OBJECTIVETo investigate the appearance and moisture, ash content, extract, volatile oil of Panax ginseng and its processed products from different producing areas of northeast China, and thus provide the useful reference data for its quality standard establishment and standardized cultivation.

METHODBase on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and literatures relating to P. ginseng, the content of moisture, ash, extract, volatile oil in P. ginseng and its processed products from northeast 10 different producing areas were measured, and data analysis of these various indicators was carried out by DTOPSIS.

RESULTThe samples from Changbai, Jian Kangmei and Fusong reached the standard of Chinese pharmacopoeia and national standard, and in addition comprehensive evaluation indicators of them were higher than others samples.

CONCLUSIONThe quality of ginseng from different producing areas appears very different. Some samples failed to reach the standard of Chinese pharmacopoeia and national standard. Ginseng samples from those 3 producing areas of GAP planting bases showed good quality, which reflects the importance of GAP for ginseng cultivation.

China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; Panax ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationship between Whitmania pigra Whitman and Hirudo nipponia Whitman.

METHODBy the sequences of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) the molecular phylogenetic tree was constructed by MP method using software MEGA 4.0.

RESULTThe average length of ITS was 857.2-861.2 bp. The A, T, G and C contents in this fragment were 25.12%, 28.28%, 17.34%, 29.29%, respectively. The GC content was higher than the AT content. Little sequence variation was observed in ITS gene fragments with in species, and transition in only 45 loci was revealed in 14 populations. 14 W. pigra and H. nipponia populations were clustered into 2 groups by MP phylogenetic tree.

CONCLUSIONThe results also showed that the intraspecific variation was dominated in variation types of W. pigra and H. nipponia. The classification result of W. pigra and H. nipponia and its adulterants based on DNA sequences are not totally consistent with those based on classification. It showed that a little of mutation of base in ITS sequences had occurred in the process of evolution, such as transition cites, transvertion cites among base or base gap.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; Leeches ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVEDynamic changes of quality and growth of Whitmania pigra were investigated to provide theoretical basis for quality control and determination of optimal harvest time.

METHODThe contents of moisture, ethanol-soluble extractive, total ash, and acid-insoluble ash, as well as antithrombin activity were determined according to Chinese pharmacopoeia (2005 edition).

RESULTQualities of W. pigra collected from different growth stages met the standards of Chinese pharmacopoeia (2005 edition). The highest amount of ethanol-soluble extract was found in 9-month-old, W. pigra, followed by 6-month-aged ones. And there was significant difference between 9-month-old and 4-month-old, 7 month-old and 11 month-old (P < 0.05). The highest antithrombin activity was detected in 6 month-old W. pigra, followed by 10 month-old. Significant differences of antithrombin activity were found between 6-month-old and 4 month-old ones, and 5 month-old (P < 0.05), however, there were no significant difference between 6 month-old ones with other samples. Eleven-month-old W. pigra got the most dry weight, and there were significant difference between 11 month-old ones with other samples (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNovember, namely for 6 month old artificial cultivated W. pigra was the best harvest time in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Animals ; Antithrombin III ; Antithrombins ; analysis ; China ; Leeches ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Peptide Fragments

OBJECTIVETo examine the quality of Whitmania pigra from the different populations to provide the basis for new species selection.

METHODThe contents of the moisture, alcohol extractive, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, and the activity of antiplatelet aggregation enzyme of wild and the breeding W. pigra were determined by the methods were determined in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2005 edition). The contents xanthine and hypoxanthine by HPLC.

RESULTIt showed that the contents of the alcohol extractive, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, antiplatelet aggregation enzyme, and xanthine and hypoxanthine content of the breeding population in Nanjing are lations. Many quality indexes of the breeding in Zhejiang Tongxiang base were beffer than the wild.

CONCLUSIONThe breeding W. pigra are good in quality, It suggested large-scale promotion of aquaculture.

Animals ; Breeding ; Female ; Hypoxanthine ; analysis ; Leeches ; chemistry ; physiology ; Male ; Xanthine ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo optimize the testing methods for seed quality, and provide basis for establishing seed testing rules and seed quality standard of Oldenlandia diffusa.

METHODAccording to the related seed testing regulations, the seed quality of O. diffusa from different producing areas was measured.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe testing methods for seed of O. diffusa was established, including sampling, purity analysis, weight per 1 000 seeds, seed moisture content, seed viability and percentage germination.

Germination ; Oldenlandia ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the compositions of Th1/Th2/Th3 cells in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals by determining the expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), inetrferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and transform growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in single CD4(+) T cells isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the role of polarized Th cell populations in chronic HBV-infection was discussed.

METHODSPBMCs from chronically infected HBV individuals were isolated, stimulated by PMA/Ionomycin/Monensin, and IL-4, IFN-gamma and TGF-beta production by CD4(+) T cells was determined by using fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis.

RESULTSThe percentage of IFN-gamma-producing T cells, IL-4-producing T cells and TGF-beta-producing T cells ranged from 2.3% - 18.6%, 1.1% - 8.7% and 0.7% - 7.1% respectively in CD4(+) T cells from non-infected individuals. Most of CD4(+) T cells from PBMCs in chronically infected HBV individuals were Th0 cells. The proportion of Th1 cells increased significantly with hepatic inflammatory activity, and in the active period of chronic hepatitis B infection were higher than those in the non-active period (P < 0.05). Th2 cell percentage in CD4(+) T cells from HBV-infected individuals did not differ significantly (P > 0.05), but were higher than that from controls (P < 0.05). Th3 cell percentage in CD4(+) T cells from asymptomatic carrier (AsC) group was higher than that in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and control groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTh1 phenotype cytokines were positively correlated with hepatic inflammatory activity in chronic hepatitis B and Th2 cells may be associated with the persistence of HBV infection. Th3 cells cooperating with Th2 cells can negatively regulate immune responses and may be associated with the immune tolerant state of chronic HBV infection.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-4 ; biosynthesis ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; immunology ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo establish the quality classification criteria of Oldenlandia diffusa seeds.

METHODThirty batches of O. diffusa seeds from different provenances with different collecting time were selected. And the seed germination percentage, seed purity, weight per 1 000 grains, moisture content and seed viability were determined and analyzed through SPSS 11.0 software.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONSeed germination percentage was selected as the main index for classification, while seed purity, weight per 1 000 grains and moisture content could be used as references. The quality classification criteria of O. diffusa seeds have been initially established.

Germination ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Oldenlandia ; growth & development ; physiology ; Organ Size ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; growth & development ; physiology