Based on the results of the morphologic studies on genus Dioscorea, the paper summarized the entire chemical constituent that isolated from this genus and analyzed it with the methods of chemotaxonomy. The rules of the chemical constituent and pharmacodynamic effects were analyzed. Seventeen species which belong to Sect. Stenophora Uline of Dioscorea contain steroidal sapogenin. Other species with different main components such as polysaccharide and tannin have have different effects. This chemotaxonomic view point will conduce to establish a phylogeny of the genus Dioscorea.
Animals ; China ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; growth & development ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology

The paper reviewed compositions and pharmacological effects of eight antidiabetic herbal drugs that have been approved by health regulatory agency for commercial use in China. Investigators attributed the hypoglycemic effect of these products to their ability to restore the functions of pancreatic tissues and cause an increase in insulin output, to inhibit the intestinal absorption of glucose, or to the facilitation of metabolites in insulin-dependent processes. Treatment with herbal drugs has an effect on protecting beta cells and smoothing out fluctuations in glucose levels. The use of these naturally derived agents in conjunction with conventional drug treatments such as an chemical agent or insulin permits the use of lower doses of the drug and/or decreased frequency of administration which decreases the side effects most commonly observed.
Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Insulin Resistance ; Panax ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rehmannia ; chemistry

In this review, we described the taxonomic study of the Fritillaria medicinal plant in the recent years. The taxonomic study of the Fritillaria medicinal plant was carried out from three main aspects: the traditional morphological character, the characteristic constituents of the plant and genotyping and species identification of Fritillaria by DNA chips. By comparison, we concluded that the DNA chip technology can provide a rapid, high throughput for genotyping and quality assurance of the plant species verification. It is the most prosperous method of species identification of the plant.
Cevanes ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; genetics ; Fritillaria ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; genetics ; Genotype ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; genetics

Utilization of spaceflight technology will benefit the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine study. Many countries, such as USA or Russia, have conducted extensive experimental research with plants in the regenerative life-support system in space stations as well as the research on breeding or chromosomal aberration after spaceflight. The space botany is still in its preliminary stage in our country. Research has mainly been focused on breeding under space-environment. In addition, many experiments have been conducted with the spaceflown plants to investigate the growth, development, biochemical and physiological changes, as well as the inheritance and variation. Little has been done with regard to the facility development to contain the spaceflying seeds and no research has been reported on plant growth in spacecrafts. Medicinal plant study has certain characteristics and advantages in our country where small biological vessels are developed for the spaceflown seeds, which are then distinguished to microgravity group and radiation exposed group with analytical instrument. However, research has been carried out in medicinal plant breeding or inheritance. In future research, more effort should be directed to the study of medicinal plants as an important link of a future biological life support system as well as to the health care of astronauts by.
Ecological Systems, Closed ; Life Support Systems ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; growth & development ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Space Flight ; Weightlessness

This paper reviewed the phytochemical and pharmacological research progress in Leontopodium medicinal plants, including the resource distribution, the chemical constitutes, the pharmacological activities and clinical application. The review has provided some information for the study and development of Leontopodium medicinal plants in future.
Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavanones ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Isoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; Nephritis ; drug therapy ; Oils, Volatile ; isolation & purification ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo provide a simple method to identify different of herbal drugs of Fritillaria.

METHODThe X-ray diffraction spectra of five Fritillaria powders were obtained by X-ray diffractometry (XRD).

RESULTBy analyzing the diffraction peaks of starch over the 2theta diffraction angle in the range of 10 degrees-30 degrees, we concluded that the crystal type of starch in F. thunbergii, F. ussurensis, F. pallidifloca and F. hupehensis was B-type. However, the crystal type of starch in F. cirrhosa was CB-type. The degree of crystallinity of starch was 42.1%, 43.6%, 37.7%, 35.9% and 30.8%, corresponding to F. thunbergii, F. ussurensis, F. pallidiflcoca,F. cirrhosa and F. hupehensis.

CONCLUSIONBased on the differences of crystallinity of starch and X-ray diffraction spectra of Fritillaria powders, different species of Fritillaria can be identified.

