[Identification of geographical origins of Cordyceps based on data of amino acids with self-organizing map neural network].

In this study, data of amino acids of Cordyceps samples from Qinghai and Tibet was analyzed with self-organizing map neural network. A model of XY-Fused network was established with the content of 8 major amino acids and total amino acids for the identification of geographical origins of Cordyceps from Qinghai and Tibet. It had the prediction accuracy of 83.3% for the test set. In addition, data mining indicated that methionine was a special kind of amino acid in Cordyceps which could serve as a marker to identify its geographical origins. On this basis, the content ratio of methionine to total amino acids was proposed to be a quantifiable indicator to distinguish Cordyceps from Qinghai and Tibet.

[Nondestructive recognization of mountain cultivated ginseng and garden cultivated ginseng by FTIR microspectroscopy].

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy technology is the combination of the FTIR spectrometer and the microscope. This technology is of simple preparation of the samples, can be used in micro-area analysis and micro-samples, and reflect the nature of the samples spectra. Panax ginseng include mountain cultivated ginseng (MCG), garden cultivated ginseng (GCG) and mountain wild ginseng (MWG), but the excavation of MWG is prohibited in China. So, only MCG and GCG were collected and recorded in Chinese pharmacopoeia. In this study, we developed a discriminant analysis (DA) method for recognition of MCG and GCG using FTIR microspectroscopy technology. Twenty MCG samples and twenty four GCG samples were obtained, and their spectra of IR microspectroscopy were collected. Then 33 samples were randomly selected into calibration set and the remaining 11 of the samples were selected into validation set. The authors optimized the pretreatment method, the principal components, the modeling region and the scanning parts when developing the models. The optimized model of discriminant analysis was developed using the pretreatment multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) + Savitzky-Golay filter (SG) smoothing, the region 3 932.14-669.18 cm(-1), 4 principal components and the rhizome part. The accuracy of the optimized model got up to 100%. The result demonstrated that infrared microspectroscopy technology combined with DA is of simple operation, rapid, nondestructive and effective, and can be applied to recognize MCG and GCG.

Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of Liriope muscari.

Five phenolic compounds, namely N-trans-coumaroyltyramine (1), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (2), N-trans-feruloyloctopamine (3), 5,7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (4) and (3S)3,5,4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methylhomoisoflavanone (5), were isolated from the fibrous roots of Liriope muscari (Liliaceae). Compounds 2-5 were isolated for the first time from the Liriope genus. Their in vitro antioxidant activities were assessed by the DPPH and ABTS scavenging methods with microplate assays. The structure-activity relationships of compounds 1-3 are discussed.

Two new compounds isolated from Liriope muscari.

Two new compounds, (2S,3R)-methyl 7-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-carboxylate (1) and (4R,5S)-5-(3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-isopropyldihydrofuran-2-one (2), tentatively named norcurlignan and limlactone, respectively, were isolated from Liriope muscari, together with the known compound (-)-pinoresinol (3). The structures of these compounds were elucidated and characterized on the basis of 1D NMR, 2D NMR, CD and MS data. The in vitro antioxidant activities of compounds 1-3 were assessed by the DPPH and ABTS scavenging methods.

Antioxidant phenolic compounds from Pu-erh tea.

Eight compounds were isolated from the water extract of Pu-erh tea and their structures were elucidated by NMR and MS as gallic acid (1), (+)-catechin (2), (−)-epicatechin (3), (−)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate (4), (−)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (5), (−)-epiafzelechin- 3-O-gallate (6), kaempferol (7), and quercetin (8). Their in vitro antioxidant activities were assessed by the DPPH and ABTS scavenging methods with microplate assays. The relative order of DPPH scavenging capacity for these compounds was compound 8 > compound 7 > compound 1 > compound 6 > compound 4 ≈ compound 5 > compound 2 > VC (reference) > compound 3, and that of ABTS scavenging capacity was compound 1 > compound 2 > compound 7 ≈ compound 8 > compound 6 > compound 5 > compound 4 > VC (reference) > compound 3. The results showed that these phenolic compounds contributed to the antioxidant activity of Pu-erh tea.

Simultaneous determination of ginsenosides and lignans in Sheng-mai injection by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection.

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method with diode array detection was developed for simultaneous analysis of eight ginsenosides (ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, Rd) and one lignan (schizandrin) in Sheng-mai injection, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 column (1.8 microm, 100 mm x 2.1 mm i.d.) using a linear gradient elution over 28 min with a mixture of water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r2 > 0.9998) within the test ranges. Validation proved the repeatability of the method was good and recovery was satisfactory. The validated method was successfully applied to 12 batches of Sheng-mai injection. The results showed that there was a great variation among different samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) further proved considerable variations among the samples from different factories and suggested that schizandrin, ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 might have the greatest influence on the variation of 12 samples. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the UPLC method proposed was very useful for the analysis and quality evaluation of Sheng-mai injection.

[Nondestructive identification of the root of mountain cultivation ginseng and growth years by near infrared spectroscopy].

Mountain cultivation ginseng (MCG) and garden cultivation ginseng (GCCG) were identified by near infrared spectroscopy, so were MCG of different growth years. 96 MCG samples of different growth years, including 24 of fifteen years and 72 of ten years, and 177 GCG samples were collected. After the near infrared spectra of these samples were collected, discriminant analysis was used to distinguish MCG and GCG, so was MCG of different years. After the original spectra were pretreated, discriminant analysis models of MCG and GCG, MCG of different growth years were developed respectively with selected principa component numbers in full spectra region. The correct discrimination rate of two groups of model was both 100%. The propose methods are accurate, fast and nondestructive, and can be applied to the quality control of MCG. It has an important significance for building market image of MCG.

A new eudesmane sesquiterpene glucoside from Liriope muscari fibrous roots.

The screening of several Chinese medicinal herbs for nematocidal properties showed that the ethanol extract of Liriope muscari fibrous roots possessed significant nematocidal activity against the pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). From the ethanol extract, a new constituent (1,4-epoxy-cis-eudesm-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside) and three known glycosides [1ß,6α-dihydroxy-cis-eudesm-3-ene-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (liriopeoside A), 1ß,6ß-dihydroxy-cis-eudesm-3-ene-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, and 1α,6ß-dihydroxy-5,10-bis-epi-eudesm-4(15)-ene-6-O-ß D-glucopyranoside] were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR and MS techniques. 1,4-Epoxy-cis-eudesm-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside possessed moderate nemato-cidal activity against B. xylophilus with a LC(50 )value of 339.76 µg/mL, while liriopeoside A (LC(50) = 82.84 µg/mL) and 1ß,6ß-dihydroxy-cis-eudesm-3-ene-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (LC(50) = 153.39 µg/mL) also exhibited nematocidal activity against B. xylophilus. The crude extract of L. muscari fibrous roots exhibited nematocidal activity against the pine wood nematode with a LC(50) value of 182.56 µg/mL.

Two new triterpenes from Lysimachia foenum-graecum.

Two new oleane-type triterpene saponins, lysimachiagenoside E (1) and lysimachiagenoside F (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance. The structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including (1)H-(1)H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, TOCSY, ROESY experiments as well as chemical methods.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of extract with water from Forsythia suspensa].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the extract with water from Forsythia suspensa. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and repeatedly purified on TLC, silica gel column chromatograph, gel column chromatography, and preparative HPLC, and the structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and NMR. RESULTS: Eight compounds were obtained and elucidated as stearic acid(I), ursolic acid(II),p-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid(III),3-(4-ehtoxoy-3-hydroxyphenyl)acrylic acid(IV),isolariciresinol(V), epipinoresinol-4-O-beta-D-glucoside(VI),(+)-epipinoresionl(VII),(+)-pinoresinol(VIII). CONCLUSION: Compound III is isolated from this genus for the first time.

[Studies on chemical constituents of the extract of Lonicera japonica].

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and elucidate the structure of the constituents of the extract of Lonicera japonica. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and repeatedly purified on TLC, silica gel column chromatography, and gel column chromatography. The structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties, MS and NMR. RESULTS: Seven compounds were obtained and elucidated as luteolin (I), luteoloside (II), quercetin (III), quercetin-3-0-beta-D-glucoside (IV), quercetin-7-0-beta-D-glucoside (V), rutin (VI), chlorogenic acid (VII). CONCLUSION: Compound V is isolated from this genus for the first time.

Two triterpenes from Lysimachia foenum-graecum.

One new oleane-type triterpene saponin, named lysimachiagenoside A and the known 21-O-angeloylbarringtogenol C were isolated from the aerial parts of Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance. 21-O-angeloylbarringtogenol C was a new natural product. These structures were identified on the basis of 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques, including 1H-1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, TOCSY, and ROESY experiments as well as chemical methods.

[Study of determination method for heavy metals and harmful elements residues in four traditional Chinese medicine injections].

