A strategy to distinguish similar traditional Chinese medicines by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic senses, and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry: Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis and Paederiae scandens Caulis as examples.

INTRODUCTION: Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis (MTC), a popular traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of tumor diseases. Paederiae scandens Caulis (PSC), which is similar in appearance to MTC, is a common counterfeit product. It is difficult for traditional methods to effectively distinguish between MTC and PSC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid and accurate method to identify MTC and PSC. OBJECTIVES: The aim is to distinguish between MTC and PSC by analyzing the differences in nonvolatile organic compounds (NVOCs), taste, odor, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). METHODS: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized to analyze the NVOCs of MTC and PSC. Electronic tongue (E-tongue) and electronic nose (E-nose) were used to analyze their taste and odor respectively. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was applied to analyze VOCs. Finally, multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to further investigate the differences between MTC and PSC, including principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, discriminant factor analysis, and soft independent modeling of class analysis. RESULTS: The results of this study indicate that the integrated strategy of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis can be effectively applied to distinguish between MTC and PSC. Using LC-MS, 25 NVOCs were identified in MTC, while 18 NVOCs were identified in PSC. The major compounds in MTC are steroids, while the major compounds in PSC are iridoid glycosides. Similarly, the distinct taste difference between MTC and PSC was precisely revealed by the E-tongue. Specifically, the pronounced bitterness in PSC was proven to stem from iridoid glycosides, whereas the bitterness evident in MTC was intimately tied to steroids. The E-nose detected eight odor components in MTC and six in PSC, respectively. The subsequent statistical analysis uncovered notable differences in their odor profiles. GC-IMS provided a visual representation of the differences in VOCs between MTC and PSC. The results indicated a relatively high relative content of 82 VOCs in MTC, contrasted with 32 VOCs exhibiting a similarly high relative content in PSC. CONCLUSION: In this study, for the first time, the combined use of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis has proven to be an effective method for distinguishing between MTC and PSC from multiple perspectives. This approach provides a valuable reference for the identification of other visually similar traditional Chinese medicines.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals variation in the metabolites and genes of Platycodon grandiflorus roots from different regions.

INTRODUCTION: Platycodon grandiflorum root (PG), a popular traditional Chinese medicine, contains considerable chemical components with broad pharmacological activities. The complexity and diversity of the chemical components of PG from different origins contribute to its broad biological activities. The quality of southern PG is superior to that of northern PG, but the mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: In order to study variation in the differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), differentially expressed genes (DEGs), as well as their interactions and signalling pathways among PG from Anhui and Liaoning. METHODS: The metabolomes based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and the transcriptome based on high-throughput sequencing technology were combined to comprehensively analyse PGn and PGb. RESULTS: A total of 6515 DEGs and 83 DAMs from the comparison of PG from Anhui and Liaoning were detected. Integrated analysis of metabolomic and transcriptomic data revealed that 215 DEGs and 57 DAMs were significantly enriched in 48 pathways according to KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, and 15 DEGs and 10 DAMs significantly enriched in the main pathway sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis might play a key role in complex response or regulatory processes. CONCLUSION: Differences in PG from southern and northern China might thus stem from differences in environmental factors, such as precipitation, light duration, and humidity. The results of our study provide new insight into geographic variation in gene expression and metabolite accumulation and will enhance the utilisation of PG resources.

[Comparison of chloroplast genomes of medicinal plants in Aristolochiaceae].