Crystallization ; Fritillaria ; chemistry ; classification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Species Specificity ; Starch ; analysis ; X-Ray Diffraction

The TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) transdermal plaster (also known as "cataplasma") are flexible adhesive patches used for treatment of pain, resulted from arthritis, sprain and bruise, tendovaginitis, lumbar spine protrude, neuralgia, hyperosteogeny ache, abdominal discomfort and metastatic cancer, etc. Since the 1980's, investigators in China have used this modern patch delivery system for herbal drugs and obtained satisfactory results especially from the treatment of various types of pain associated with bone diseases, abdominal discomfort, and tumors, etc. The production of TCM cataplasma was successfully scaled up in early 90's and the commercial product line for an antirheumatic agent was first established in Shanghai by Leiyunshang Group. Thus far, a number of products in the form of TCM cataplasma became commercially available in the market, and clinical investigations with these products indicated that topically applicable herbal preparations, especially in the form of cataplasma, are preferred formulations with respect to the treatment comfort of the patient. Compared to the traditional preparations which utilize rubber and rosin as adhesives, cataplasma is advantageous in that the lipophilic and hydrophilic ingredients of the herbal extracts are solubilized and then "gellified" with the organic polymers, and that the drug matrix containing up to 40%-70% of water serves as a "drug reservoir" that will sustain the quick and continuous release of herbal ingredients over several days across the skin. While there are conventional remedies for palliation of pain and discomfort associated with bone diseases or cancers, administration of oral medicinal herbs combined with topical agents such as TCM cataplasma may significantly alleviate the symptoms and improve their quality of life. This article provides a review on three aspects, which include the process development, characteristics and developmental status of TCM cataplasma, and future development of such a technology.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pain ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Phytotherapy ; Skin Absorption ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Compared with other countries, the industrialization of medicinal plant tissue culture is more important for our country because China is consuming and exporting the most amounts of herb materials in the world. Each year, many papers and patents are published on cell cultures of popular medicinal plants, such as Taxus sp., Catharanthus roseus, and Panax ginseng, and, meanwhile, the research on organ cultures of medicinal plants is increasing very quickly, which is deepening the study of medicinal plant tissue culture. During the past 30 years, Chinese scientists have cultured many medicinal plant cells, organs and hairy roots. In addition, the large-scale cultures have been tested on medicinal plants, such as Catharanthus roseus, Panax notoginseng, Anisodus acutangulus, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, and Taxus chinensis. However, the bioreactor size is not big enough for the commercial cultivation and we have not mastered the culture technique on a large scale. We should clearly understand the importance and great potential benefit of medicinal plant tissue culture and develop the tissue culture techniques for the modernization of TCM. To develop the technique that we have the property right, the pioneering spirit is needed in our research, and, meanwhile, it should be pointed out emphatically the collaboration is indispensable among scientists from different research fields.
Bioreactors ; Catharanthus ; growth & development ; China ; Culture Media ; Culture Techniques ; methods ; trends ; Fermentation ; Industry ; Panax ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Taxus ; growth & development

Cholelithiasis is one of the clinically common and frequently encountered diseases. In this paper, the Chinese Meteria Medica and prescriptions utilized to treat cholelithasis were discussed in four aspects. In addition, we discussed the clinical effect and mechanism of actions of these drugs in order to provide some reference for future drug development in this area.
Animals ; Cholelithiasis ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

The quality of Chinese medicinal materials relates greatly to the clinical curative effect and security. In order to ensure the quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials, a systematic and operable traceability system needs to be established. It can realize the whole process of quality and safety management of Chinese medicinal materials "from production to consumption" through recording and inquiring information and recalling defective products, which is an important direction for the future development of traditional Chinese medicine. But it is still at the exploration and trial stage. In this paper, a framework of Chinese medicinal materials' quality and safety traceability system was established on the basis of the domestic and international experience about the construction of food and agricultural products traceability systems. The relationship between traceability system of Chinese medicinal materials' quality and GAP, GMP, GSP was analyzed, and the possible problems and the corresponding solutions were discussed.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Quality Control