Methods for determination of heavy metals and harmful residues in traditional Chinese medicine injection were established. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used for determination of lead, cadmium and copper, atomic fluorescence spectrometry for arsenic and mercury. The preprocessing method was optimized. The average recoveries of 5 elements were between 91% and 112% while the precisions were less than 2%. The determination limit of lead, cadmium, copper, arsenic and mercury were 0.28, 0.014, 0.49, 0.19, 0.061 microg x L(-1), respectively. The proposed method was simple, sensitive, accurate and reliable, and could be used widely.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Heterosmilax yunnanensis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Heterosmilax yunianensis. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and repeatedly purified with chromatograph and the structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and spectral analysis. RESULTS: Eight compounds were obtained and elucidated as beta-sitosterol (I), glycerol monopalmitate (II), daucosterol (IIl), hexacosanoic acid (IV), 5-hydroxymethyl furaldehyde (V), hergapen (VI), ursolic acid (VII), liquiritigenin (VIII). CONCLUSION: They have been isolated from this plant for the first time, and IV - VIII are obtained from the plants of Heterosmilax for the first time.

[HPLC fingerprint of Phlomis younghusbandii].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the characteristic fingerpint from Phlomis younghustbandii. METHODS: The different collecting time and county samples of Phlomis younghusbandii were determined by HPLC. RESULTS: The HPLC-FPC of Phlomis younghusbandii was set up by establishing 14 common peaks. Accuracy, stability and repeatability of the method were good. CONCLUSION: The peaks in the spectrum were all separated perfectly, which met the regulation of HPLC-FPC.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Phlomis younghusbandii].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Phlomis younghusbandii. METHODS: Compounds were isolated from the ethanolic extract by silica gel column chromatography, and their structures were identified by physical and chemical evidences and spectral methods. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated and identified respectively as 8-acetylshanzhiside methyl ester (1), shanzhiside methyl ester (2), phlomiol (3), 2-butoxy-2-(hydroxymthyl) tetrahydro-2H-3,4,5-pyrantriol (4), sesamoside (5), pulchelloside-I (6), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) and daucosterol (8). CONCLUSION: All the compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Balanophora spicata].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of Balanophora spicata. METHOD: Various chromatographic and spectral techniques were used to isolate the constituents and elucidate their structures. RESULT: Eight compounds were isolated from whole plant of B. spicata and elucidated as balanophorin A (1), balanophorin B (2), beta-amyrin acetate (3), monogynol A (4), lupeone (5), caffeic acid ethyl ester (6), catechin (7), 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-3-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (8), respectively. CONCLUSION: Compounds of 1-8 were obtained from B. spicata for the first time and the compound 4 was isolated from this genus for the first time.

[Studies on chemical constituents in root of Phlomis medicinalis I].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in root of Phlomis medicinalis. METHOD: The compounds were isolated and repeatedly purified on macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, TLC and Prep-HPLC and the structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and NMR spectra. RESULT: Eight compounds were obtained and elucidated as 5-Hydroxy-7-methoxy-4, 6-dimethylphthalide (1), 4-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (2) and six iridoid glucosides: 6-O-acetyl-shanzhiside methyl ester (3), 8-O-acetyl-shanzhiside methyl ester (4), shanzhiside methyl ester (5), sesamoside (6), phloyoside II (7) and dehydropentstemoside (8). CONCLUSION: All the compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time and 1 and 3 were obtained from the plants of Phlomis for the first time.

[Determination of papaverine in Qiangli Pipalu by HPLC].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for the determination of the papaverine content in Qiangli Pibalu by HPLC. METHOD: A C18 column with a solvent system of acetonitrile-0.02 mol x L(-1) sodium dihydrogen phosphate (0.2% triethylamine, phosphoric acid, at pH 3) (25:75) and UV detection 240 nm were used. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was maintained at 40 degrees C. RESULT: There was a good linear relationship between the absorption value and the concentration in the range of 0.020 2-0.100 5 microg for papaverine. The average recovery rates were 99.1% (RSD 2.3%). CONCLUSION: The method is simple, accurate and can be used to determine the contents in Qiangli Pibalu.

[Chemical constituents from Alyxia sinensis (II)].

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the chemical constituents of Alyxia sinensis. METHOD: The constituents were isolated by column chromatography and identified by advanced physical and spectral analysis. RESULT: Eight compounds have been isolated and elucidated as bauereny acetate(18), scopletin(19), liriodendrin(20), pinoresinol-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(21), daucosterol(22), flaxetin(23), esculin(24), aseculin(25). CONCLUSION: These compounds were found from the plant for the first time, and compound 20,21,23-25 were found from Alyxiae genis for the first time, and compound 18 is firstly been isolated from natural source.