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

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

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

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

OBJECTIVETo study the culture of adventitious root of Salvia miltiorrhiza in vitro systemically.

METHODEffects of sucrose concentrations, medium pH, inoculum size and plant growth regulators on adventitious root growth and secondary metabolites production in S. miltiorrhiza were investigated.

RESULTWith the increase of initial sucrose concentration, adventitious root growth rates increased and tanshinone II A content decreased, while content of protocatechuic aldehyde showed a broken line change and its highest production was obtained under 30 g x L(-1) sucrose in the medium. As for the effect of medium pH, medium pH of 6.5, 5.5 (or 6.0) and 5.8 was favorable for adventitious root growth, tanshinone II A and protocatechuic aldehyde synthesis respectively. Furthermore, adventitious root growth, rate was greatly increased when inoculum size was 2.5%. MS medium added with 0.5 mg x L(-1) KT was much favorable for tanshinone II A and protocatechuic aldehyde accumulation.

CONCLUSIONParameters including sucrose concentrations, medium pH, inoculum size and plant growth regulators have distinct effects on the in vitro culture of adventitious root growth and secondary metabolites synthesis of S. miltiorrhiza.

Benzaldehydes ; metabolism ; Catechols ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Phenanthrenes ; metabolism ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Sucrose ; Tissue Culture Techniques

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of cryopreserved and thawed peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) fractionated return infusions in children. 35 children patients with malignant tumors (13 acute leukaemias, 15 neuroblastomas and 7 malignant lymphomas) received fractionated return infusions of cryopreserved stem cells after undergoing high-dose chemotherapy without or with total body irradiation. The toxicities of 70 return infusions were evaluated. All patients were mobilized by chemotherapy plus recombination human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), and then PBSCs were collected by a separator CS-3000 plus or COBE spectra-4. The grafts were cryopreserved in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSD) and stored in liquid nitrogen. There were totally 70 PBSC transfusions. The total volume of PBSCs transfused: 190 - 420 ml (265 +/- 73 ml or 13.7 +/- 4.2 ml/kg) with a mean of (4.43 +/- 1.91) x 10(8)/kg of PBSCs, and 0.94 +/- 0.18 g/kg of DMSO. The single dose: 90 - 300 ml (132 +/- 37 ml or 6.6 +/- 5.2 ml/kg) with a mean of 0.68 +/- 0.12 g/kg of DMSO. Symptoms occurring during the infusions were recorded. All patients were monitored for 24 hours after infusion. Pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, and respiratory rate were recorded every 15 minutes. At four hours before and 8 hours after infusion, urinalysis was performed. Serum potassium, sodium, creatinine, total bilirubin, aspartate amino transferase (AST), and alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels were examined within 24 hours before and after the first infusion. The results showed that the toxicities observed included hemoglobinuria in 54 return infusions (77.1%), headache in 28 (40.0%), nausea in 24 (34.3%), vomiting in 17 (24.3%), and abdominal pain in 8 (11.4%). Patients who received a graft > 200 ml tended to have a higher frequency of hemoglobinuria, headache, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain (P<0.01), and they disappeared quickly, too. Total bilirubin increased after the first return infusion (P<0.01), and there was a significant correlation between the volume of infusion and the degree of total bilirubin increase (r=0.8977, P<0.01). No renal failure or shock occurred. It is concluded that transient hemoglobinuria, headache, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are common toxicities associated with PBSC autograft, and these toxicities are related with a single volume of PBSCs transfused. Total bilirubin increase is correlated with the volume of infusion. In a word, the toxicity is less frequent and lower severe in children with fractionated infusions of cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cell.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cryopreservation ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; therapeutic use ; Headache ; etiology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; methods ; Hemoglobinuria ; etiology ; Humans ; Leukemia ; therapy ; Lymphoma ; therapy ; Male ; Nausea ; etiology ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Neuroblastoma ; therapy ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Recombinant Proteins

OBJECTIVETo provide a quick and simple method to identify different Chinese medicine material of Fritillaria.

METHODThe thermograms and differential thermograms of nine Fritillaria powders were obtained by thermal analyzer.

RESULTBy analyzing the thermograms of nine Fritillaria powders, we concluded that the thermal stability of nine Fritillaria powders was much different each other due to the different geography origin. The thermal stability of F. hupehensis was highest among nine Fritillaria, while F. ussurensis was the lowest. The different Fritillaria showed their own DTA spectra respectively.

CONCLUSIONAccording to the differences in the thermal properties of nine Fritillaria powders, the origins of Fritillaria could be easily identfied.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; methods ; China ; Climate ; Ecosystem ; Fritillaria ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Hot Temperature ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Powders

This paper reiviewed the current situation of quality control of grape seed extract in domestic and international market. Considering the fact that there is no national or industrial technical specifications established for the extract product, the authors suggested that two sets of quality specifications should be established for the grape seed extract. The two sets of specifications are: the high purity grape seed extract should contain polyphenol NLT 95%, monomer NLT 10%; and the grape seed extract with ordinary quality should have a procyanidolic value NLT 95, and monomer NLT 6%.
Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Biflavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Catechin ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Phenols ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Polyphenols ; Proanthocyanidins ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Vitis ; chemistry