Bioactive constituent is the substantial basis of treatment for various diseases by Chinese materia medica (CMM) and also one of the most important substances for the modernization of CMM. Biosynthesis and biotransformation are considered to be one of the mild systems in bio-catalysis with optimal efficiency and selectivity, which play more potential role in the field, such as traditional Chinese medicine. To review and discuss some applications of biosynthesis and biotransformation in the research of CMM and natural medicines and their relationship of modernization of CMM as well. Moreover, a prospect is given exploringly.

Objective To investigate the polysaccharides constituents from the transgenic crown gall cultures of Panax quinquefolium. Methods The crude polysaccharides PPQ50 and PPQ70 were extracted by water-ethanol method from the crown gall of P. quinquefolium. Four polysaccharides, named PPQ50-1, PPQ50-2, PPQ70-1, and PQ70-2, were isolated and purified by DEAE Sepharose and Sephacry S-100 column chromatography. Results The homogeneity of four polysaccharides was examined by gel chromatography and polarimetry. Their molecular weights were determined by gel filtration chromatography. They were 4.7?104, 2.9?105, 7.5?104, and 1.3?105, respectively. The sugar composition was analyzed by HPLC. The polysaccharides are mainly composed of neutral sugar particularly of D-glucose. The structure elucidation of PPQ50-2 was also supported by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Conclusion All of the four polysaccharides are first isolated and purified from the transgenic crown gall cultures of P. quinquefolium.The result shows the PPQ50-2 and PPQ70-2 are both glucans.

Object To develop new resources of medicinal plan t of Aconitum coreanum (L?vl.) Rapaics by the method of plant cel l biotechnology. Methods The segments of stems, leaves, embr yonal axises, radicles, and cotyledon of A. coreanum were used a s the explants. The MS medium supplied with different auxin and cytokinin was e xamined. Results The calli were induced from explants on the MS medium supplied with 2, 4-D 1 mg/L and 6-BA 0.5 mg/L in the period of 30 d. And the calli were differentiated into green conus or globe embryo after se veral subcultures period on medium MS supplied with 2, 4-D 0.2 mg/L and 6-BA 0.5 mg/L. The adventitious buds differentiated could be developed from the so matic embryo callus into roots on medium MS supplied with IBA 0.5 mg/L, and the n the intact plantlets were obtained. Conclusion The plantle ts of A. coreanum can be obtained by the techniques of somatic embryogenesis and it is indicated that this may be a new way in developing new r esource and protecting of A. coreanum.

Objective To investigate the biotransformation of dihydroartemisinc acid(Ⅰ) by cultured cells of Artemisia annua.Methods Dihydroartemisinic acid was added to the suspension cells of A.annua which had been pre-cultured for 14 d and co-cultured for another 2 d.The biotransfromed products were detected with TLC and HPLC,and isolated by various chromatographic methods.Results The chemical structures of biotransformed products were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.3-?-Hydroxy-dihydroartemisinic acid(Ⅱa) and 3-?-hydroxy-dihydroartemisinic acid(Ⅱb) were obtained after 2 d administration of dihydroartemisinic acid to the suspension cells of A.annua.Ⅱa and Ⅱb yields could reach a maxium mole ratio of 2.6% and 15.7% after 1 d incubation,respectivly.Conclusion It is the first time for the biotransformation of dihydroartemisinic acid to epimeric 3-hydroxyartemisinic acid by using suspension culture cell of A.annua.The results indicate that cells of A.annua have the ability to hydroxylate dihydroartemisinic acid region selectively.

Objective To establish the HPLC fingerprint of cultured Cordyceps militaris. MethodsHPLC Method was used for the determination of C. militaris on Agilent ZOBAX SB-Aq C18 column (250 mm?4.0 mm, 5 ?m), and measuring with methanol 5%—60% in 30 min as elution detective wavelength at 260 nm, injection sample of 1.0 ?L and flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The systematic optimized design of the chromatographic conditions, such as supersonic extraction, mobile phase, and detective wavelength as well was carried out. Results Fingerprint consisted of 11 common peaks and the result of methodology determination fitted to the related standards. The evaluation of cultured C. militaris by systematically comparing chromatograms with a professional analytical software recommended by National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products has been established. Conclusion The method is accurate, simple, and useful for the quality control of cultured C. militaris.

Objective To investigate the biosynthesis of arbutin by suspension culture of crown gall of transgenic Panax quinquefolium. Methods Hydroquinone in methanol(60 mg/mL) was added to the medium of the crown gall of P.quinquefolium after precultured for 20 d,then they were co-cultured for another 60 h.The product was isolated and purified by column chromatography and its structure was identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data.The dynamic curve of biotransformation was investigated by quantative analysis of arbutin with HPLC.Results The product could be obtained from both of the culture and medium,which was isolated and elucidated as 4-hydroxyphenyl-?-D-glucopyranoside(arbutin).After co-cultured for 60 h,the mole conversion ratio of hydroquinone is 88.4%,the product contents in culture and medium are 63.69 mg/flask and 1.86 mg/flask,respectively,and the excretion ratio of arbutin reaches the highest(2.92%).Conclusion It's the first time around the world that the crown gall of transgenic P.quinquefolium is used as a biotransformation system and arbutin which shows varied pharmacological activites have been got successfully.

Objective To investigate the biotransformation of furannoligularenone by cell suspension cultures of Nicotiana tabacum. Methods Furannoligularenone was added to the medium of the suspension cells of N. tabacum after precultured for 10 d, then they were co-cultured for another 4 d. The biotransformed products were detected with HPLC and isolated by various chromatographic methods. The chemical structures of biotransformed products were elucidated on the basis of their physicochemical pro-perties and spectroscopic data. Otherwise, the influence of co-cultured time on conversion ratio was investigated either. Results The substrate, furannoligularenone (Ⅰ), was successfully biotransformed by N. tabacum cultured cells. Two products, 3-oxo-eremophila-1, 7(11)-dien-12, 8-olide (Ⅱ) and 3-oxo-8-hydroxyeremophila-1, 7(11)-dien-12, 8-olide (Ⅲ) were obtained. After co-cultured for 5 d, the mole conversion ratio of the substrate reached the highest (53.1%). Conclusion It's the first report on biotransformation of furannoligularenone by N. tabacum cultured cells.

Object To investigate the application of cell immobilization culture to producing ginkgolides in Ginkgo biloba L. Methods To immobilize the cells by polyaminoresin foam as support materials, and determine the effects of different factors. Results The results showed that 71% of immobilization ratio and 22 mg/cm 3 of cell density were obtained using P29 of high density, small bore diameter with pieces of 0.5 cm ? 0.5 cm ? 0.5 cm, 0.72 g of support matrices per bottle in 65 mL of MS medium solution supplemented with 2,4-D 8.0 mg/L+KT 0.04 mg/L+NAA 0.4 mg/L and the incoulum quantity was 200 g/L. Conclusion It shows that present method has some advantages, such as simpleness, low cost, high immobilization ratio.

The antitumor activities of artemisinin and its derivatives has become a hot topic in recent years.Artemisinin and its derivatives have been reported to exert antitumor effects mainly by blocking the cell cycle, promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis and so on.Also, their influence on signaling pathways has attracted considerable interest of many scholars.Currently, in order to discover some compounds with better therapeutic potentials, many studies dedicated to the synthesis and development of new artemisinin derivatives.In addition, the effects of artemisinin and its derivatives on multi-drug resistantace in tumor cells also become a trend of the future research.In this paper, we review the research advances in the antitumor activities of artemisinin and its derivatives during the past five years to provide a reference for future study .