A new leaf spot disease was observed on leaves of Rheum palmatum (Chinese rhubarb) in Northwest China (Gansu Province) starting in 2005. A Septoria-like fungus was isolated and completion of Koch's postulates confirmed that the fungus was the casual agent of the leaf spot disease. Morphology and molecular methods were combined to identify the pathogen. The fungus produced conidiomata pycnidia and the conidia were 2~5 septate, 61.2~134.1 µm in length and 3.53~5.3 µm in width, which is much larger than the known Spetoria species that infects Polygonaceae species. Phylogenic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region confirmed that this Spetoria-like fungus is within the Spetoria genus but distinct from known Spetoria species. Together, these morphological and phylogenetic data support that the R. palmatum infecting Spetoria strain is a newly-described plant pathogenic species.
China* ; Classification ; Fungi ; Plants ; Polygonaceae ; Rheum* ; Spores, Fungal

The eco-environment in eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau is a rather complicated complex. The plants species there are quite diverse. The plant resource from Polygonaceae family used in traditional Tibetan medicine is very rich according to preliminary investigation. There were 6 genera and 15 species. The flora and the medicine value of them were analyzed. And some suggestions about traditional Tibetan medicine plant resource exploitation and utilization were presented.
China ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; methods ; Polygonaceae

OBJECTIVETo analysis the changes of two chemical constituents, namely 2, 3-dihydro-3, 5- dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (DDMP) and 5-hydryoxymethyl-furfural (5-HMF) produced in Radix Polygoni Multiflori after processing, with processing time, and to determine the contents of 5-HMF in samples of Radix Polygoni Multiflori and Radix Polygoni Multiflori preparata.

METHODAn HPLC method was applied with a Zobax SB-C18 (3.9 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) column by a elution using methanol-water (10: 90) as the mobile phase. The detection was set at UV 280 nm.

RESULTThe contents of DDMP were increasing with the processing time until 24 hour, followed by a decrease until 60 hour process. The contents of 5-HMF were increasing gradually throughout the 60 hour steaming process. The contents of 5-HMF in 11 samples of Radix Polygoni Multiflori preparata were from 0.013% to 0.101%, and only one in 4 samples of Radix Polygoni Multiflori containing trace amount of 5-HMF.

CONCLUSIONThe chemical components in Radix Polygoni Multiflori were changed during the processing procedures. Therefore, the processing of Radix Polygoni Multiflori should be controlled and standardized.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents in the herbs of Fallopia convolvulus.

METHODIts 80% ethanol extract was separated by means of silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography to give twelve compounds, whose structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic evidence.

RESULTTwelve compounds were isolated and identified as: quercetin (1), luteolin (2), chrysoeriol (3), apigenin (4), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (5), quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside (6), N-trans-coumaroyl tyramine (7), loliolide (8), ethylparaben (9), beta-sitosterol (10), daucosterol (11), n-hexadecanoic acid (12).

CONCLUSIONAll these compounds were isolated firstly from this plant, compounds 6-9 were obtained from this genus for the first time.

Chromatography ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity guided fractionation led to the isolation of five anthraquinones, two stilbenes and one naphthoquinone from the EtOAc fraction of Polygonum cuspidatum, using silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex-LH20, MPLC and recrystallization. The chemical structures were identified to be physcion (1), emodin (2), anthraglycoside B (3), trans-resveratrol (4), anthraglycoside A (5), polydatin (6), 2-methoxy-6-acetyl-7-methyljuglone (7) and citreorosein (8) by UV, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and mass spectrometry. Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity including MIC values of each compound was evaluated. All of the isolates exhibited anti-H. pylori activity of which MIC values were lower than that of a positive control, quercetin. Compounds 2 and 7 showed potent growth inhibitory activity. Especially, a naphthoquinone, compound 7 displayed most potent antibacterial activity with MIC₅₀ value of 0.30 µM and MIC₉₀ value of 0.39 µM. Although anti-H. pylori activity of this plant was previously reported, this is the first report on that of compounds isolated from this species. From these findings, P. cuspidatum roots or its isolates may be useful for H. pylori infection and further study is needed to elucidate mechanism of action.
Anthraquinones ; Chromatography ; Emodin ; Fallopia japonica* ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plants ; Polygonum* ; Quercetin ; Silica Gel ; Stilbenes