In this study, the chloroplast genome of Asarum sieboldii f. seoulense was sequenced, analyzed, and compared with chloroplast genomes of other medicinal plants in Aristolochiaceae downloaded from GenBank, aiming to clarify the characteristics of the chloroplast genome of A. sieboldii f. seoulense and the differences in chloroplast genome among medicinal plants of Aristolochiaceae. To be specific, the chloroplast genome of A. sieboldii f. seoulense was sequenced and assembled by high-throughput sequencing, and the general characteristics, repeats, inverted repeat(IR) boundary, and phylogenetic relationship of the chloroplast genomes of 11 medicinal species in Aristolochiaceae were analyzed with REPuter. The result showed that the genome of A. sieboldii f. seoulense was 167 293 bp, with large single-copy(LSC) region of 89 840 bp, small single-copy(SSC) region of 21 415 bp, IR region of 28 019 bp, and GC content of 37.9%. A total of 133 genes were annotated, including 89 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The chloroplast genomes of the 11 medicinal species were 159 308-167 293 bp, with 130-134 genes annotated. Forward(F), reverse(R), complement(C), and palindromic(P) long repeats and simple sequence repeat(SSR) were found in the chloroplast genomes of five species. Among them, A. sieboldii f. seoulense had six types of SSR. In the phylogenetic tree, A. sieboldii f. seoulense and A. heterotropoides were in the same clade. The result is expected to lay a basis for the classification, identification, and phylogeny of medicinal plants in Aristolochiaceae.

Effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A on rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) possesses several medicinal properties. However, it is unknown whether HSYA is effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Hence, we investigated the effects of HSYA on the inflammation and synovial damage in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) by subjecting them to treatment with different doses of HSYA. Our results revealed that HSYA could significantly reduce paw swelling, pathological manifestations, and serum cytokine levels in rats with CIA. The HSYA-treated groups showed increased antioxidant enzyme activity in the serum and decreased expression of inflammatory mediators in the synovial tissues. Furthermore, HSYA treatment inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway activation. Notably, the highest dose of HSYA (20 mg/kg) exhibited the best effects against RA symptoms. Therefore, our findings suggest that HSYA alleviates the inflammatory response and synovial damage in rats with CIA by inhibiting the ERK signalling pathway.

Chemical Constituents of Stems and Leaves of Tagetespatula L. and Its Fingerprint.

Tagetespatula L. is a widely cultivated herbal medicinal plant in China and other countries. In this study, two new 2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran glucosides (1, 2) and fourteen known metabolites (3-16) were isolated from the stems and leaves of T. patula (SLT). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were characterized comprehensively based on one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were determined by ECD calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate in vitro inhibitory activities against human gastric cancer cell lines (AGS) with IC50 values of 41.20 µmol/L and 30.43 µmol/L, respectively. The fingerprint profiles of stems and leaves of T. patula with three color types of flowers (Janie Yellow Bright, Jinmen Orange, Shouyao Red and Yellow color) were established by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Ten different batches of stems and leaves were examined as follow: Shouyao Red and Yellow color (1, 2, 3), Janie Yellow Bright (4, 5, 6, 7) and Jinmen Orange (8, 9, 10). Twenty-two common peaks were identified with similarity values ranging from 0.910 to 0.977. Meanwhile, the average peak area of SLT in the three types of flowers was different and it was the highest in Janie Yellow Bright.

[Identification of Dioscorea nipponica and its sects based on psbA-trnH barcode].

A rapid and accurate method was established by psbA-trnH sequence to distinguish Dioscorea nipponica from other species belonging to the same genus.In this study, we collected 144 samples of D. nipponica from 17 different producing areas in China, the psbA-trnH sequenced of 23 nucleotide sequences were downloaded from GenBank, the sequences from Dioscorea genus. DNAMAN 8.0 software was used to show splicing, MEGA 6.0 software was applied for sequence analysis and comparison. The results showed that the genetic relationship between D. nipponica and D. subcalva was the closest, and the genetic relationship with D. zingiberensis was the furthest. It is indicated that the psbA-trnH sequence as a DNA barcode can effectively distinguish between D. nipponica and other plants in the genus of Dioscorea.

[Study on high throughput sequencing identification of Fructus Arctii and five counterfeit species mix power].

