Surveys on resources and varieties on Chinese markets of crude drug mahuang / 中国中药杂志

Many species of the genus Ephedra plants are used as Chinese traditional medicines, in Chinese which are known as "Mahuang" (Ephedrae Herba). In order to get a clear picture of resources distribution and varieties on Chinese markets of the crude drug Mahuang and provide scientific basis for their resource conservation and sustainable use, during recent years we conducted field investigations and market researches many times. The results showed that the most common species on the Chinese markets was E. sinica (33/38 commercial samples), followed by E. intermedia (5/38 commercial samples), which was also used in local clinics in Qing-hai, Gansu and Xinjiang province, no E. equisetina was found in the market. We noticed that the resources of both official and non-official plants of Mahuang, especially Zhong-Mahuang and Muzei-Mahuang, were seriously damaged in the past decade because of the ecological environment damage and over-digging. Zhong-Mahuang was distinguished in Ningxia and north Gansu, which was once one of the most distribution areas and contains more than 10,000 t Zhong-Mahuang. Muzei-Mahuang was distinguished in most places and distributed sparsely around Altay Mountains in northeast in Xinjiang. Thus, Cultivation of Mahuang, especially Zhong-Mahuang and Muzei-Mahuang should be greatly developed. At the same time, wild resources of Mahuang must be preserved strictly, i.e., proper method of cutting Ephedra plant could prevent the damage of the resource.

Chemical constituents from the leaves of Broussonetia papyrifera / 药学学报

To separate and identify the chemical constituents from the leaves of Broussonetia papyrifera (Linn.) Vent, various columns including Diaion HP-20, Toyopearl HW-40C, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel were employed for the isolation and purification of compounds from the leaves of B.papyrifera. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by their physiochemical characteristics and spectral data. Nineteen compounds were isolated from the leaves of B.papyrifera and their structures were identified as apigenin (1), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), chrysoerid-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranuronide (4), vitexin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), luteolin (6), 5,7,4′-trihydroxyl-6-C-[a-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl flavone (7), 5,7,4′-trihydroxyl-8-C-[a-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl flavone (8), saponaretin (9), vitexin (10), benzyl benzoate-2,6-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (11), (2R,3R,5R,6S,9R)-3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-β-ionol-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12), (2R,3R,5R,6S,9R)-3-hydroxyl-5,6-epoxy-acetyl-β-ionol-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13), ficustriol (14), (6S,9S)-roseoside (15), 3β-hydroxy-5α,6α-epoxy-β-ionone-2α-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (16), icariside B1 (17), sammangaoside A (18), 3-hydroxy-5α,6α-epoxy-β-ionone (19). Compounds 11, 12 and 13 are new compounds, the others are isolated from this genus Broussonetia for the first time.