Two species of the Laboubeniales based on the Tibetan collections are described. They are new to the mycological flora of Tibet. Laboulbenia polyphaga found on several parts of Amara majuscula was characterized by having the outer appendages not ramified and simple. Peyritschiella protea obtained on the lower abdomen of Philonthus wuesthoffi, had two perithecia and two antheridia produced on the third layer of receptacle.
Abdomen ; Tibet*

Biopsy ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Tibet

The ripe dried fruit of citron(Citrus medica) is one of the important sources of Chinese herb Citri Fructus. At the same time, it is also grown for edible and ornamental uses. There are many species and abundant genetic variation. To clarify the intraspecific variation and resource distribution of citron, this study investigated the variation in 11 citron fruits, basically covering the main species in China, including Xiaoguo citron(C. medica var. ethrog), Goucheng(C. medica var. yunnanensis), Muli citron(C.medica var. muliensis), Dehong citron(C.medica×Citrus spp.), Fuzhou citron(C.medica×C.grandis?), Mawu(C.medica×C.grandis?), Cangyuan citron, Binchuan citron, Sweet citron, Big citron, and Small citron. The natural communities of citron were proved to be mainly distributed in the southwestern and western Yunnan and southeastern Tibet of China, with Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Chongqing, Hubei, and Zhejiang identified as the main production areas. Citron has also been widely grown in India, the Mediterranean region, and the Caribbean coast countries. The field investigation revealed the large-scale intraspecific variation of citron fruits. Most of the fruits are oval-like or sphere-like in shape. The fruits are green when raw and yellow when ripe, with oil cell dots on the skin, stripe-likes running from top to bottom, and bulge at the top. Usually, in the smaller citron fruits, the pulp and juice vesicles are better developed and the central columella is tighter. By contrast, the juice vesicles and central columella in larger fruits became more vacant, with carpels visible, and the apex segregation and development of the carpels is one of the reasons for variation. These variations should be given top priority in the future variety selection and breeding, and the quality differences of different citron species and their mechanisms should be further studied. In particular, variety selection and classification management according to their medicinal or edible purposes will provide scientific and technological supports for the orderly, safe, and effective production of citron products consumed as food and medicine.
China ; Citrus ; Fruit ; Taste ; Tibet

Humans ; Mining ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; physiology ; Tibet

Gansu province is located at the intersection of the three plateaus(Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Inner Mongolia Plateau, and Loess Plateau) and the three river basins(Yellow River Basin, Yangtze River Basin, and inland river basin). The complex eco-environment and climate conditions here have created rich and diverse vegetation. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the spatial distribution characteristics of rare and endangered medicinal plant resources in Gansu province for formulating reasonable protection po-licies and promoting the development of medicinal plant industry. The data of rare and endangered medicinal plant resources in 87 counties of Gansu province were collected from results of the fourth general survey. The spatial distribution and the high-or low-value gathering area of rare and endangered medicinal plant resources in Gansu province were analyzed by geostatistical methods such as exploratory spatial data analysis, trend surface analysis, and Anselin Local Moran's I. The eco-environment characteristics of the high-or low-value gathering area were analyzed with the data of vegetation type, soil texture classification, annual mean temperature, annual mean precipitation, and elevation. Furthermore, the relationships of the spatial distribution and diversity with the geographical environment of rare and endangered medicinal plants in Gansu province were analyzed to provide support for the restoration and protection policy making of these plant resources.
China ; Plants, Medicinal ; Rivers ; Soil ; Tibet

Saussurea lappa originates in India, and now mainly grow in Yunnan, Sichuan and other places in China. It is one of the commonly used traditional herbal medicines in Tibet and other minority regions, with effects in regulating qi to relieve pain and invigo-rating spleen to promote food. It has been used in clinic for gastrointestinal diseases, such as Qi stagnation syndrome of spleen and stomach, diarrhea and tenesmus. More than 200 compounds have been identified from S. lappa. Among them, sesquiterpenoids attracted much attention. In terms of the number of compounds, eudesmanetype is dominant, guaiane and germacranetypes have also been reported frequently. Pharmacological studies have involved extracts, volatile oils and monomeric components represented by dehydrocostus lactone. Anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects on digestive system have attracted great attention. However, due to the complex sources of S. lappa and widely used in clinical practice, there is few research progress on relevant chemical constituents and pharmacological activities. This paper systematically summarizes terpenes and the pharmacological effects of S. lappa, in order to provide basis for further studies and clinical applications.
China ; Plant Extracts ; Saussurea ; Sesquiterpenes ; Terpenes ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo further investigate and discuss the cause of species endangerment, the status and present problem of conservation of traditional Tibetan medicine in China.

METHODPrevious relevant investigations and literatures were summed up in the field. The present situation of conservation of traditional Tibetan medicine was analyzed.

RESULTThe status of endangered resources, cause of species endangerment, the conserving status and conserving measures etc were elaborated. The classification was made and suggestion of species conservation of traditional Tibetan medicine were put forward.

CONCLUSIONThe endangered species conservation of traditional Tibetan medicine was carried out by building protective area of endangered species resources and plant garden, setting up germplasm bank, developing the domestication and cultivation of Tibetan medicinal herbs most in use, strengthening the investigation and study of endangered species, launching exchange and cooperation of conservation techniques on endangered species, enhancing the protective awareness of endangered species traditional Tibetan medicine etc. By so doing we can facilitate the sustainable development of traditional Tibetan medicine in China.

This research was a part of the investigation of traditional Chinese medicine resources survey in Markam. The medicinal plants in natural reserve were studied for the first in this paper. There were 300 species in 202 genera of 54 families, among them there were 7 species of ferns in 5 genera of 5 families, 6 species of gymnosperms in 4 genera of 3 families, and 287 species of angiosperms in 194 genera of 61 families. There were 166 species Tibetan medicinal plants in 102 genera of 47 families. Quantitative analysis was carried out in 6 aspects of family and genus composition, medicinal parts, drug properties, flavour of a drug, Tibetan medicine, toxicity and new plants. The concrete suggestions of protection and exploitation were put forward, which provided scientific basis for the sustainable utilization of medicinal plants in this area.
Biodiversity ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; Plants, Medicinal ; Tibet

Humans ; Occupational Health Services ; organization & administration ; Railroads ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular characterization of CVA9 virus in Tibet.

METHODSTo isolate the enteroviruses from stool specimens of AFP cases and other children in Tibet in 1999-2002, and identify them by neutralization test using the RIVM antiserum; then determine the complete nucleotide sequence of VP1 region of CVA9 viruses, and analyze the results.

RESULTSA total of 10 strains of CVA9 virus were isolated from the stool specimens and identified. The complete nucleotide sequence of VP1 region of these CVA9 viruses were 906nt coding 302 amino acids. To compare with the sequences of the 10 strains of Tibet, the homogeneity of nucleotide sequence were 79.0% - 99.9%; while they were 75.7% - 78.7% compared with Griggs. The phylogenetic tree of CVA9 viruses showed 2 groups, and the isolates from Tibet belong to 1, 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONThe deduction is that the 10 strains are proposed 2 different groups, the strains epidemic in 1999 belong to group 2,while strains in 2000 belong to group 1.