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Nitrogen fertilizer is the most frequently used fertilizer in the cultivation of medicinal plants, and has a significant contribution to their yields and quality. Yet, there is biased and excessive N application in medicinal crops. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the recommended N application concentrations for diverse medicinal species and disentangle the intricate relationships between soil fertility, N application rate (NAR), and the quality/yield of medicinal crops. We first characterized 179 medicinal species and 7 classes of phytometabolites therein, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, phenolics, alkaloids, etc., reported during the past three decades from the phylogenetic and spatial perspectives. The relationships between soil fertility, NAR, and medicinal crops were then subjected to statistical analyses. The pharmaco-phylogenetic and geographic distributions of NAR suggest that the impact of ecological/environmental factors on the N demand of medicinal plants was much greater than that of genetic endowments. We found that different medicinal species were distinct in N demand, which is related to soil fertility levels in different production areas. The NAR reported by China, 215.6 ± 18.6 kg/ha, was higher than that of other countries (152.2 ± 20.3 kg/ha; p = 0.023). Moderate N application generally increases the yield and phytometabolite content of medicinal crops, but excessive N application has the opposite effect. It is necessary to plan N concentration and formula fertilization on a case-by-case basis and with reference to empirical research. Our results provide baseline information and references for the rational application of N fertilizer in the precision agriculture of medicinal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present quality control method of Chinese medicinal materials (CMM) has obvious deficiency, which cannot be compatible with the multi-target and multi-component characteristics and production process of CMM. Plant metabolomics with a huge impetus to comprehensively characterize the metabolites and clarify the complexity and integrity of CMM, has been widely used in the research of CMM. This article comprehensively reviewed the application of plant metabolomics in the quality control of CMM. It introduced the concept, technique, and application examples, discussed the prospects, limitations, improvements of plant metabolomics. MS and NMR, as important techniques for plant metabolomics, are mainly highlighted in the case references. The purpose of this article is to clarify the advantage of plants metabolomics for promoting the optimization of the CMM quality control system and proposing a system approach to realize the overall quality control of CMM based on plant metabolomics combined with multidisciplinary method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ranunculaceae genus Anemone (order Ranunculales), comprising more than 150 species, mostly herbs, has long been used in folk medicine and worldwide ethnomedicine. Various medicinal compounds have been found in Anemone plants, especially triterpenoid saponins, some of which have shown anti-cancer activities. Some Anemone compounds and extracts display immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. More than 50 species have ethnopharmacological uses, which provide clues for modern drug discovery. Anemone compounds exert anticancer and other bioactivities via multiple pathways. However, a comprehensive review of the Anemone medicinal resources is lacking. We here summarize the ethnomedical knowledge and recent progress on the chemical and pharmacological diversity of Anemone medicinal plants, as well as the emerging molecular mechanisms and functions of these medicinal compounds. The phylogenetic relationships of Anemone species were reconstructed based on nuclear ITS and chloroplast markers. The molecular phylogeny is largely congruent with the morphology-based classification. Commonly used medicinal herbs are distributed in each subgenus and section, and chemical and biological studies of more unexplored taxa are warranted. Gene expression profiling and relevant “omics” platforms could reveal differential effects of phytometabolites. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics should be highlighted in deciphering novel therapeutic mechanisms and utilities of Anemone phytometabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With both a full collection of native vascular plant distributions and a full checklist of source plants of the Chinese Materia Medica (CMM), the Uygur Medicine (UM), and the Kazak Medicine (KM) for the Xinjiang region, we defined medicinal plant: vascular plant ratios (simplified as medicinal plant ratios hereafter) as the value of medicinal plant richness divided by vascular plant richness. We aimed to find whether the ratios are constant or change in different environments, which environmental variables determine medicinal plant ratios, and whether the ratios are more influenced by human or by natural environments. Finally, suggestions for medicinal plant conservation were addressed. We found that (1) medicinal plant ratios were not constant, and they were high in the Tarim Basin which was largely covered by desert, while they were relatively low in mountainous areas, especially in the Tianshan Mountains where the general species richness was high; (2) medicinal plant ratios were not significantly influenced by human activities, indicated by human population density distributions, but they were highly correlated with plant species richness and climate, i.e. ratios decreased with plant species richness and MAP, and were related quadratically with MAT; (3) CMM ratio and UM ratio were more influenced by plant richness than by climate, while KM ratio was more influenced by climate. We concluded that the percentages of plants used as medicines were not influenced by distances from human settlements, but were determined by species richness or climate. We suggest that (1), in general, the medicinal plant ratio could be a complementary indicator for medicinal plant conservation planning and (2), for the region of Xinjiang, not only high diversity areas, but also some extreme environments should be considered as compensation for a better protection of medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agilawood is a costly heartwood medicine obtained from Aquilaria sinensis with active ingredients mainly composed of volatile and semi-volatile substances. However, the formation time of agilawood is quite long and little is known about its formation mechanism. Two highly active fungi obtained from natural agilawood were inoculated on A. sinensis trees to understand their interaction processes and elucidate the transformation rules of induced chemical compositions within different test periods. The results demonstrated that the fungi could successfully colonize living tissues and cells and activate the host defense system, resulting in agilawood accumulation. With increasing time, the main components of A. sinensis converted into constituents or analogs of agilawood and the host exhibited 'self-injury' to prevent fungal intrusion and protect other tissues. The data presented here could provide scientific basis for producing agilawood with the two new fungi in a safe, feasible, and sustainable manner without destroying rare Aquilaria plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In China, over 40 species of the genus Salvia have been used as medicinal plants for various diseases, some for thousands of years. Recently, research has focused on the biological activities of Salvia medicinal plants used in traditional chinese medicine (TCM). However, to date a scientific survey of the genus Salvia in China has not been carried out. In this paper, we report the results of 10 field surveys of Salvia medicinal plants collected in 17 provinces including detailed information on their local names, growing environment, distribution and therapeutic effects. We also summarize the results of research on the materia medica, phytochemistry and pharmacology of some of the important Salvia medicinal plants. Our study reveals that 35 Salvia plants have been used in TCM in different regions of China, including 20 species used as Danshen to treat heart diseases, and 15 species used to treat a range of other conditions including gynecological diseases, muscular or skeletal problems, hepatitis, urological diseases, and mouth and eye conditions. It is clear that some species of Salvia L. possess significant pharmacological activity in the context of ethnopharmacological knowledge, especially in the treatment of heart disease. Further studies of the phytochemistry and pharmacology of Salvia species will no doubt improve their medical utilization and contribute to the development of new natural drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Clematis is a botanical source for various pharmaceutically active components, which has long been used in conventional medicine since the beginning of Chinese civilization. Increasing interest in Clematis medicinal resources has led to additional discoveries of triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids and many other compounds in various Clematis species, and to investigations on their chemotaxonomy, molecular phylogeny and pharmacology. In continuation with our studies on Clematis chemistry and biology, we review the chemistry, chemotaxonomy, molecular biology and phylogeny of Clematis and their relevance to drug efficacy and drug development. Various databases and technology have been used in literature search in order to characterize the global scientific effort. It is essential to study more species for both the sustainable utilization of Clematis medicinal resources and finding novel compounds with potential clinical utility. Systems biology and omics technologies will play an increasingly important role in future medicinal research involving bioactive compounds of Clematis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, and Cortex Moutan are important Chinese herbs. Their bioactivities and efficacies are similar. However, they have different superior benefits clinically; so, a comprehensive investigation of the chemical difference is necessary and is of great importance for more reasonable quality assessment and proper clinical application of these three herbal medicines. Objective: To establish a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint method for the quality control of Radix Paeonia Alba, Radix Paeonia Rubra, and Cortex Moutan, and to compare their main constituents. Materials and Methods: The separations of Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, and Cortex Moutan was carried out, respectively, through a gradient elution using a monolithic column and a mobile phase consisting of water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (containing 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 5.0 ml/min. The detection wavelength was set at 230 nm. The data calculation was performed with CHROMAP v1.51 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 18.0 software for principal component analysis. Results: A rapid separation method based on high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) with monolithic columns and a fingerprint analysis method was established. Fifteen Radix Paeonia Alba, 45 Radix Paeonia Rubra, and 21 Cortex Moutan samples were analyzed and 11 chromatographic peaks were identified. Differences of chromatographic peaks among these three herbal medicines in chemical compositions were revealed. Conclusion: The separation and analysis method are fast and simple, which can be used for chemical fingerprint comparison of Radix Paeonia Alba, Radix Paeonia Rubra, and Cortex Moutan. The results for the evaluation of the three medicines could provide experimental evidence for chemical affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxus mairei is a critically endangered and commercially important cultured medicinal gymnosperm in China and forms an important medicinal resource, but the research of its genome is absent. In this study, we constructed a T. mairei fosmid library and analyzed the fosmid end sequences to provide a preliminary assessment of the genome. The library consists of one million clones with an average insert size of about 39 kb, amounting to 3.9 genome equivalents. Fosmid stability assays indicate that T. mairei DNA was stable during propagation in the fosmid system. End sequencing of both 5′ and 3′ ends of 968 individual clones generated 1,923 sequences after trimming, with an average sequence length of 839 bp. BLASTN searches of the nr and EST databases of GenBank and BLASTX searches of the nr database resulted in 560 (29.1%) significant hits ( E < e). Repetitive sequences analysis revealed that 20.8% of end sequences are repetitive elements, which were composed of retroelements, DNA transposons, satellites, simple repeats, and low complexity sequences. The distribution pattern of various repeat types was found to be more similar to the gymnosperm Pinus and Picea than to the monocot and dicot. The satellites of T. mairei were significantly longer than those of P. taeda and P. glauca. The tetra-nucleotide repeats of T. mairei were much longer than those of P. glauca and P. taeda. The fosmid library and the fosmid end sequences, for the first time, will serve as a useful resource for large-scale genome sequencing, physical mapping, SSR marker development and positional cloning, and provide a better understanding of the Taxus genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medicinal plant is a main source of cancer drug development. Some of the cycloartane triterpenoids isolated from the aerial part of Cimicifuga dahurica showed cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines. It is of great interest to examine the antiproliferative activity and mechanisms of total triterpenoid glycosides of C. dahurica and therefore might eventually be useful in the prevention or treatment of Hepatoma.Methods: The total glycosides from the aerial part (TGA) was extracted and its cytotoxicity was evaluated in HepG2 cells and primary cultured normal mouse hepatocytes by an MTT assay. Morphology observation, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, cell cycle analysis and western blot were used to further elucidate the cytotoxic mechanism of TGA. Implanted mouse H22 hepatoma model was used to demonstrate the tumor growth inhibitory activity of TGA in vivo.Results: The IC50 values of TGA in HepG2 and primary cultured normal mouse hepatocytes were 21 and 105 mug/ml, respectively. TGA induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest at lower concentration (25 mug/ml), and triggered G2/M arrest and apoptosis at higher concentrations (50 and 100 mug/ml respectively). An increase in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was implicated in TGA-induced apoptosis. In addition, TGA inhibited the growth of the implanted mouse H22 tumor in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion: TGA may potentially find use as a new therapy for the treatment of hepatoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vine tea is a popular folk tea that has been consumed in China for more than 1200 years. It is often used in ethnic medicine by ethnic groups in southwest China with at least 35 aliases in 10 provinces. In coastal areas, vine tea is mostly used to treat heatstroke, aphtha, aphonia, toothache, etc. In contrast, in the southwest inland regions, vine tea is mostly used to clear away heat and toxic materials, antiphlogosis and relieving sore-throat, lowering blood pressure and lipid levels, and alleviating fatigue. Three main species have been used as the source of vine tea, Nekemias grossedentata , Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla. Among them, the leaves of Nekemias grossedentata were considered as new food resource in complicance with regulations, according to the Food Safety Standards published by the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the National Health and Family Planning Commission in China. At present, the comprehensively summary of Materia Medica on the history and source of vine tea is currently unavailable. The current article summed up the Materia Medica, species origin and pharmacological effects of all 3 major species used in vine tea to fill the knowledge gaps. We also aim to provide a reference for future research on historical textual, resource development and medicinal utilization of vine tea. Adhering to the literature screening methodology outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), this review encompasses 148 scholarly research papers from three database, paper ancient books, local chronicles and folklore through field investigations. We then comprehensively summarized and discussed research progresses in scientific and application studies of vine tea. The historical records indicated that vine tea could have been used as early as Southern and Northern Dynasties (AC 420–589). Nekemias grossedentata , Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla , were used to considered as vine tea in the ethnic medicine. The main phytochemicals found in three plants are flavonoids, polyphenols and terpenoids, among which dihydromyricetin (DHM) is the most important and most studied active substance. The key words " Ampelopsis grossedentata " (Synonym of Nekemias grossedentata) and "dihydromyricetin/DHM" showed the highest frequency over the last 27 year based on the research trend analysis. And the ethnopharmacology studies drawn the main activities of vine tea are antioxidant, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and anti-atherosclerosis activities. This review systematically summarized and discussed vine tea from the following five aspects, history, genetic relationship, phytochemistry, research trend and ethnopharmacology. Vine tea has a long historical usage in Chinese ethnic medicine. Its outstanding therapeutic efficacies have attracted extensive attention in other places in the world at present. Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla are quite similar to Nekemias grossedentata in terms of many aspects. However, the current research has a narrow focus on mainly Nekemias grossedentata and DHM. We propose that future studies could be carried out to determine the synergistic effect of multi-components and multi-targets of vine tea including all 3 species to provide valuable knowledge. [Display omitted] • Vine tea, renowned in China, exhibits an array of pharmacological effects. • Dihydromyricetin (DHM), abundant in vine tea, is a key focus of scientific research. • N. cantonensis, N. megalophylla , and N. grossedentata are identified as vine tea sources. • Promising results in DHM clinical trials warrant further robust investigations. • Future research opportunities lie in the exploration of other bioactive components in vine tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Codonopsis Radix is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, and has the effect of strengthening spleen and tonifying lung, nourishing blood and engendering liquid. In addition, it is also used as important food materials. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to explain the underlying correlations between chemical constituents and pharmacological effects and explore the bioactive markers of Codonopsis Radix. Materials and methods Codonopsis Radix samples from Min county, Gansu province processed with different methods were taken as the materials, UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis was conducted to identify the compounds and establish UPLC fingerprint. Meanwhile, hematopoietic and immunologic functions of Codonopsis Radix were investigated to obtain relevant pharmacological index. Then, the correlation analysis between chemical constituents in UPLC fingerprints and pharmacological effects was carried out. The plant name was confirmed to the database "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org). Results According to the results of canonical correlation analysis, tryptophan, syringin, tangshenoside I, codonopyrrolidium A, lobetyolin and two unknown compounds might be the potential bioactive markers related to the hematopoietic and immunologic functions of Codonopsis Radix, which could be recommended as the index compounds. Conclusion This study illustrated the underlying correlations between chemical constituents and pharmacological effects, explored the pharmacological material basis, and could lay a foundation for the improvement of quality standard of Codonopsis Radix. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing the agriculture of Chinese materia medica (CMM) is an effective way to meet the market demand and conserve wild medicinal plant resources. However, blind introduction and homogeneous competition have hindered the sustainable development of CMM agriculture. To address this issue, the commonly used medicinal plants were ranked based on their frequency of clinical usage, geographical distribution range, economic value, and threatened status to set development priorities. Using 283,191 records of suitable producing regions, a county-level planting plan for 710 medicinal species in China were provided based on their development priority index. This study found that cultivating approximately four species per county and planting every species in 19 counties would be optimal. The proposed production regionalization for the commonly used medicinal plants in China can not only avoid blind introduction and homogeneous competition, but also (1) facilitate the large-scale production of CMM plants and reduce production costs, (2) help control the concentration of effective components in CMM raw materials, and (3) alleviate the imbalance between supply and demand in the market. The innovative approach of this study could also be applicable to other industrial crops and economic plants worldwide. [Display omitted] • The development priority for commonly used medicinal plants was assessed. • Innovative approach for production regionalization was applied to medicinal plants. • Circa four species per county and planting every species in 19 counties was suggested as the optimal plan. • Botanical big data boost the sustainable development of Chinese material medica agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance The genus Polygonatum (Asparagaceae) comprises 71 species distributed throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The medicinal plants of Polygonatum have been traditionally used as tonics in China, India, Pakistan, Iran and Japan, and have been demonstrated to be highly effective in clinical practice for treating age-related diseases, diabetes, lung diseases, fatigue, feebleness and indigestion. Aim of the review This paper aims to provide the links among traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and toxicity to support their therapeutic potential and uncover opportunities for future research. Materials and methods The relevant information on the genus Polygonatum was gathered from scientific databases (Google Scholar, Web of Science, SciFinder, ScienceDirect, ACS Publications, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, CNKI). Information was also obtained from online databases, books, Ph.D. dissertations and M.Sc. theses. The literature cited in this review dates from 1917 to June 2017. Results At least 37 species and 1 variety of Polygonatum plants have been used as traditional medicine and functional food. The major chemical constituents of Polygonatum plants are steroidal saponins, triterpenoid saponins, homoisoflavanones, polysaccharides and lectins. A putative biosynthetic pathway of steroidal saponins and triterpenoid saponins has been established based on the compounds isolated from Polygonatum plants. The crude extracts and certain pure compounds from Polygonatum plants have shown a wide range of pharmacological effects such as anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-fatigue, and anticancer effects. The rhizomes of Polygonatum plants have a low degree of toxicity after processing. Conclusions Based on this review, some traditional uses of Polygonatum species have been confirmed by pharmacological studies, such as its anti-osteoporosis, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic and anti-fatigue effects. Most of the pharmacological effects of this genus can be attributed to its polysaccharides, saponins and lectins. However, to clarify the chemical differences that lead to the different traditional uses between “Huangjing” (derived from P. sibiricum , P. kingianum , P. cyrtonema ) and “Yuzhu” (derived from P. odoratum ), a systematic comparison of the small molecule compositions and polysaccharides of these four species is needed. In addition to these four species, other locally used medicinal Polygonatum species should be the subject of research, and the chemical and pharmacological relationships of these species should be investigated to expand the medicinal resources and standardize the use of Polygonatum species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Bupleurum (family Apiaceae), comprising approximately 248 accepted species, is widely distributed and used in China, Japan, India, Central Asia, North Africa and some European countries as traditional herbal medicines. Certain species have been reported to have significant therapeutic effects in fever, inflammatory disorders, cancer, gastric ulcer, virus infection and other diseases. we performed a comprehensive review of the ten-year research progress in phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, along with bibliometrics research of the genus Bupleurum, aiming to identify knowledge gaps for future research. All the literatures are retrieved from library and electronic sources including Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, CNKI and Baidu Scholar. These papers cover studies of the traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of the genus Bupleurum. There is a long history of using the genus Bupleurum in traditional herbal medicine that dated back to over 2000 years ago. Twenty-five species and 8 varieties with 3 variants within this genus have been reported to be effective to treat fever, pain, liver disease, inflammation, thoracolumbar pain, irregular menstruation and rectal prolapse. The main phytochemicals found in these plants are triterpene saponins, volatile oil, flavonoid, lignans, and polysaccharides. Many of these compounds have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, immunoregulation, neuroregulation, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic activities. Meanwhile, improper usage of Bupleurum may induce cytotoxic effects, and polyacetylenes may be the main poisonous compounds. This article summarized recent findings about Bupleurum research from many different aspects. While a small number of Bupleurum species have been investigated through modern pharmacology methods, there are still major knowledge gaps due to inadequate studies and ambiguous findings. Future research could focus on more specific phytochemistry studies combined with mechanistic analysis to provide better guidance to utilize Bupleurum as medicinal resources. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance The genus Acer (Aceraceae), commonly known as maple, comprises approximately 129 species that primarily grow in the northern hemisphere, especially in the temperate regions of East Asia, eastern North America, and Europe. These plants have been traditionally used to treat a wide range of diseases in East Asia and North America. Moreover, clinical studies have shown that medicinal plants belonging to Acer are highly effective in the treatment of rheumatism, bruises, hepatic disorders, eye disease, and pain, and in detoxification. This review provides a systematic and constructive overview of the traditional uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of plants of the genus Acer . Material and methods This review is based on a literature study of scientific journals and books from libraries and electronic sources such as SciFinder, ScienceDirect, Springer, PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science. The literature in this review related to chemical constituents and pharmacological activities dates from 1922 to the end of October 2015. Furthermore, ethnopharmacological information on this genus was obtained from libraries and herbaria in China and USA. Results In traditional medicine, 40 species, 11 subspecies, and one varieta of the genus Acer are known to exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities. To date, 331 compounds have been identified from 34 species of the genus Acer , including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, diarylheptanoids, terpenoids, benzoic acid derivatives, and several other types of compounds, such as phenylethanoid glycosides and alkaloids. Preliminary pharmacological studies have shown that the extracts and compounds isolated from this genus exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities such as antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and antiobesity activities, as well as promoting osteoblast differentiation. To date, reports on the toxicity of Acer species to humans are very limited, and the major safety concern of these plants is in the veterinary field. Conclusions Based on our systematic review, Acer species can be used to treat rheumatism, hepatic disorders, eye disease, pain, etc. effectively. Some indications from ethnomedicine have been validated by pharmacological activities, such as the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of the species. The available literature showed that most of the activities of these species can be attributed to flavonoids and tannins. To ensure the safety and efficacy in clinical practice in the future, studies identifying active molecules and clarifying their pharmacological mechanisms as well as toxicity are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Medicinal vines listed in Chinese pharmacopoeia possess important medicinal efficacy in traditional Chinese medicines. Aim of the study: The ITS2 region, which has several characteristics that make it a valuable DNA barcode, was studied to discriminate the stems of medicinal vines to confirm their identities and ensure their safe application in pharmaceuticals by using complementary discrimination methods. Materials and methods: Complementary discrimination methods were performed on two datasets, including 393 samples of 170 species from 22 genera 13 families, which belonged to medicinal vines and their adulterants. Based on the primary ITS2 sequences, three main discrimination methods (phylogenetic tree, the nearest distance, and BLAST 1) were adopted to identify species. Moreover, we applied both two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) structures of ITS2 to differentiate species. Results: ITS2 performed well, with over 95.0% of species and 100% of genera being correctly differentiated for the two datasets. All results showed that the ITS2 region unveiled a remarkable ability to identify closely related species within different families and genera. Conclusion: Our findings supported that the ITS2 region was an efficient marker for authentication of medicinal vines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two new spirobenzofuranoid dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, kadsulignans O (1) and P (2) were isolated from the stems of Kadsura oblongifolia, together with five known same type lignans, kadsulignans C (3), E (4), F (5), G (6), and heteroclitin J (7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidences and comparisons with literatures. Compounds 3–7 were isolated from this plant for the first time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plants are a dominant source of pharmacological drugs for the treatment and cure of different disorders and diseases. However, selecting the most biologically active plant species for further screening is still challenging. Phylogeny has strong explanatory powers and provides predictive perspectives that are not available in traditional plant classifications. China, which is endowed with a diverse set of therapeutic cures from Mother Nature, represents an ideal environment for the phylogenetic analysis of potential medicinal plants. Herein, we prepared a database of 7,451 traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) plants, including species with therapeutic effects grouped in 14 categories. To limit our exploration of novel therapeutic species, we plotted the medicinal effects on the phylogenetic tree of almost 30,000 species of China to find hot nodes of therapeutic effects. We used the net relatedness index (NRI) and the nearest taxon index (NTI) to identify clustering and overdispersion of the phylogenetic distribution of TCM plants. The NRI and NTI analyses highlighted 3,392 hot node species with single therapeutic effects within 507 genera and 89 families on the phylogenetic tree and about 70% of the 14 medicinal categories clusters identified. The general pattern of the hot nodes on the phylogenetic tree indicates that basal angiosperms and basal eudicots radiated for therapeutic effects. Our study may provide a more targeted way to discover phylogeny-guided drugs in the early screening stage, which may lead to a higher discovery efficiency of new drugs with meaningful biological activities. Phylogenetic studies of plants that are richer in bioactive compounds can set the ground for the identification and discovery of alternative drugs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The starches separated from five different medicinal plants-Fritillaria (Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., Fritillaria ussurensis Maxim., Fritillaria pallidifloca Schrenk, Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don and F. hupehensis Hsiao et K.C. Hsia) were investigated for morphological, thermal, crystal, swelling power, solubility and water-binding capacity properties. The thunbergii F. and ussurensis F. starches had a granule size ranging between 5 and 30μm and the shape of the granules was oval and elliptic, while the other Fritillaria starches had the granule size from 5 to 40μm and the granule shape varied from oval to irregular or cuboidal. The transition temperatures and enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH gel) were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Cirrhosa F. starch showed the highest ΔH gel values (9.18J/g) while hupehensis F. starch showed the lowest values (5.90J/g). All Fritillaria starches showed a typical B-type pattern with the degree of crystallinity of between 43.8% and 52.3%. Cirrhosa F. starch had the highest swelling power and the lowest solubility while the values for hupehensis F. starch were contrary. Hupehensis F. starch showed the highest water binding capacity and it was the lowest for pallidifloca F. starch. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fritillaria, an important medicinal plant, are widely utilized in the pharmaceutical industry. The bulbs of Fritillaria contain plenty of starches which have been ignored and wasted during the isolation and separation of the small-molecule bioactive ingredients. With the development of food and medicine industry, new starches with different properties have been paid more and more attention. The object of this work is to study the basic physicochemical properties of starch contained in the Fritillaria bulbs. The results revealed that the crystal type of the three Fritillaria starches was the characteristic B-type which was in agreement with the crystal type of potato starch. The results of scanning electron microscope showed that the size of the Fritillaria thunbergii and Fritillaria ussurensis starch granules ranged from 5 to 30μm, while the Fritillaria pallidifloca starch granules ranged from 5 to 40μm. The shape of the three Fritillaria starches was also different from each other. The starch separated from F. ussurensis showed the highest enthalpies of gelatinization (ΔH gel) and the lowest transition temperature (T o, T p, and T c), while the starch from F. thunbergii showed the highest transition temperature, peak height indices (PHI) and the lowest gelatinization temperature range (R). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For over one millennium, goji berries have been used traditionally as food and medicine in eastern Asia. In recent decades, it has become increasingly popular globally. However, the biocultural development of goji is poorly known. The botanical origin of goji is controversial: in many but not all modern regional or international quality standards, L. barbarum is accepted exclusively as the botanical origin of goji. Focusing on historical, biogeographical, botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological data, the overarching aim is to understand the biological origin of goji's historical uses, as well as whether the two species can be used interchangeably. The taxonomic literature on L. barbarum and L. chinense were analysed, followed by a study of botanical specimens and fieldwork. Historical herbals and gazetteers were employed to define the historical producing areas and medical properties of goji. An identification of the species used in history was carried out. In a final step the phytochemical and pharmacological literature on the species was compared. Due to their morphological similarity and different accessibility, fruits of both L. barbarum and L. chinense have been used interchangeably as food and medicine at least since 682 CE. While the fruit of L. barbarum was recognized to be superior in quality, the fruit of L. chinense was commonly used as an equivalent because of its easier accessibility. Cultivation of L. barbarum in China since 1960s improved its availability, which likely lead to its exclusive use as source of goji in China. The long-term safe use with no reported major safety concerns supports that these two species both are useful sources for medicinal Lycium. Medicinal plants had been used traditionally long before they were named in scientific nomenclature system. Therefore, the understanding of traditional herbal knowledge and the adequate use of those traditional medicines require a reliable identification based on archival records. This study developed an approach for the identification of species used historically, with an integrated analysis of specimens, historical herbals, and national gazetteers. Additionally, their different chemical profiles and pharmacological activities indicate that they should not be used interchangeably. Further scientific evidence is required for their safe and effective use. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. (family Asteraceae) is an important traditional medicine in North America, Europe, and Asia for quite a long historical period, which has received great attention due to its health-benefiting activities, including disinfection, treatment sexual infection, diarrhoea, acute and chronic dysentery, red-eye swelling as well as pain, heat, thirst, hypertension, palpitation, gastrointestinal discomfort, and loss of appetite. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the current phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of C. tinctoria , and reveals the correlation among its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological profile, and potential toxicity. This review is based on published studies and books from electronic sources and library, including the online ethnobotanical database, ethnobotanical monographs, Scopus, SciFinder, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, and PubMed. These reports are related to the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of C. tinctoria. Coreopsis tinctoria is traditionally used in diarrhoea, infection, and chronic metabolic diseases. From 1954 to now, more than 120 chemical constituents have been identified from C. tinctoria , such as flavonoids, polyacetylenes, polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, and volatile oils. Flavonoids are the major bioactive components in C. tinctoria. Current research has shown that its extracts and compounds possess diverse biological and pharmacological activities such as antidiabetes, anti-cardiovascular diseases, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, protective effects on organs, neuroprotective effects, antimicrobial, and antineoplastic. Studies in animal models, including acute toxicity, long-term toxicity, and genotoxicity have demonstrated that Snow Chrysanthemum is a non-toxic herb, especially for its water-soluble parts. Recent findings regarding the main phytochemical and pharmacological properties of C. tinctorial have confirmed its traditional uses in anti-infection and treatment of chronic metabolic disease and, more importantly, have revealed the plant as a valuable medicinal plant resource for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. The available reports indicated that most of the bioactivities in C. tinctorial could be attributed to flavonoids. However, higher quality studies on animals and humans studies are required to explore the efficacy and mechanism of action of C. tinctoria in future. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scutellaria (Lamiaceae), which includes approximately 360–469 accepted species, is widespread in Europe, North America, East Asia, and South America. Several species have a long history being used as traditional medicines to treat respiratory, peptic, neurological, and hepatic and gall diseases. The phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Scutellaria have been developed dramatically in the past ten years, and the traditional uses and clinical studies of the genus have not been systematically summarized. Therefore, it is especially valuable to review the current state of knowledge to provide a basis for further exploration of its medicinal potential. The review aims to provide updated information on the ethnopharmacology, the ten-year research progress of phytochemistry and pharmacology, and clinical studies of Scutellaria and to explore the potential medicinal values and further studies of Scutellaria. This review is based on published studies and books from the library and electronic sources, including SciFinder, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, the online ethnobotanical database, and ethnobotanical monographs. This literature is related to ethnopharmacology, the ten-year research progress on the phytochemistry and pharmacology, and clinical studies of Scutellaria. A total of 50 species, 5 subspecies and 17 varieties of the genus Scutellaria are used as traditional medicine with various biological activities. In the past ten years, 208 chemical constituents have been identified from 16 species and 1 variety of the genus Scutellaria , such as neo-clerodane diterpenoids, sesterterpenoids, terpenoids, flavonoids. Pharmacological research has demonstrated that the extracts and compounds identified from this genus exhibit extensive biological activities, including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial activities, effects on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases as well as hepatoprotective and neuroprotective effects. The species S. baicalensis, S. barbata , and S. lateriflora and the main compounds baicalein, baicalin and wogonin are involved in clinical trials, which point the way for us to conduct further studies, such as study on the anticancer, antihypertensive, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and other effects of Scutellaria. The species included in the genus Scutellaria can be used to treat cancer, infection, hepatic disorders, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and other diseases. Some indications in traditional medicines have been confirmed by modern pharmacological studies, such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-infective activity, and hepatoprotective and neuroprotective effects. The available literature indicated that most of the bioactivities could be attributed to flavonoids and neo-clerodane diterpenoids. Although there are some uses of Scutellaria in clinical practice, the existing research on this genus is still limited. In order to expand the development of medicinal resources of Scutellaria , the already studied species in this genus are recommended for more comprehensive investigation on their active substances, pharmacological mechanisms, quality control, clinical use and new drug research. Additionally, it is necessary to study species that their chemical composition or pharmacological activity have not yet been investigated, especially those used in folk medicine. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Dichocarpum is endemic to East Asia, and many of them are traditionally used folk medicine in China. Dichocarpum auriculatum (Franch.) W. T. Wang et P. K. Hsiao has the effect of clearing away heat, removing toxicity, and relieving swelling in southwestern China. Intriguingly, its root and whole herb also used as remedy for the neurological disease epilepsy. However, there are not any scientific reports on the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of D. auriculatum. Traditional and folk medicinal knowledge would be useful for finding new pharmaceutical resources. There are many evidences over the years reported that an interaction probably exists between epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of the study was to investigate the potential AChE inhibitors and the phytochemical profiles of the specie D. auriculatum. The AChE inhibitory activity of plant extracts of D. auriculatum and other 6 species from different regions of the genus Dichocarpum were evaluated in vitro assays and the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique was used to analyze the chemical constituents. Moreover, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS was used to determine the distribution of 12 standard compounds in samples. As a preferred source of potential acetylcholinesterase inhibitors of the genus Dichocarpum , D. auriculatum has been further investigated. The screening results show that the ability of root extracts from D. auriculatum (IC 50 = 0.15 mg·mL-1) to inhibit AChE was better than other samples, it is consistent with traditional medicinal records. The phytochemical constituents of D. auriculatum was surveyed firstly by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis, and 36 compounds, including 14 alkaloids, 16 flavonoids, 6 others, were identified tentatively. Further experiments showed that five compounds (columbamine, palmatine, dauricine, jatrorrhizine and berberine) from D. auriculatum were confirmed the potential inhibition of AChE activity in vitro (IC 50 : 0.24–6.37 μM) and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS results showed that the content of most active compounds in roots was much higher than in aerial parts. Palmatine (IC 50 = 0.34 μM) and columbamine (IC 50 = 0.24 μM) showed prominent AChE inhibitory activity among the tested compounds. This is the first report about the evaluation of AChE inhibitory activity and phytochemical profiles of D. auriculatum , led to the identification of 36 compounds including alkaloids and flavonoids, and five alkaloids exhibited a significant AChE inhibitory activity and had the potential as AChE inhibitors. This study provided scientific experimental basis for the traditional efficacy of neurological disease of the plant. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]