Decoction is one of the most commonly used dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicine. The stability of chemical constituents in decoction is closely related to the clinical efficacy and safety. There were few reports about the influence of metal ions in the stability of chemical constituents in traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is no evidence that metal ions in decoction water need to be controlled. In this study, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (THSG), one of the main constituents in Polygoni Multiflori Radix was studied. Ordinary tap water, deionized water, and water containing different metal ions were used to investigate and compare the influence on THSG. The results showed that after storage in a dark place at the room temperature for 10 days, the degradation of THSG was 7% in deionized water, while undetectable in tap water. The content of THSG could be decreased by different kinds of metal ions, and the effect was concentration-dependent. Moreover, Fe3+ and Fe2+ showed the greatest influence at the same concentration; and our study has shown that THSG decreased more than 98% in Fe and Fe2+ solutions at 500 ppm concentration. In the same time we found out p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (molecular weight: 122.036 7) and 2,3,5-trihydroxybenzaldehyde-2-O-glycoside (molecular weight: 316.079 4) were the main degradation products of THSG in tap water and water containing Cu2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and Al3+. The product of THSG dimer with a water molecule was found in water containing Fe3+ and Fe2+. The above results showed that the metal ions in water could significantly influence the stability of THSG in water, indicating that the clinical efficacy and safety of decoction would be affected if the metal ions in water were not under control. It's suggested that deionized water should be used in the preparation of decoction containing Polygoni Multiflori Radix in the clinic to avoid degradation of THSG. Meanwhile, decoction prepared by tap water should be taken by patients in a short time. Our investigation provides important information and reference about the influence of metal ions on the stability of decoctions in other traditional Chinese medicine that have unstable groups such as hydroxyls and unsaturated bonds, etc.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Ions ; chemistry ; Metals ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from aerial parts of Fallopia dumetosum.

METHODThe 80% ethanol extract was separated by means of silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The compounds isolated from the plant were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic evidence.

RESULTTen compounds were obtained and identified as emodin (1), physcion (2), quercetin (3), luteolin (4), 5"- methoxy-hydnocarpin (5), ethylparaben (6), protocatechuic acid (7), (2S,3S, 4R) -sphinganine-(2'R) -delta5'6' (E) -2'-hydroxyl tetracosanoylamino (8), beta-sitosterol (9), and daucosterol (10).

CONCLUSIONAnthraquinones and flavones were the major constituents of this plant. All compounds were isolated firstly from this plant, and compounds 5, 7, and 8 were isolated from the genus Fallopia for the first time.

Anthraquinones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry

Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) is a well-established method adopted by international pharmacopoeia for quantitative and purity analyses. Emodin is a type of anthraquinone, well known as the main active component of Fabaceae, Polygonaceae and Rhamnaceae. Purity analysis of emodin is usually performed by using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV method. However, it cannot detect impurities such as salts, volatile matter, and trace elements. Using the qNMR method, it is possible to determine the compound content as well as the nature of the impurities. Several experimental parameters were optimized for the quantification, such as relaxation delay, spectral width, number of scans, temperature, pulse width, and acquisition time. The method was validated, and the results of the qNMR method were compared with those obtained by the HPLC and mass balance analysis methods. The qNMR method is specific, rapid, simple, and therefore, a valuable and reliable method for the purity analysis of emodin.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Emodin ; Fabaceae ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Methods ; Polygonaceae ; Relaxation ; Rhamnaceae ; Salts ; Spectrum Analysis ; Trace Elements

Recently the safety of Heshouwu become a focus, but the reasons of its hepotoxicity are confused. On the basis of literature research, some findings on species and usage custom maybe supply some clues to explain the reasons of its hepotoxicity. Heshouwu had red Heshouwu (male) and white Heshouwu (female) in ancient literature, and traditional usage was use of the male and female together. The Latin name of red Heshouwu is Fallopia multiflora, and that of the white one is F. multiflora var. multiflora.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Germ Cells, Plant ; growth & development ; History, 15th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Polygonaceae ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Reference Books, Medical

To achieve sustainable resources use of Polygonum multiflorum, adventitious roots were efficiently induced and cultured by suspension culture. In order to obtain optimal medium for induction adventitious roots from the young stems of P. multiflorum, MS medium was optimized by supplementing with different concentrations of sucrose and plant growth substances. The optimal medium for suspension culture of adventitious roots was determined by orthogonal design. The adventitious roots with suspension culture were subcultured, and the growth curve was also determined. Furthermore, the effective compound in adventitious roots was detected. The result indicated that the optimal medium for efficient induction of adventitious roots was MS medium containing 4% w/v sucrose, supplemented with 2.0 mg x L(-1) NAA, and 0.2 mg x L(-1) 6-BA. The optimal medium for suspension culture of adventitious roots was MS medium containing 3% sucrose, supplemented with 2.0 mg x L(-1) NAA, and 0.2 mg x L(-1) ABT-7.2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxyl-diphenyl-ethylene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside was detected in adventitious roots, which was effective compound in medicinal material of P. multiflorum. In conclusion, the experiment achieved efficient induction and suspension culture of adventitious roots of P. multiflorum, and laid a foundation for the research on the sustainable use of traditional Chinese medicine resources.
Culture Media ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Plant Growth Regulators ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Polygonaceae ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Sucrose ; metabolism ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods