[Cloning and characterization of chalcone synthase and chalcone isomerase genes in Arisaema heterophyllum].

Chalcone synthase( CHS) and chalcone isomerase( CHI) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of flavonoids. In this study,unigenes for CHS and CHI were screened from the transcriptome database of Arisaema heterophyllum. The open reading frame( ORFs) of chalcone synthase( Ah CHS) and chalcone isomerase( Ah CHI) were cloned from the plant by RT-PCR. The physicochemical properties,expression and structure characteristics of the encoded proteins Ah CHS and Ah CHI were analyzed. The ORFs of Ah CHS and Ah CHI were 1 176,630 bp in length and encoded 392,209 amino acids,respectively. Ah CHS functioned as a symmetric homodimer. The N-terminal helix of one monomer entwined with the corresponding helix of another monomer. Each CHS monomer consisted of two structural domains. In particular,four conserved residues define the active site. The tertiary structure of Ah CHI revealed a novel open-faced ß-sandwich fold. A large ß-sheet( ß4-ß11) and a layer of α-helices( α1-α7) comprised the core structure. The residues spanning ß4,ß5,α4,and α6 in the three-dimensional structure were conserved among CHIs from different species. Notably,these structural elements formed the active site on the protein surface,and the topology of the active-site cleft defined the stereochemistry of the cyclization reaction. The homology comparison showed that Ah CHS had the highest similarity to the CHS of Anthurium andraeanum,while Ah CHI had the highest similarity to the CHI of Paeonia delavayi. This study provided the basis for the functional study of Ah CHS and Ah CHI and the further study on plant flavonoid biosynthesis pathway.

[Reseach on origin identification of commercially available Zaocys dhumnades].

Through market investigation, the adulteration of Zaocys dhumnades on markets was found out, and samples of authentic and adulterated Z. dhumnades on markets were collected. The origin and properties of the adulterated Z. dhumnades were studied in order to provide reference for the identification of Z. dhumnades. The counterfeit Z. dhumnades sold on markets were as follows: Ptyas korros, P. mucosus, Najanaja atra, Sinonatrix annularis, Dinodon septentrionalis, etc. It is found that there existed a obvious difference between the traits of the Z. dhumnades and counterfeits. Genuine Z. dhumnades with "sword ridge" "iron tail", strongly ribbed scales and other features, is the key point to identify the difference from adulterants.

[Chemical constituents from fresh tubers of Dioscorea bulbifera].

Eighteen compounds were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of fresh tubers of Dioscorea bulbifera by column chromatography over silica gel,Sephadex LH-20, and ODS. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis as 6-hydroxy-2,10,10-trimethoxy-anthracen-9-one(1), diosgenin (2), stigmasterol(3), 3, 7-dimethoxy-5, 3', 4'-trihydroxyflavone(4), 2, 7-dihydroxy-3, 4-dimethoxyphenanthrene(5), 3, 7-dihydroxy-2, 4-dimethoxy phenanthrene(6), 2, 7-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenanthrene (7), 2, 7-dihydroxy-3, 4-dimethoxy-9, 10-dihydroxy phenanthrene(8), azelaic acid (9), 8-epidiosbulbin E acetate (10), 1, 7-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4E, 6E-heptadien-3-one(11), diosbulbin B(12), pentacosanoic acid 2', 3'-dihydroxypropyl ester(13), 2, 7-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-9, 10-dihydroxy-phenanthrene (14), 1, 7-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1E, 4E, 6E-heptatrien-3-one (15), 6-ethoxy-1H-pyrimidine-2, 4-dione (16), 3, 5, 4'-trihydroxy-bibenzyl (17), and diosbulbin F (18). Compound 1 is a new compound, and compounds 7, 9, 13, and 16 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

[Evolution and transition of source of Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix].

Both Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix are traditional Chinese herbal medicines. The herbal source and medicinal part of them are confusing in the herbal medicine market of China. To explore the evolution and transition of the herbal source and medicinal part of Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix, this paper systematically summarizes the record of the herbal source and medicinal part of them in ancient classics of herbal medicine in China. According to the findings, before Ming Dynasty, Patrinia Herba originated from the radix of the plants with yellow flowers of Patrinia. In Ming and Qing Dynasty, Patrinia Herba originates from the whole plant (including the radix)of the plant with white flowers of Patrinia. In Ming Dynasty, Patrinia Radix, stemming from the radix of the plants with yellow flowers of Patrinia, started to be used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which had the same herbal source with that of Patrinia Herba before Ming Dynasty. Therefore, Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix can be seen as the same traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and the genuine of Patrinia Herba should be the radix and the whole herba of P. scabiosaefolia and P. heterophylla.

Nepetaefolins A-J, Cytotoxic Chinane and Abietane Diterpenoids from Caryopteris nepetaefolia.

Nepetaefolins A-J (1-10) and seven known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Caryopteris nepetaefolia. The absolute configurations of 1-3 were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic data. Compounds 6 and 7, with IC50 values of 6.3-9.0 µM, showed higher cytotoxicity than paclitaxel in one non-small-cell lung cancer, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model when tested using PDX models and the adenosine triphosphate-tumor chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA).

[Development of rapid setting-drying device for herbarium specimens and its application in survey of Chinese materia medica resources in Anhui].

Herbarium specimens are the basis for the plant classification and indispensable media in teaching, scientific research and resources investigation. They have also played an important role in identifying and producing traditional Chinese medicine. High-quality herbarium specimens shall meet high requirements for integrity, smoothness, color and fabricating efficiency. Therefore, we designed a rapid setting and drying device for herbarium specimens, which could make the herbarium specimens smooth, colorful and not easy to mildew. In this paper, we pointed out the deficiency of traditional methods in making herbarium specimens, and introduced the structure and working principle of the device. Besides, we also discussed the effect of the device in setting and drying herbarium specimens and its application in the fourth national survey of the Chinese material medica resources (CMMR) in Anhui province. As a result, the device provides new ideas for producing herbarium specimens, with a reasonable design, good uniformity, high efficiency, safety and portability, and so is worthy of promotion and application in the national survey of CMMR.

[Resources investigation of medicinal plants of Huangfu mountain in city of Chuzhou based on grid sampling method].

OBJECTIVE: To conduct preliminary investigation to the species and reserves of medicinal plants in Huangfu Mountain, and to provide references to the general survey of those plants for medicine. METHOD: Combined with global positioning system (GPS), the program of investigation with grid sampling was used in this resource survey of medicinal plants. RESULT: After the preliminary investigation of the plants for medical use of Huangfu Mountain, it is found that there are 103 families with 313 kinds of plants. There are many medicinal plants and large distribution, such as Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Semiaguilegia adoxoides and Pinellia ternate. CONCLUSION: Huangfu Mount, with so many different kinds of medicinal plants and comfortable environment for part of the medicinal plants to grow, could be developed as a base for planting Chinese herbal medicines.