Fructus Arctii is a traditional Chinese medicine. The main counterfeit species are the seeds of Arctium tomentosum, Onopordum acanthium, Silybum marianum, Saussurea costus, Amorpha fruticosa. Traditional identification methods or molecular barcoding techniques can identify Fructus Arctii and its counterfeit species. However, the identification of the mixture of it and its spurious species is rarely reported. In this paper, we sequenced the ITS2 sequences of Fructus Arctii and 5 kinds of spurious species mix powder by high-throughput sequencing to identify the mixed powder species and providing new ideas for the identification of Fructus Arctii mix powder. The total DNA in mixed powder was extracted, and the ITS2 sequences in total DNA was amplified. Paired-end sequencing was performed on the DNA fragment of the community using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The sequence was analyzed by the software FLASH, QIIME and GraPhlAn etc. The results showed that the high quality ITS2 sequences of 39910 mix samples were obtained from the mixed samples, of which the total ITS2 sequence of the samples genus was 34 935. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the samples contained Fructus Arctii, A. tomentosum, O. acanthium, S. marianum, S. costus and A. fruticosa. Using ITS2 sequences as DNA barcodes, high-throughput sequencing technology can be used to detect the Fructus Arctii and its spurious specie in mixed powder, which can provide reference for the quality control, safe use of medicinal materials of Fructus Arctii and the identification of mixed powder of traditional Chinese medicine.

Multiconstituent identification in root, branch, and leaf extracts of Juglans mandshurica using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

As a traditional medicinal plant, Juglans mandshurica has been used for the treatment of cancer. Different organs of this plant showed anti-tumor activity in clinic and laboratory. Comparative identification of constituents in different plant organs is essential for investigation of the relationship between chemical constituents and pharmacological activities. For this aim, the roots, branches, and leaves of J. mandshurica were extracted with 50% v/v methanol and then subjected to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis conducted under low and high energy. As a result, we have to date identified 111 compounds consisting of 56 tannins, 29 flavonoids, 13 organic acids, 8 naphthalene derivatives, and 5 anthracenes. Five compounds, namely, diquercetin trihydroxy-truxinoyl-glucoside, two quercetin kaempferol dihydroxy-truxinoyl-glucosides, syringoyl-tri-galloyl-O-glucose, and dihydroxy-naphthalene syringoyl-glucoside, were tentatively identified as new compounds. Of the compounds identified, 76 were found in the root extract, 67 in the branch extract, and 37 in the leaf extract. Only six compounds including four organic acids and two tannins were found in all three extracts. We developed a rapid and sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry approach to identify multiple constituents of complex extracts without separation and ion selection. The results presented provide useful information on further research of the bioactive compounds of J. mandshurica.

Two new compounds from Atractylodes macrocephala with neuroprotective activity.

In the present study, two new compounds, together with six known compounds, were isolated from rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz by a series of silica gel, ODS column chromatography, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were characterized as atractylenolide II (1), atractylenolide I (2), biepiasterolid (3), isoatractylenolide I (4), atractylenolide III (5), 3ß-acetoxyl atractylenolide I (6), (4E,6E,12E)-tetradeca-4,6,12-triene-8,10-diyne-13,14-triol (7), (3S,4E,6E,12E)-1-acetoxy-tetradeca-4,6,12-triene-8,10-diyne-3,14-diol (8) on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR, and circular dichroism analyses. Among them, compounds 6 and 8 were novel compounds. In addition, their neuroprotective activity against MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells was evaluated by MTT colorimetry. The results showed that all these compounds have definite protective effect on MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells.

Identification of Polar Constituents in the Decoction of Juglans mandshurica and in the Medicated Egg Prepared with the Decoction by HPLC-Q-TOF MS².

As a folk medicinal plant, Juglans mandshurica has been used for the treatment of cancer in China and Korea. Traditionally, J. mandshurica is decocted together with chicken eggs. Both the decoction and medicated eggs possess anti-tumor properties. Clarifying the constituents of the decoction and absorbed by the medicated eggs is essential for the investigation of the active principles of J. mandshurica. Herein, the medicated eggs were prepared by decocting raw chicken eggs, having unbroken shells, with the decoction of J. mandshurica. A systematic investigation of the chemical profile of the J. mandshurica decoction and the medicated egg extraction was conducted by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS². In total, 93 peaks, including 45 tannins, 14 naphthalene derivatives, 17 organic acids, 3 diarylheptanoids, 4 lignans, 3 anthraquinones, 1 flavonoid glycoside, 3 amino acids, and 3 nitrogenous compounds, were tentatively identified in the decoction. In the medicated egg extraction, 44 peaks including 11 organic acids, 3 amino acids, 3 nitrogenous compounds, 8 naphthalene derivatives, 3 diarylheptanoids, 15 tannins, and 1 lignan were tentatively identified. The chemical profile presented provided a detailed overview of the polar chemical constituents in J. mandshurica and useful information for the research of bioactive compounds of this plant.

[Identification of Ranae Oviductus original animal based on COI sequences].

Ranae Oviductus has a high economic and social value, but its adulterants are more numerous, which causes a great confusion to the market. Using DNA bar code technology based on COI sequence for PCR amplification and sequencing of the identified Rana dybowskii, R. chensinensis, R. huanrensis and R. amurensiss, the COI gene database of four species of Rana was established, and comparing the measured sequence with the sequence of GenBank, four kinds of Rana were identified. The MEGA (molecular evolutionary genetics analysis) 7 .0 software was used to calculate the genetic distance of K2P and construct the NJ (neighbor-joining) system cluster tree. The sequence of the four species of Rana measured were clustered into one group with the sequence of the four kinds of Rana downloaded from GenBank, but separated from the two outer groups downloaded from GenBank. The COI gene of the R. dybowskii was likely to have regional differences, however this technique failed to distinguish male and female Rana. The results showed that DNA bar code technology could accurately identify the base of original animal of R. oviductus. It indicates that DNA bar code COI provides a new method for the identification of R. oviductus.

[Grade classification of Scutellariae Radix slices based on determination of section color and lustre].

By determination the section color and lustre indexes as well as the content of baicalin in 30 batches of Scutellariae Radix slices, calculate the correlation of these two, screen the color and lustre indexes which could represent their intrinsic quality, and establish a new grade classification method based on the results. The results showed that samples met the conditions of △L≥－37, △b≥45 simultaneously were picked grade and the content of baicalin was of ≥200 mg•g⁻¹ definitely; Samples inconsistent with any one of above conditions were general grade. This research indicated that indexes of △L and △b could characterize both the color and luster of slice and intrinsic quality, so that could be used as the indexes to classify the grades of Scutellariae Radix slices accurately, easily and objectively. The research results would provide new ideas and references for grade classification of traditional Chinese medicine slices.

[Identification of Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis Rhizoma based on psbA-trnH barcode].

To identify origin of the medicinal materials Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis Rhizoma by using the psbA-trnH sequence, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and product sequencing of the experimental samples were performed. In order to expand the scope of the study, the psbA-trnH sequences of 8 genera and 3 species were downloaded from GenBank for analysis. DNAMAN 8.0 software was used to show splicing and comparison results of the peak diagrams with analysis of them, and MEGA 6.0 software was to calculate K2P genetic distances and establish clustering tree adjacent genus. The results showed that by using the psbA-trnH sequence, Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis Rhizoma, its original plant and other easy-confused medicinal materials and plants can be distinguished with each other obviously, with the psbA-trnH sequence of Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis Rhizoma completely consistent with that of its original plant. Consequently, it is revealed that it's feasible to identify Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis Rhizoma and its original plant, and separate from its adulterants by means of the psbA-trnH sequence, which can provide more scientific bases for the further study of the identification of the ferny medicinal herbs.

[DNA Barcoding of Mongolian Oxytropis Medicinal Materials].

Objective: To identify Oxytropis medicinal materials using ITS2 sequence. Methods: The second internal transcribed spacer( ITS2) of Oxytropis fetissovii, Oxytropis myriophylla and Oxytropis grandiflora medicinal material samples was amplified by PCR and sequenced. To expand scope of the research topic,ITS2 sequences of related species were downloaded from Gen Bank. Sequences assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed by ITS2 Database. The related data analysis and processing was performed using software MEGA 5. 10 and the NJ tree was constructed. The ITS2 secondary structure was predicted using ITS2 web server, and the differences of the ITS2 secondary structures of the samples were analyzed. Results: Oxytropis medicinal materials ITS2 sequence was shorter, with sequence length of 216 ~ 218 bp, which was in favor of DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing. Genetic distances of Oxytropis myriophylla, Oxytropis fetissovii and Oxytropis grandiflora were much larger than the genetic distances of themselves. In the NJ tree, Oxytropis medicinal materials and counterfeits could be distinguished, and Oxytropis medicinal materials could be distinguished from Astragalus membranaceus. Conclusion: The DNA barcode based on ITS2 sequence is a powerful and efficient tool for identification of Oxytropis medicinal materials.

[Influence of Concentration Sequence on the Signal-to-Noise Ratio of Cross Peaks of 2D Asynchronous Spectra Generated by Using the DAOSD Approach].

In the present work, computer simulation was performed on a model chemical system where two solutes (denoted as P and Q, respectively) are dissolved in the same solution. Under intermolecular interaction between P and Q, part of P undergoes subtle structural variation and converts into U while part of Q converts into V. The strength of intermolecular interaction can be characterized by the corresponding equilibrium constant K. Our preliminary studies indicate that the S/N ratio of cross peak increases considerably as n increases. Moreover, the S/N ratio of the cross peak from the asynchronous spectra can be improved significantly when the suitable concentrations of P and Q are adopted. This work is helpful for a selection of suitable concentration sequence to maximize S/N ratio of cross peaks in the 2D asynchronous spectra generated by using the DAOSD approach proposed in our previous study so that weak intermolecular interaction can be probed.

[On the Tributylphosphate-Based Super-Concentrated HCl System].

We reported a new super-concentrated hydrochloric acid system prepared by using tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP)-constructed reversed micelles at ambient temperature and pressure. According to the titration result, the molar ratio of H+ to H2O (denoted as nH+/nH2O) in the super-concentrated HCl range from 0.50 to 1.50 which are higher than that in saturated aqueous HCl bulk solution (0.28). Significant a moment of hydrochloric acid is confined in W/O reversed micelles. Therefore, the behavior and status of HCl are different from those of conventional bluk solution. FTIR spectroscopic results demonstrate that a significant amount of HCl remains in the molecular form rather than being ionized into H+ and Cl-. Thus, super-concentrated HCl provides an extraordinary chemical environment which may have significant influence on certain substances. We found that the color of the solution is reddish brown when copper ion is dissolved in super-concentrated HCl, while the color of the saturated HCl aqueous solution (37 Wt%) containing copper ion is green. That is to say, the copper ions exist in a special state under the unique chemical environment of super-concentrated HCl. UV-Vis-NIR spectra indicate that both d-d transition band and charge transfer transition band of copper ions in super-concentrated HCl solution underwent significant variations. In addition, copper ions also have obvious influence on the hydrogen bond network among HCl in the super-concentrated HCl solution. Remarkable variation is introduced in the H-Cl stretching band in FTIR spectra.

Hepatic, gastric, and intestinal first-pass effects of vitexin in rats.

CONTEXT: Recent research has demonstrated that vitexin exhibits a prominent first-pass effect. In this light, it is necessary to investigate the causes of this distinct first-pass effect. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate hepatic, gastric, and intestinal first-pass effects of vitexin in rats and, furthermore, to investigate the role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) in the absorption and secretion of vitexin in the duodenum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vitexin was infused into rats intravenously, intraportally, intraduodenally, and intragastrically (30 mg/kg). In addition, verapamil (50 mg/kg), a common substrate/inhibitor of P-gp and CYP3A, was also instilled with vitexin into the duodenum to investigate the regulatory action of P-gp and CYP3A. The plasma concentrations of vitexin were measured by the HPLC method using hesperidin as an internal standard. RESULTS: The hepatic, gastric, and intestinal first-pass effects of vitexin in rats were 5.2%, 31.3%, and 94.1%, respectively. In addition, the total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from zero to infinity (AUC) of the vitexin plus verapamil group and of the normal saline group was 44.9 and 39.8 µgc min/mL, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The intestinal first-pass effect of vitexin was considerable, and gastric and hepatic first-pass effects also contribute to the low absolute oral bioavailability of vitexin. The AUC of the vitexin plus verapamil group was slightly higher than that of the vitexin plus normal saline group (by approximately 1.13-fold), suggesting that verapamil does not play an important role in the absorption and secretion of vitexin.

[Studies on carbonization of saccharides by using aqueous solution of various acids].

The authors tried to establish an approach to use acids to convert biomass into a fuel with higher carbon content and lower oxygen content in a zero-energy-consumption fashion. Considering that biomass is composed of monosaccharide, we used aqueous solutions of variation acids including hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and perchloric acid to treat 2-deoxy-ribose and fructose at ambient temperature and pressure. Black substances were produced after a period of time when 2-deoxy-ribose and fructose were mixed with aqueous solutions containing 8 mol · L(-1) acids. The black substance was collected and characterized by using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Elemental analysis results indicate that the contents of carbon increases significantly in the black substances in comparison with 2-deoxy-ribose and fructose. Moreover, XPS results indicate that the content of oxygen in the black substance undergoes a significant decrease compared with pure 2-deoxy-ribose and fructose. In the XPS spectra, the is peaks of 2-deoxy-ribose, strong sub peak at 286. 05 eV, which is assigned to carbon linked to oxygen directly, dominate in the C is peak envelop. After treatment by HClO4, the peak decreased dramatically. This result also supports the conclusion that the content of oxygen in mono-saccharide is significantly reduced after treatment by acids. In the FTIR spectra of the black substances, strong peaks can be observed around 1 600 cm(-1), indicating that C==C bond is formed in the product. The above results suggest that treatments with acids may be developed as a new zero-energy-consumption approach to convert biomass in a new fuel with improved energy output efficiency.

Age-induced Changes in Ginsenoside Accumulation and Primary Metabolic Characteristics of Panax Ginseng in Transplantation Mode.

Background: Ginseng (Panax ginseng Mayer) is an important natural medicine. However, a long culture period and challenging quality control requirements limit its further use. Although artificial cultivation can yield a sustainable medicinal supply, research on the association between the transplantation and chaining of metabolic networks, especially the regulation of ginsenoside biosynthetic pathways, is limited. Methods: Herein, we performed Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry based metabolomic measurements to evaluate ginsenoside accumulation and categorise differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs). Transcriptome measurements using an Illumina Platform were then conducted to probe the landscape of genetic alterations in ginseng at various ages in transplantation mode. Using pathway data and crosstalk DAMs obtained by MapMan, we constructed a metabolic profile of transplantation Ginseng. Results: Accumulation of active ingredients was not obvious during the first 4 years (in the field), but following transplantation, the ginsenoside content increased significantly from 6-8 years (in the wild). Glycerolipid metabolism and Glycerophospholipid metabolism were the most significant metabolic pathways, as Lipids and lipid-like molecule affected the yield of ginsenosides. Starch and sucrose were the most active metabolic pathways during transplantation Ginseng growth. Conclusion: This study expands our understanding of metabolic network features and the accumulation of specific compounds during different growth stages of this perennial herbaceous plant when growing in transplantation mode. The findings provide a basis for selecting the optimal transplanting time.

The complete chloroplast genome of Pulsatilla chinensis f. alba D. K. Zang (Ranunculaceae, Pulsatilla Miller).

Pulsatilla chinensis f. alba D. K. Zang 1993 is a forma of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bge.) Regel, the root of P. chinensis is traditional Chinese medicine called Pulsatillae radix. The biggest difference between P. chinensis f. alba and P. chinensis is that P. chinensis f. alba sepals is white. The complete chloroplast genome of P. chinensis f. alba was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq platform for the first time. The lengths of the genome, large single-copy (LSC), small single-copy (SSC), two inverted repeats (IRs), and GC content were 163,654 bp, 82,355 bp, 19,069 bp, 31,115 bp, and 37.2%, respectively. It had 134 genes, including 90 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The maximum-likelihood tree indicated that P. chinensis f. alba had a closer relationship with P. chinensis. This study would provide a theoretical basis for the further study of Pulsatilla plants genetics phylogenetic research.