Forsythia suspensa is a traditional Chinese medicine and a commonly used landscaping plant. Its dried fruit is used in medicine for its functions of clearing heat, removing toxins, reducing swelling, dissipating masses, and dispersing wind and heat. It possesses extremely high medicinal and economic value. However, the genetic differentiation and diversity of its wild populations remain unclear. In this study, chloroplast genome sequences were obtained from 15 wild individuals of F. suspensa using high-throughput sequencing technology. The sequence characteristics and intraspecific variations were analyzed. The results were as follows:(1) The full length of the F. suspensa chloroplast genome ranged from 156 184 to 156 479 bp, comprising a large single-copy region, a small single-copy region, and two inverted repeat regions. The chloroplast genome encoded a total of 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes.(2) A total of 166-174 SSR loci, 792 SNV loci, and 63 InDel loci were identified in the F. suspensa chloroplast genome, indicating considerable genetic variation among individuals.(3) Population structure analysis revealed that F. suspensa could be divided into five or six groups. Both the population structure analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction results indicated significant genetic variation within the wild populations of F. suspensa, with no obvious correlation between intraspecific genetic differentiation and geographical distribution. This study provides new insights into the genetic diversity and differentiation within F. suspensa species and offers additional references for the conservation of species diversity and the utilization of germplasm resources in wild F. suspensa.
Genome, Chloroplast ; Forsythia/classification* ; Phylogeny ; Genetic Variation ; Chloroplasts/genetics* ; Microsatellite Repeats

Forsythiae Fructus( Lianqiao) is classed from near-mature fruit and hyper-mature fruit,which are named as Qingqiao and Laoqiao,respectively. This article was based on the different views of which was better,Qingqiao or Laoqiao. Acorrding to the naming,varieties,habitat,harvesting and processing,used parts,medicinal properties and clinical efficacy,the herbalogical study was carried out. The results showed that Lianqiao had been sourced from the areial part of Hypericum ascyron and H. erectum of Clusiaceae before Tang Dynasty. Beside the former,and the fruit of Forsythia suspensa of Oleaceae was newly used as Lianqiao during the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty. The later had been the only origin of Lianqiao since the Song Dynasty. With the change of the medicinal varieties,the habitats of Lianqiao has also changed. The varieties of Clusiaceae were mainly produced in the Yellow River Basin from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. After the Song Dynasty,they were produced in the south of the Yangtze River. The variety of Oleaceae was mainly produced in Shanxi,Henan,Shandong,Shaanxi,and northern Sichuan from the Tang and Song Dynasties. Currently,Shanxi and Henan have the largest output. Traditionally,there were two commercial varieties including Qingqiao and Laoqiao of Lianqiao based on the harvesting time. In traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) theory,Lianqiao removes evil heat and relieves toxicity,removes swelling and resolves enlarged nodes. Accroding to the effects of Lianqiao,Qingqiao was considered to be better than Laoqiao in TCM clinic. The modern research on main medicinal constituents and pharmacodynamic effects also confirmed the above mentioned facts. This paper can provide literature support for the rationalities of Qingqiao's mainstream medication and assay standard of Lianqiao in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Forsythia/classification* ; Fruit ; History, 15th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo provide application basis of the Forsythia suspensa by studying the difference of HPLC-FP of F. suspensa fructification (medicinal materials).

METHODComparative work was done on F. suspensa produced in different areas, on different parts of Forsythia suspensa, and on the pseudo preducts with methods of HPLC-FP.

RESULTDifferent FP characteristics were shown respectively by different samples, which were from different producing areas, from different parts, and the pseudo products including the fructification of Syringa reticulata var. and F. viridissimac.

CONCLUSIONThe FP can be used to distinguish the F. suspensa coming from different producing areas and different sources.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Paper ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Forsythia ; chemistry ; classification ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Peptide Mapping ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Species Specificity