) The correlation between effective ingredients and that between effective ingredients and fruit shape as well as nutritional indexes were as follows: the content of ursolic acid was significantly correlated with that of oleanolic acid with a correlation coefficient of 0.9796; both ursolic acid and oleanolic acid were in significantly negative correlation with soluble solid matter with a correlation coefficient of -0.5544 and -0.5118, respectively; colchicine was significantly associated with soluble solid matter with a correlation coefficient of 0.2412; colchicine, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid were in significantly negative correlation with the percentage of fresh flesh with a correlation coefficient of -0.2507, -0.2443 and -0.2406, respectively; three effective ingredients showed no correlation with the ratio of vertical diameter to transversal diameter of the fruit.

CONCLUSIONThere is a significant difference in effective ingredients among individual trees, which means that there is a big potential for selection of cultivars. Individual tree-based selection should be mainly adopted when effective ingredients are used as a main index in selection on the basis of the correlation among effective ingredients and that between effective ingredients and fruit shape as well as nutritional indexes, while ursolic acid could be combined with oleanolic acid to be used as an index and a preliminary screen could be conducted using soluble solid matter.

China ; Colchicine ; analysis ; Cornus ; chemistry ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVEThrough determination of the dynamic change of the active component in different parts of Prunella vulgaris at different growth stages, to find the optimal harvest time.

METHODTotal flavonoids content was determined by using the spectrophotometric method, and the content of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid was determined by HPLC. The contents of ash and extract were determined according to the methods in Chinese Pharmacopeia (2005 edition).

RESULTThere existed the active components in all parts of P. vulgaris, but the active component contents in different parts of P. vulgaris of at different growth stages, changed very obviously.

CONCLUSIONIn Yangtze-Huaihai region, the optimal harvest time of Prunella spike best harvest is at the end of June, and Prunellastem at the end of May. All parts of P. vulgaris have medicinal value.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Prunella ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis

It is generally believed that high-quality Bupleurum scorzonerifolium roots possess specific morphological characteristics, being red, robust, and long with strong odor. However, the scientific connotation of these characteristics has not been elucidated. According to the theory of "quality evaluation through morphological identification", we studied the correlations between appearance traits(the RGB value of root surface, root length, root diameter, dry weight, and ratio of phloem to xylem) and content of main chemical components(volatile oils, total saponins, total flavonoids, total polysaccharides, and seven saikosaponins) of B. scorzonerifolium roots. Epson Scanner and ImageJ were used to scan the root samples and measure the appearance traits. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry and HPLC were employed to determine the content of chemical components. The correlation, regression, and cluster analyses were performed to study the correlations between the appearance traits and the content of chemical components. The results showed that the content of volatile oils and saikosaponins were significantly correlated with RGB value, root length, and root diameter, indicating that within a certain range, the roots being redder, longer, and thicker had higher content of volatile oils and saikosaponins. According to the appearance traits and chemical component content, the 14 samples from different producing areas were classified into four grades, and the differences in morphological traits and chemical component content were consistent among different grades. The findings in this study demonstrate that appearance traits(RGB value, root length, and root diameter) can be used to evaluate the quality of B. scorzonerifolium roots. Meanwhile, this study lays a foundation for establishing an objective quality evaluation method for B. scorzonerifolium roots.
Bupleurum/chemistry* ; Saponins/analysis* ; Oleanolic Acid/analysis* ; Oils, Volatile/analysis* ; Plant Roots/chemistry*

This study is to establish the methods for determination of iridoid glycosides and triterpenic acids in Corni Fructus and provide technical support for the quality control of Corni Fructus. Morroniside, loganin and sweroside were determined by HPLC-UV method with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase, and the detective wavelength was set at 240 nm. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were determined by HPLC-ELSD method with methanol-0.5% ammonium acetate (87:13) as the mobile phase. The results showed that the linear ranges of morroniside, loganin and sweroside were 5.335-213.4 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9999), 5.515-220.6 mg · L(-1) (r = 1.0000), 1.992-79.68 mg · L(-1) (r = 1.0000), respectively. The average recoveries of the above three iridoid glycosides were 98.49%-99.28% with RSDs of recoveries being less than 2%. The linear ranges of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were 7.74-154.8 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9964), 10.82-216.4 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9996), respectively. The average recoveries of the above two triterpenic acids were 98.11%-99.27% with RSDs of recoveries being less than 3%. The method established in this research is simple, rapid and reliable, and can be used for quality control of Corni Fructus. Furthermore, the research provided experimental data for the improvement of present quality standard of Corni Fructus, which has important significance to guarantee its quality and clinical curative effect.
Cornus ; chemistry ; Drug Stability ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVEPrunalla vulgaris was used as the experimental material to study the effects of water stress on the related quality charaters of spadix in P. vulgaris.

METHODBy weighting method to experiment the relative characteristics in vegetative period and reproductive period respectively were studied under timing and quantitative water stress conditions everyday with the method of statistics to compared, including biological characteristics and content of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONIt is true that the better water range of growth in vegetative period of P. vulgaris is 80% -85%; The 65%-70% field leakage coefficient maximum was the best and the proper water range which would promote the growth, but the best range of active component is 80% -85%.

Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Prunella ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; Water ; metabolism

(1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR assignments of 12-oleanene-3,11-dione (compound 1) were completely described for the first time through conventional 1D NMR and 2D shift-correlated NMR experiments using (1)H-(1)HCOSY, HMQC, HMBC techniques. Based on its NMR data, the assignments of 28-hydroxyolean-12-ene-3,11-dione (compound 2) were partially revised.
Euonymus ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Conformation ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo develop a HPLC method for simultaneous determination of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in Spica Prunellae.

METHODAfter ultrasonic extraction with 75% ethanol solution containing 1% formic acid, the ethanol-extract of Spica Prunellae was analyzed on an Elite SinoChrom ODS-AP column using gradient elution of 0.01% phosphoric acid (A) and acetonitrile (B) at a flow rate of 0.9-1.0 mL x min(-1). A wavelength switch program was used for detection at 330 nm (0-33 min) and 203 nm (33-40 min). The column temperature was set at 20 degrees C and injection volume was 50 microL.

RESULTThe calibration curves of all analytes were linear. The average recoveries were 93.7%-105.2% with RSDs not more than 4.5%. The contents of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid in Spica Prunellae were 0.0401-0.0968, 0.99-2.57, 0.243-0.556, 4.06-8.13 mg x g(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe described method is sensitive, convenient and accurate, and is suitable for the simultaneous determination of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in Spica Prunellae.

Caffeic Acids ; analysis ; Calibration ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cinnamates ; analysis ; Depsides ; analysis ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Prunella ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis