[Study on optimal harvesting period and rational medicinal parts of Zanthoxylum nitidum based on statistics of main effective components].

To determine the optimal harvesting period and rational medicinal parts of Zanthoxylum nitidum, the main effective components of cultivated Z. nitidum samples, which originate from various growth years, harvesting months, and different parts were analyzed and compared with the wild samples. HPLC was performed on a Kinetex C18 column(4. 6 mm×100 mm, 2. 6 µm) with the gradient elution of 0. 3% phosphoric acid solution-acetonitrile(80 ∶ 20) containing 0. 2% triethylamine. The flow rate was 1. 0 m L·min-1, and the detection wavelength was 273 nm. The column temperature was 30 ℃. Nitidine chloride and chelerythrine, the main effective components, were determined as the markers. The results showed there was no significant difference in the contents of the main effective components among the roots of wild and cultivated Z. nitidum, as well as the roots and roots + stems of cultivated Z. nitidum. The statistical results of HCA and PCA indicated that the roots and stems could be clearly distinguished, but no distinction could be made between wild and cultivated products, which was consistent with the results of the significance analysis. The total contents of nitidine chloride and chelerythrine in roots and stems of Z. nitidum of 1-6 years old were 0. 114%-0. 256% and 0. 030%-0. 133%, respectively. These results suggested a positive correlation between the content of the main effective components and the growth years. No significant difference was observed between the contents of samples harvested in different seasons, indicating that the harvest season had no effect on the content of the main effective components of the Z. nitidum samples. The total contents of nitidine chloride and chelerythrine of the dried Z. nitidum samples(excluding branches) from three plantation bases were 0. 308%±0. 123% in Yunfu, 0. 192%±0. 025% in Maoming, and 0. 197%±0. 052% in Nanning, respectively, and they were all not less than 0. 15%, or in other words, the roots(including fibrous roots, taproots, and underground stems) and stems(aboveground stems) of Z. nitidum transplanted for more than 2. 5 years can meet the medical requirements. This study demonstrates that the cultivated Z. nitidum could be used as a valid substitute for the wild Z. nitidum, which provides a guarantee for the sustainable development and the application of Z. nitidum resources. The stems and roots could be considered medicinal parts of Z. nitidum. It is recommended to revise the medicinal parts of Z. nitidum to dried roots and stems in the next edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the medicinal parts can be harvested all year round. In order to ensure the content of effective components and clinical effectiveness, the root and stem should be harvested for medical use after the seedlings of Z. nitidum have been transplanted for more than three years.

[Textual research of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica].

Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are well-known Chinese herbal medicines for wind dispersing and exterior releasing. Through textual research on Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica, the discrimination of their medicinal parts in history was clarified, and the processing, the property(nature and flavor), meridian tropism, functions, indications, usage, dosage, and the selection of decoction pieces were compared to provide the basis for clinical application. As a result, the whole herb of Schizonepeta tenuifolia was used as medicine in the early records. The aerial part and the dried spike of S. tenuifolia were used as medicines separately in the Song Dynasty, which was recorded in the Atlas of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Tu Jing). Some ancient classics emphasized that only the dried spike could be used as medicine. The separation of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica meets the different needs of clinical medication and supports the concept of rational development and utilization of Chinese medicine resources. About ten processing methods for Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica have been recorded since ancient times, and raw and charred drugs were the major products. Raw Schizonepetae Herba is required to be used in sections, whereas raw Schizonepetae Spica in clean preparation. Both charred products should avoid scorching. Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are similar in the property(pungent, bitter, and warm), meridian tropism(lung and liver meridians, as well as qi and blood aspects), and functions(releasing exterior, dispersing wind, regulating and stopping blood, promoting eruption, dispelling sores, promoting digestion, eliminating alcohol effect, etc.), but Schizonepetae Spica is superior in efficacy. For Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica in traditional Chinese medicinal prescriptions, the raw and charred products are similar in usage and dosage, while their focuses in clinical compatibility vary. The raw and charred products of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are widely applied clinically. Decoction pieces of different specifications can result in different efficacies and clinical applications, so medication should be performed with caution.

Simultaneous quantitative analysis of nine constituents in six Chinese medicinal materials from Citrus genus by high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry combined with chemometric methods.

In this study, we aim to determine the chemical constituents of six Chinese medicinal materials from the Citrus genus using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Eight flavonoids and one coumarin were identified and further quantified as marker substances by high-performance liquid chromatography method. The separation was performed on an Agilent TC-C18 column with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient elution. The analytical method was fully validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, intra- and inter-day precision and repeatability, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, and recovery. It was subsequently applied to evaluate the quality of 103 batches of the Chinese medicinal materials from the Citrus genus. In addition, the principal constituent analysis was used to compare the samples of different species from the Citrus genus leading to successful classification of the samples in accordance with their origins. It was found that the contents of nine constituents varied greatly in different ripening stages and varieties of the samples from the Citrus genus. In addition, neoeriocitrin and 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin were determined as two unique constituents of 'Zhiqiao' and 'Foshou', respectively. In conclusion, this study provides a chemical basis for quality control of Chinese medicinal materials from the Citrus genus.

[Recent advances on genuineness evaluation of Lingnan herbal drugs].

Chinese medicine is the traditional treasure of China nation. As the basis of Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) plays an important part for the development of Chinese medicine. Genuine medicinal materials with special characteristics of TCM growing in special ecological environment, is recognized as the high quality medicine. Research on genuineness evaluation of TCM is the key to ensure its clinical applications, efficacy and the process of modernization and internationalization for Chinese medicine. Lingnan region of China is situated in the tropical and subtropical zones, where there are rich geothermal and hydrothermal resources. The superior natural and geographic environment of Lingnan has given birth to a variety of native herbal drugs. And treating and preventing diseases with Lingnan herbal drugs has a long story. This study mainly evaluated the genuineness of Lingnan herbal drugs from the aspects of ecological factor, thegenetic information, the history, the culture, the clinical efficacy and the processing, and proposed a new idea to investigate the genuineness of TCM, aiming to provide a scientific basis for genuineness evaluation.