In order to clarify the effects of drought stress training on the quality and drought resistance of Codonopsis pilosula, this study used PEG to simulate drought stress and employed potting with water control for the drought stress training of C. pilosula plants. The polysaccharide content, secondary metabolites, antioxidant system, and photosynthetic pigment system of C. pilosula after drought stress training were analyzed. The results showed that the content of fructans in the root of C. pilosula increased after two rounds of drought stress treatment, and it was significantly higher than that of the control group. The accumulation of fructans in the root of C. pilosula showed an upward trend during the rehydration treatment. The content of lobetyolin and tangshenoside Ⅰ increased after drought stress treatment compared with that of the control group. The rehydration treatment caused first increasing and then decreasing in the content of lobetyolin, while it had no significant effect on the tangshenoside Ⅰcontent. The content of photosynthetic pigments decreased after drought stress treatment, and it gradually increased during the first round of rehydration and the second round of rehydration. Moreover, the increase was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. The content of the peroxidation product malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD), and catalase(CAT) increased after drought stress treatment compared with those of the control group, and they showed a tendency of decreasing during rehydration. Moreover, the decrease was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. When the plants of C. pilosula after drought stress training were again subjected to severe drought stress, the wilting rate decreased significantly, and the biomass increases significantly. This study showed that the drought stress training could promote the accumulation of polysaccharides and secondary metabolites in the root of C. pilosula. When encountering drought stress again, C. pilosula plants could quickly regulate the antioxidant system and delay the decomposition of chlorophyll to respond to drought stress. The findings provide a theoretical basis for the ecological cultivation of C. pilosula in arid and semi-arid areas.
Codonopsis/growth & development* ; Droughts ; Polysaccharides/metabolism* ; Stress, Physiological ; Water/metabolism* ; Antioxidants/metabolism* ; Photosynthesis ; Drought Resistance

OBJECTIVETo reveal the allelopathy effect of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds and provide information for the intercrop production.

METHODThe A. membranaceus. var. mongholicus seeds were soaked in distilled water for different time (12, 24, 36, 48, 60 h) , and then the seed extracts were used to study their effects on the seed germination, seedling growth and development of two Codonopsis pilosula.

RESULTThe A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds contained some allelopathy compounds. Their soaked liquid had significantly influence on the seed germination and seedling growth of C. pilosula. The seed germination rate, germination power, germination index and vigor index of two C. pilosula calrivar were improved and then inhabited with soaking time elongation. The extract soaking for 24 h significantly improved the germination traits but the extract for 60 h appeared different degrees of inhibiting vigor. The seed extracts soaking ranging between 12 and 60 h all significantly improved the above plant growth of C. pilosula but significant inhibited their radicle growth in length. And with the soaking time elongation the facilitation effect weakened and the inhibiting effect enhanced, especially more significant in the C. pilosula caltivar (Baitiaodangshen).

CONCLUSIONThe A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds have allelopathic compounds and the endogenous inhibitor can be extracted when soaked for more than 24 h in water with intact seeds, resulting in improvement of seed germination rate. The C. pilosula could be intercropped in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus field, however, when intercroped it should notice that the intercrop proportion should vary with the caltivar.

Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Codonopsis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Germination ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Seedlings ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seeds ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo reveal the quality grade of Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta seedlings from Gansu and provide the scientific basis for establishment of the seedling quality classification standard.

METHODThirty batches of C. pilosula var. modesta seedlings collected from varied producing area of Gansu were selected as testing materials, the fresh weight of single plant, water content, length of seedling, diameter of seedling, length of bud and number of buds were determined and the grading standard were systemically analyzed by K-Means Cluster.

RESULTThe C. pilosula var. modesta seedlings could be divided into 3 grades of criteria, i. e. the first-grade seedlings were at least 14.1 g of the fresh weight of seedling, 24.0 cm of length of seedling, 1.17 cm of diameter of seedling; the second-grade seedlings were 14.0-3.5 g of the fresh weight of seedling, 23.9-21.6 cm of length of seedling, 1. 16-0. 68 cm of diameter of seedling; the third-grade seedlings were 3.4-1.9 g of the fresh weight of seedling, 21.5-13.5 cm of length of seedling, 0.67-0.54 cm of diameter of seedling.

CONCLUSIONAmong 30 batches of C. pilosula var. modesta seedlings, 66.7% of the seedlings belonged to the first and the second grades. It suggests that the first and the second grade seedlings should be used in the standard production.

China ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of different factors (temperature, light and germinating beds) on seed germination of Codonopsis tangshen.

METHODThe general germination method was applied.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe optimum seed germination conditions of C. tangshen were as follows: temperature 25 degrees C, light, germinating-beds top of paper (TP) or between of paper (BP). The first seedling--counting time was the 10th day after beginning the test; the final time was the 18th day. The test also showed that gibberellin notably increased the seed germination rate of C. tangshen.

Codonopsis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; radiation effects ; Germination ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Gibberellins ; pharmacology ; Light ; Paper ; Seeds ; drug effects ; growth & development ; radiation effects ; Temperature ; Time Factors

Radix Codonopsis an edible Chinese herb, is resourceful and distributed widely in China. The research on its germplasm resources and utilization has been reviewed in this paper. For germplashm resources, the works of collection, arrangement, evaluation and the selected breeding need to be carried out urgently. It is necessary that unofficial Dangshen and aerial parts of all medicinal Dangshen should be utilized extensively. The effective ingredient obtained by tissue culture will provide a new resource.
Codonopsis ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Structures ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study on the dynamic changes of Codnopsis pilosula for the guidance of the field management.

METHODUsing the random method the influences of the cultivating density and fertilizing weight at four different levels was observed.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe dynamic changes of the biomass, growth period andbiological changes at different growth stages were found out. The most predominant combination of the two factors, the 1.05 million roots/hm2 of the cultivating density and 240 kg x hm(-2) of the fertilizing weight reached the highest accumulation of stems & leaves; 652 mg x d(-1) the 0.6 million roots/hm2 and 240 kg x hm(-2) reached the heaviest single fresh root. The results could be used for the cultivating, fertilizing and practicing SOP of C. pilosula.

Biomass ; Codonopsis ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Fertilizers ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; Plant Roots ; anatomy & histology ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo explore curative machanism of Shenle capsule on the 5/6 nephrectomy rats.

METHODFibrin plate method was applied to examine activity of urinary plasminogen activator(PA). Semi-quantitative analysis was used to observe stained intensity and area of tissue-type plasminogen activator, urokinas-type plasminogen activator/ plasminogen activator inhibitor(tPA, uPA/PAI-1)in remnant renal tissue. Northern blot was employed to analyze the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) mRNA.

RESULTIn model control group, the urinary PA activity and protein expression of tPA, uPA were down-regulated, but protein expression of PAI-1, TGF-beta mRNA was up-regulated in remnant renal tissue. In each treated group, the urinary PA activity and protein expression of tPA/uPA were enhanced,but the protein expression of PAI-1, TGF-beta mRNA decreased simultaneously.

CONCLUSIONShenle capsule can delay glomerulosclersis and tubulointerstitial fibrotic lesions of remnant kidney by improving the activity of urinary PA and modulating the expression of tPA, uPA/PAI-1 and TGF-beta mRNA.

Animals ; Capsules ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Leeches ; chemistry ; Male ; Materia Medica ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Nephrectomy ; Plasminogen Inactivators ; metabolism ; Polyporales ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism