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Purpose: To evaluate the healing effect of Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.). extract (PGE) on experimental burn wounds in rats. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into four groups of eight rats each: control group, silver sulfadiazine (SSD)-treated group, moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO)-treated group and PGE-treated group. PGE, SSD and MEBO were applied topically twice daily for 7 days. SSD and MEBO were used as reference control. External observation of wound area contraction and histological analysis of wound tissues was performed respectively. The effect of PGE on matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Type-III Collagen proteins of wound tissue in rats were analysed by Western blot. Results: After 10 days of topical treatment with PGE, PGE-treated group showed faster reduction in wound area when compared with control groups (p < 0.01). Matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), VEGF and type-III collagen expressions in the wound tissue increased significantly (p < 0.05) when compared with the control burn wounds. Histological results showed an overall early recovery and regeneration in PGE-treated group when compared with control group. Conclusion: PGE possesses a significant wound-healing activity in full-thickness burn wounds in rats. Therefore, it can potentially be developed for the management of burns.

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of hepatoprotective effect of Platycodon grandiflorus polysaccharides (PGPSt) on LPS/D-galactose (D-GalN)-induced acute liver injury in mice. The pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by H&E stain. The results showed that the structure of hepatocytes in the model group was destroyed obviously, and that in 200 mg/kg PGPSt group was improved, which indicated that PGPSt could reduce the damage of hepatocytes. Then, indicators of oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis were detected. The results showed that PGPSt significantly reduced the activities of AST, ALT and SOD. PGPSt increased the expression of GSH, and decreased the level of MDA, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. PGPSt can inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis, which might be related to down-regulation of cleaved-caspase 3 and Bax, and up-regulation of Bcl-2. In addition, Western blot analyses revealed that PGPSt suppressed the protein expression of TRL4, p-P38 and NF-κB p65. PGPSt exhibited protective effects on LPS/D-GalN-induced acute liver injury in mice. Conclusion, the results demonstrated that PGPSt is a potential therapeutic drug by alleviating oxidative stress, reducing inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins that could be used for the treatment of some acute liver injury in the future.

The complete genome sequence of a new virus, provisionally named "balloon flower endornavirus" (BfEV), was determined following virus isolation from leaves of a balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) exhibiting severe leaf shrinkage disease in Anhui Province, China. The 15,180-nucleotide genome sequence of BfEV shares 40.52% amino acid (aa) sequence identity and 98% coverage with the polyprotein of Helianthus annuus endornavirus (HaEV). The open reading frame (ORF) encodes a deduced 4,887-aa polyprotein with RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), viral helicase (Hel) and glycosyltransferase (GT) domains. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of RdRp places BfEV alongside members of the genus Alphaendornavirus in the family Endornaviridae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a complete genome sequence of a novel alphaendornavirus identified in balloon flower.

Platycodon grandiflorus is an ornamental species that can be marketed as a potted flower; however, it has fragile and bending floral stems. Plant growth regulators, such as paclobutrazol, are compounds that reduce stem elongation, enabling the production of plants with a more compact formation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of paclobutrazol on platycodon growth, in a greenhouse. A completely randomized blocks experimental design was used in a 4 × 5 factorial scheme, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of four varieties of ‘Astra Semi-Double’ platycodon (Blue, Lavender, Pink and White) and five paclobutrazol doses (0, 1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5.0 mg pot-1). The paclobutrazol application did not affect the stem diameter, number of leaves, days until anthesis, number of flowers or flower buds, and flower diameter. The shoot length, leaf area and shoot dry mass decreased with higher doses of the growth regulator. Lavender showed the highest values for shoot length, number of leaves, leaf area and shoot dry mass. Pink had the earliest anthesis, followed by Blue and White, whereas Lavender had the latest anthesis. The dose of 3.75 mg pot-1 of paclobutrazol efficiently controlled the growth and improved the visual quality of all the platycodon varieties. RESUMO Platycodon grandiflorus é uma espécie ornamental que pode ser comercializada como flor de vaso; porém, apresenta ramos florais frágeis e pendentes. Reguladores de crescimento, como o paclobutrazol, são compostos que reduzem o alongamento do caule, permitindo a produção de plantas com formação mais compacta. Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de paclobutrazol no crescimento de platycodon, em casa-de-vegetação. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos inteiramente casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4 × 5, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro variedades de platycodon ‘Astra Semi-Double’ (Blue, Lavender, Pink e White) e cinco doses de paclobutrazol (0; 1,25; 2,5; 3,75; e 5,0 mg vaso-1). A aplicação de paclobutrazol não afetou o diâmetro do caule, número de folhas, dias até a antese, número de flores ou botões florais e diâmetro da flor. O comprimento da parte aérea, área foliar e massa seca da parte aérea decresceram com o aumento da dose do regulador de crescimento. Lavender apresentou os maiores valores de comprimento da parte aérea, número de folhas, área foliar e massa seca da parte aérea. Pink teve a antese mais precoce, seguida de Blue e White, enquanto Lavender teve a antese mais tardia. A dose de 3,75 mg vaso-1 de paclobutrazol eficientemente controlou o crescimento e melhorou a qualidade visual de todas as variedades de platycodon.

Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of different Platycodon grandiflorus tissues discovered genes related to triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis. Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. (P. grandiflorus), a traditional Chinese medicine, contains considerable triterpenoid saponins with broad pharmacological activities. Triterpenoid saponins are the major components of P. grandiflorus. Here, single-molecule real-time and next-generation sequencing technologies were combined to comprehensively analyse the transcriptome and identify genes involved in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus. We quantified four saponins in P. grandiflorus and found that their total content was highest in the roots and lowest in the stems and leaves. A total of 173,354 non-redundant transcripts were generated from the PacBio platform, and three full-length transcripts of β-amyrin synthase, the key synthase of β-amyrin, were identified. A total of 132,610 clean reads obtained from the DNBSEQ platform were utilised to explore key genes related to the triterpenoid saponin biosynthetic pathway in P. grandiflorus, and 96 differentially expressed genes were selected as candidates. The expression levels of these genes were verified by quantitative real-time PCR. Our reliable transcriptome data provide valuable information on the related biosynthesis pathway and may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus.

Platycodin D and platycoside E are two triterpenoid saponins in Platycodon grandiflorus, differing only by two glycosyl groups structurally. Studies have shown β-Glucosidase from bacteria can convert platycoside E to platycodin D, indicating the potential existence of similar enzymes in P. grandiflorus. An L9(34) orthogonal experiment was performed to establish a protocol for calli induction as follows: the optimal explant is stems with nodes and the optimum medium formula is MS + NAA 1.0 mg/L + 6-BA 0.5 mg/L to obtain callus for experimental use. The platycodin D, platycoside E and total polysaccharides content between callus and plant organs varied wildly. Platycodin D and total polysaccharide content of calli was found higher than that of leaves. While, platycoside E and total polysaccharide content of calli was found lower than that of leaves. Associating platycodin D and platycoside E content with the expression level of genes involved in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis between calli and leaves, three contigs were screened as putative sequences of β-Glucosidase gene converting platycoside E to platycodin D. Besides, we inferred that some transcription factors can regulate the expression of key enzymes involved in triterpernoid saponins and polysaccharides biosynthesis pathway of P. grandiflorus. Totally, a candidate gene encoding enzyme involved in converting platycoside E to platycodin D, and putative genes involved in polysaccharide synthesis in P. grandiflorus had been identified. This study will help uncover the molecular mechanism of triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus.

Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. roots (PGR), a Chinese herb with medicinal and edible value, was powdered by freeze drying (FD) and spray drying (SD) after maceration extraction (ME) or ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) to develop a new functional food product. Four PGR powders were obtained namely ME-FD, ME-SD, UAE-FD, and UAE-SD and their powder quality, structural properties, and functionalities were evaluated. UAE-FD powder had the highest powder recovery (85.3 ± 5.79%) and also presented better hydration properties due to the larger particle size compared with other three PGR powders. Four PGR powders exhibited similar thermal decomposition process, molecular structure, amorphous characteristics, amino acids composition, and taste profiles. Furthermore, the UAE-FD PGR powders presented the highest Platycodin D (3.68 ± 0.04 mg/g), total phenolic (2.84 ± 0.11 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoids content (2.11 ± 0.14 mg RE/g), resulting in best antioxidant activity (58.67 ± 2.42 μmol Trolox/g). Therefore UAE-FD is an environment-friendly technique for the production of functional PGR powder with improved nutritional and redispersion properties.

Background: Platycodon grandiflorus, a traditional Chinese medicine, contains considerable triterpene saponins with broad pharmacological activities. To date, information on the molecular mechanism of triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus is limited. Here, single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and next-generation sequencing technologies were combined to comprehensively analyse the transcriptome and unveil triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus.Results: We quantified four saponin monomers in P. grandiflorus, and found that the total content of the four saponins was the highest in the roots and the lowest in the stems and leaves. A total of 173,354 non-redundant transcripts generated from the PacBio platform were successfully annotated to seven functional databases, among which 1,765 transcripts were aligned to the "metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides" pathway in the KEGG database. Three full-length transcripts of β-amyrin synthase (β-AS), the key synthase of the β-amyrin, were identified. Furthermore, a total of 132,610 clean reads of BGISEQ sequences were utilised to explore key genes related to the triterpenoid saponin biosynthetic pathway in P. grandiflorus, and 96 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved were selected as candidates. Notably, 9 of the 96 DEGs showed the highest expression in the roots, which were considered key genes for synthesising triterpenoid saponins in P. grandiflorus. Furthermore, 3,469 genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) were identified and classified into 57 TF families, including MYB, bHLH, mTERF, and AP2-EREBP. The expression levels of genes were verified by quantitative real-time PCR.Conclusions: Our reliable transcriptome data provide valuable information on the related biosynthesis pathway and may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus.

Platycodonis Radix is widely used as homology of medicine and food in China; polysaccharides are thought to be one of its functional constituents. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide, PGP-I-I, was obtained from the root of the traditional medicine plant Platycodon grandiflorus through ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. This was characterized being mainly composed of 1,5-α-L-arabinan and both arabinogalactan type I (AG-I) and II chains linked to rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) backbone linked to longer galacturonan chains. In vitro bioactivity study showed that PGP-I-I could restore the intestinal cellular antioxidant defense under the condition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment through promoting the expressions of cellular antioxidant genes and protect against oxidative damages.

Growth and flowering of Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. ‘Sentimental Blue’ was evaluated in growing media amended with pellets (P) processed with poultry feather keratins with and without application of slow-release fertilizer. Macro- and micro-nutrients in the media were analyzed in pellets before and after mixing them with peatmoss (PM) during plant growth and flowering. Peatmoss was mixed with pellets at the ratio of 4 to 1 by volume. Leachates and leaf tissues were analyzed during plant culture. Pellets were grouped into treatments of (a) pellets with shredded or powdered forms of poultry feather keratin, (b) pellets containing polyactide as a substitution for perlite, and (c) pellets enriched with urea to evaluate if these pellets function as a slow-release fertilizer when mixed with PM. The number of days to anthesis was shorter in PM medium supplemented with P45-1, P45-2, and P84 than in other media. The number of branches, flowers, and fresh weight was greater in the media with P45-2 mixed in with PM and Osmocote (OS) application. Pellet45-2 is recommended as an inert material to prepare a new soilless growing medium. Pellets made from long fiber or long fiber plus powder forms of feather keratin did not affect growth and flowering. Low levels of soluble salts (EC) in the media and leachates 60 days after seedling transplantation suggested that additional fertilizer is required during culture. Inferior plant growth and flowering in the medium containing polylactide was not observed with Osmocote application during 60 days of growth. The feasibility of testing pellets enriched with urea (P73 Urea) as a source of slow release nitrogen should be considered carefully due to the high concentration of NH4-N in the media. Based on the growth and flowering responses and on the concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients in the media, leachates, and leaf tissue, P45-2 can be used to prepare a growing medium with PM. The suggested ranges compiled for general ornamental plants can be recommended for platycodon ‘Sentimental Blue’ based on concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients in growing media, leachates, and leaf tissue.

The roots of Platycodon grandiflorus are widely used as a crude drug. The active components include a variety of triterpenoid saponins. Recent studies have revealed that Cyt P450 monooxygenases (P450s) function as triterpene oxidases in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis in many plant species. However, there have been no reports regarding triterpene oxidases in P. grandiflorus. In this study, we performed transcriptome analysis of three different P. grandiflorus tissues (roots, leaves and petals) using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. We cloned six P450 genes that were highly expressed in roots, and classified them as belonging to the CYP716A, CYP716D and CYP72A subfamilies. We heterologously expressed these P450s in an engineered yeast strain that produces β-amyrin, one of the most common triterpenes in plants. Two of the CYP716A subfamily P450s catalyzed oxidation reactions of the β-amyrin skeleton. One of these P450s, CYP716A140v2, catalyzed a three-step oxidation reaction at C-28 on β-amyrin to produce oleanolic acid, a reaction performed by CYP716A subfamily P450s in a variety of plant species. The other P450, CYP716A141, catalyzed the hydroxylation of β-amyrin at C-16β. This reaction is unique among triterpene oxidases isolated to date. These results enhance our knowledge of functional variation among CYP716A subfamily enzymes involved in triterpenoid biosynthesis, and provide novel molecular tools for use in synthetic biology to produce triterpenoid saponins with pre-defined structures.

Conducting the researches on extraction, optimization, and biological activities of polysaccharides are of great meaning to the development of Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. resources. In the present study, the optimum extraction conditions of a low molecular weight polysaccharide (1.9 kDa) from Platycodon grandiflorus (LMw-PGP) were obtained by response surface methodology (RSM), which were ratio of water to raw material 21 mL/g, extraction temperature 80 °C, extraction time 4 h and extraction times 2. Under the optima schemes, the experimental yield of LMw-PGP was 12.15 ± 0.16 % (n = 3). Chemical constituent analysis suggested that the contents of total carbohydrate, protein and uronic acid in LMw-PGP were 94.88 %, 1.27 % and 1.45 %, respectively. Results of MTT assay and cell morphology indicated that LMw-PGP could inhibit the proliferation of SPC-A-1 cells. Additionally, the antioxidant results demonstrated that LMw-PGP had attractive antioxidant capacities, especially the scavenging activity on DPPH radical. Overall, these findings provide a theoretical basis for the potential application of LMw-PGP.

Endotoxin-induced acute liver injury is mediated by an excessive inflammatory response, hepatocellular oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Traditional medicinal plants have been used to treat various disorders. Platycodon grandifloras (PG) has been shown to be beneficial in relieving cough and asthma and to have anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic activities. The pharmacological action of PG is mainly due to saponins, flavonoids, phenolic, and other compounds. However, raw PG exhibits some side effects at high doses. Here, we extracted raw PG with varying fermentation methods and examined its anti-inflammatory effect and associated signaling kinases in Raw264.7 cells. Then, we investigated the effect of fermented black PG (FBPG) on endotoxin-induced liver injury. Mice were administered FBPG orally at 1 h before the lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine (LPS/GalN) injection and sacrificed after 5 h. Black PG (BPG) and FBPG showed a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and extracellular nitric oxide (NO), p-38 and ERK signaling was involved in reducing inducible NO synthase in Raw264.7 cells. Consistently, FBPG attenuates LPS/GalN-induced liver injury, plasma ALT and AST, hepatic necrosis, pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis, and lipid peroxidation were all reduced. In conclusion, PG extracts, particularly FBPG, play anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic roles, alleviating endotoxin-induced acute liver injury. Processing raw PG into FBPG extract may be clinically useful by improving the pharmacologically active ingredients and reducing the required dosage.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC., the sole species in genus Platycodon A. DC. (Campanulaceae) has a long history of use as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatments of cough, phlegm, sore throat, lung abscess, chest pain, dysuria, and dysentery. As a legal medicine and dietary supplement, it is also frequently used as an ingredient in health foods and vegetable dishes. The aim of this review is to provide up-to-date information on the botanical characterization and distribution, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of Platycodon grandiflorus based on literature published in recent years. It will build a foundation for further study of the mechanism of action and the development of better therapeutic agents and healthy products from Platycodon grandiflorus. Material and methods All of the available information on Platycodon grandiflorus was collected via electronic search (using PubMed, SciFinder Scholar, CNKI, TPL ( www.theplantlist.org ), Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science). Results A comprehensive analysis of the literature obtained through the above-mentioned sources confirmed that ethno-medical uses of Platycodon grandiflorus have been recorded in China, Japan, Mongolia, and Korea for thousands of years. A phytochemical investigation revealed that this product contains steroidal saponins, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, sterols, phenolics, and other bioactive compounds. Crude extracts and pure compounds isolated from Platycodon grandiflorus exhibited significant anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory effects. They also showed valuable bioactive effects, such as anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective and cardiovascular system effects, among others. Conclusions In light of its long traditional use and the modern phytochemical and pharmacological studies summarized here, Platycodon grandiflorus has been demonstrated to show a strong potential for therapeutic and health-maintaining uses. Both the extracts and chemical components isolated from the plant showed a wide range of biological activities. Thus, more studies on the pharmacological mechanisms of its main active compounds (e.g., platycodin D, D2) need to be conducted. In addition, as one of the most popular traditional herbal medicines, clinical studies of the main therapeutic aspects, toxicity and adverse effects of Platycodon grandiflorus will also undoubtedly be the focus of future investigation.

Platycodon grandiflorus is an important medicinal plant in China. Induction of polyploidy was successfully attempted in this medicinal plant using 0.05% colchicine semi-solid under 72 h by apical shoot tip treatment of young seedlings, and then 50% mutant plants were obtained. It was testified by the chromosome number in mitosis and its karyotype analysis for diploid control and obtained mutants. The results showed that the chromosome number of the diploid plant was 2n=2x=18, whereas the chromosome number of the obtained mutants was 2n=4x=36. The karyotype formula of mutant plant and diploid control were K=2n=4X=36=24m+12sm (4SAT) and K=2n=2X=18=12m+6sm (2SAT), respectively by karyotype analysis and they belonged to 2B and 2A karyotype. It was confirmed that the obtained mutant plants were tetraploid. Key words: Platycodon grandiflorus, Obtained mutants, karyotype analysis.

Platycodon grandiflorus is a widely used edible, traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is rich in saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and other compounds. It contains a large number of fatty acids such as linoleic acid (up to 63.24%), a variety of amino acids, vitamins, and multiple essential trace elements. P. grandiflorus has several biological applications, such as in hypotension, lipid reduction, atherosclerosis, inflammation, relieving cough and phlegm, promoting cholic acid secretion, and as an antioxidant. Further, P. grandiflorus is often used in the development of cold mixed vegetables, canned vegetables, preserved fruit, salted vegetables, and cosmetics in northeast China, South Korea, Japan, and Korea. In this paper, the active chemical components and the health benefits of P. grandiflorus have been reviewed, providing new ideas for the further development of nutraceutical products to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Platycodon grandiflorus is a plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, of which polysaccharides are reported to be the main components responsible for its bio-functions. In this work, the inulin-type fructan (PGF) was obtained by DEAE anion exchange chromatography from the water extracted from P. grandifloras. Characterization was performed with methanolysis, methylation, and NMR and the results showed that PGF is a &beta, (2-1) linked fructan, with terminal glucose and with a degree of polymerization of 2&ndash, 10. In order to study its biofunctions, the prebiotic and immunomodulation properties were assayed. We found that PGF exhibited good prebiotic activity, as shown by a promotion on six strains of lactobacillus proliferation. Additionally, the PGF also displayed direct immunomodulation on intestinal epithelial cells and stimulated the expressions of anti-inflammatory factors. These results indicated that the inulin from P. grandiflorus is a potential natural source of prebiotics as well as a potential intestinal immunomodulator, which will be valuable for further studies and new applications.

Polysaccharides were isolated from Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. (PG) and the effects of three polysaccharides (PGPS80, PGPS60, PGPSt) on their immunological activities were studied. The structure identification of PGPSs was assessed using physicochemical and spectral methods. Results showed that PGPSt(2.67×105Da) compared to PGPS80(1.01×105Da) and PGPS60(1.12×105Da) has relatively higher average molecular weight(Mw) at the first peak with a narrower molecular weight distribution and all consisted of glucose, mannose, arabinose, galactose, xylose and rhamnose in different mass percentages. PGPS80 and PGPSt linked mainly by 1,3-and 1,6-β-d-Galp residues. The immunological efficacy of PGPSs was performed on chicken peritoneal macrophages. Results showed that PGPSt significantly increased phagocytic rates, proliferation and NO production, stimulated macrophages to produce cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 as well as stimulated macrophages to express the maturation markers CD80 and CD86. These findings suggest that PGPSt exerted significant immunological activity and might be associated with special characters.

Solvent-free solid injection was applied to differentiate between wild and cultivated South Korean medicinal foods, including dureup (Aralia elata), deodeok (Codonopsis lanceolata) and doraji (Platycodon grandiflorus). A number of compounds were identified in wild and cultivated dureup (53 and 46), deodeok (47 and 51) and doraji (43 and 38). Secondary metabolites, including butanal,2-methyl-, β-caryophyllene, neoclovene, α-humulene, γ-curcumene, β-bisabolene, and phytol, were identified in dureup with significantly (P

Platycodon grandiflorus is an important medicinal plant in China and its root has been used as medicine or food for centuries. Polyploids are usually valuable because they exhibit increased biomass and contain effective medicinal compounds. Polyploidy induction was successfully achieved in this plant in a previous study by apical shoot tip treatment of young seedlings for 72 h using semi-solid 0.05% colchicine. Polyploidy was further confirmed by meiosis behavior of pollen mother cells in this study. The meiosis of diploid controls is regular, with normal chromosome pairing, and diploids were identified with 2n = 2x = 18 chromosomes at metaphaseI, nine bivalents at diakinesis and 9–9 separation at meiosis I, then differentiating into tetrads that subsequently give rise to mature pollen grains. Induced tetraploids were cytogenetically distinguished from diploids by the occurrence of 36 chromosomes at diakinesis with different combinations of univalents, bivalents, trivalents, quadrivalents, and multivalent...

Platycodon grandiflorus is an important medicinal plant in China and its root has been used as medicine or food for centuries. Polyploidy may increase the amounts of functional compounds in vegetative organs for medicinal plants. So polyploid manipulation for medicinal plants is an effective approach of germplasm development. This research focused on tetraploid induction of P. grandiflorus by modified colchicine method. The diploid seedlings were induced under three treatments (24h, 48h and 72h) to test the best treatment time. Morphology and cytology identifications between obtained mutants and diploid controls were also conducted. The seedling growth and development of all mutants was more stunted than controls. According to preliminary morphological characteristics, mutant rates in different treatment times were statistically estimated and the highest mutant rate was 50% under the treatment of 72h. The chromosome number of most mutants was 36 (2n=4x), while the chromosome number of diploid con...

In order to investigate the epigenetic variations between diploid and autotetraploid of Platycodon grandiflorus. The diploid buds of P. grandiflorus were soaked in the mixture of different concentration colchicines and 0.002 g•mL ⁻¹ dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)．The identification of autotetraploid plants were based on morphological characteristics, chromosome number and flow cytometry. And then the level and pattern of DNA methylation explored by using the technology of methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP)．The result demonstrated that the buds soaked in 0.2% colchicines and 0.002 g•mL ⁻¹ DMSO solution for 12 h was ideal conditions to induce autotetraploid of P. grandiflorus, with induction rate of 32.0%.The diploid and tetraploid plants existed distinctly differences in morphological indexes.Totally,1 586 bands were amplified by 20 pairs of selective primers, of which 764 and 822 bands were detected in diploid and autotetraploid respectively. The total methylation ratio,full methylation ratio and hemimethylated ratio were 91.25%,61.25% and 30.65% in diploid of P. grandiflorus,respectively.However,the total methylation ratio,full methylation ratio and hemimethylated ratio of autotetraploid of P. grandiflorus were 86.13%,54.38% and 31.75%, respectively. Compared with diploid, the genomic DNA total methylate ratio and full methylation ratio of autotetration plants decreased by 6.02% and 7.14%.But the hemimethylated ratio of autotetraploid was higher than that of diploid, which more than 1.6%. All this results indicated that DNA methylation patterns have adjusted during the polyploidy process．.

Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. (PG) has long been used as an ingredient of foods and is known to have beneficial effects on cognitive functions as well. The present study examined the effect of each PG extract (PGE) from root, aerial part, and seeds on cognitive functions in mice. Changes in spatial learning and memory using a Y-maze test, and markers of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptogenesis were examined. Moreover, changes in neuritogenesis and activation of the ERK1/2 pathway were investigated. Results indicated that mice administered PGE (root) showed increased spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test and synaptogenesis in the hippocampus. In addition, PGE (root) and platycodin D, the major bioactive compound from the PG root, significantly stimulated neuritic outgrowth by phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in vitro. These results indicate that the PGE (root), containing platycodin D, enhances cognitive function through synaptogenesis via activation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.