Comparative Genome Analysis of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria barbata Reveals the Evolution of Active Flavonoid Biosynthesis / 基因组蛋白质组与生物信息学报·英文版

Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) and Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata) are common medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family. Both produce specific flavonoid compounds, including baicalein, scutellarein, norwogonin, and wogonin, as well as their glycosides, which exhibit antioxidant and antitumor activities. Here, we report chromosome-level genome assemblies of S. baicalensis and S. barbata with quantitative chromosomal variation (2n = 18 and 2n = 26, respectively). The divergence of S. baicalensis and S. barbata occurred far earlier than previously reported, and a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event was identified. The insertion of long terminal repeat elements after speciation might be responsible for the observed chromosomal expansion and rearrangement. Comparative genome analysis of the congeneric species revealed the species-specific evolution of chrysin and apigenin biosynthetic genes, such as the S. baicalensis-specific tandem duplication of genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia lyase and chalcone synthase, and the S. barbata-specific duplication of genes encoding 4-CoA ligase. In addition, the paralogous duplication, colinearity, and expression diversity of CYP82D subfamily members revealed the functional divergence of genes encoding flavone hydroxylase between S. baicalensis and S. barbata. Analyzing these Scutellaria genomes reveals the common and species-specific evolution of flavone biosynthetic genes. Thus, these findings would facilitate the development of molecular breeding and studies of biosynthesis and regulation of bioactive compounds.

Investigation of free amino acid, total phenolics, antioxidant activity and purine alkaloids to assess the health properties of non-Camellia tea

To find novel functional beverages from folk teas, 33 species of frequently used non-Camellia tea (plants other than Camellia) were collected and compared with Camellia tea (green tea, pu-erh tea and black tea) for the first time. Data are reported here on the quantities of 20 free amino acids (FAAs) and three purine alkaloids (measured by UHPLC), total polyphenols (measured by Folin-Ciocalteu assay), and antioxidant activity (DPPH). The total amounts of FAAs in non-Camellia tea (0.62-18.99 mg/g) are generally less than that of Camellia tea (16.55-24.99 mg/g). However, for certain FAAs, the quantities were much higher in some non-Camellia teas, such as γ-aminobutyric acid in teas from Ampelopsis grossedentata, Isodon serra and Hibiscus sabdariffa. Interestingly, theanine was detected in tea from Potentilla fruticosa (1.16±0.81 mg/g). Furthermore, the content of polyphenols in teas from A. grossedentata, Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala are significantly higher than those from Camellia tea; teas from I. serra, Pistacia chinensis and A. tataricum subsp. ginnala have remarkable antioxidant activities similar to the activities from green tea (44.23 μg/mL). Purine alkaloids (caffeine, theobromine and theophylline) were not detected in non-Camellia teas. The investigation suggest some non-Camellia teas may be great functional natural products with potential for prevention of chronic diseases and aging, by providing with abundant polyphenols, antioxidants and specific FAAs.

Pharmaphylogeny vs. pharmacophylogenomics: molecular phylogeny, evolution and drug discovery / 药学学报

With the surge of high-throughput sequencing technology, it is becoming popular to perform the phylogenetic study based on genomic data. A bundle of new terms is emerging, such as phylogenomics, pharmacophylogenomics and phylotranscriptomics, which are somewhat overlapping with pharmaphylogeny. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Pharmaphylogeny, advocated by Prof. Pei-gen Xiao since 1980s, focuses on the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal plants and is thus nurtured by molecular phylogeny, chemotaxonomy and bioactivity studies. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extend the field of pharmaphylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined. This review gives a brief analysis of the association and the distinguished feature of the pharmaphylogeny related terms, in the context of plant-based drug discovery and sustainable utilization of pharmaceutical resource.

Quick determination of five sweet constituents in Duosuike Tiancha by RSLC / 中国中药杂志

Duosuike Tiancha contain multiple dihydrochalcone sweet constituents, which are mainly active constituents. For the purpose of overall assessment on quality Duosuike Tiancha, 5 sweet dihydrochalcones in Duosuike Tiancha, phloridzin, phloretin-4'-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3'-O-acetylphloridzin, 2'-O-acetylphloridzin and phloretin are determined as indicators. The separation was carried out through a isocratic elution using a Waters Acquity UPLC BRH C18 (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 microm) column and a mobile phase consisting of water (75%) and acetonitrile (25%) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was set at 285 nm. The column temperature was 40 degrees C. Under the optimized conditions, all the 5 sweet constituents were successfully separated with in 6 min, and good linearity (r2 > 0.999 1) was achieved. The linear range (g x L(-)) and recoveries were tested with results of 0.022 2-0.444 (98.37%), 0.102 84. 112 (97.32%), 0.003 39-0.067 68 (96.77%), 0.005 1-0.204 (98.85%) and 0.000 538-0.010 76 (100.91%) respectively. The results indicate that the content of the 5 dihydrochalcones were 7.83-62.37, 114.24-272.35, 0-1.02, 0-5.11 and 0.10-1.19 mg x g(-1), respectively. Furthermore, with certain regularity between their content and the sample size, harvest time. The separation and analysis method are fast and simple, as evidenced by the fact that the gradient elution is adopted to rapidly determine one sample within six minutes. Therefore, it can be used for dsetermine 5 sweet dihydrochalcones Duosuike Tiancha.

New Progress in Modern Research on Chinese Herbal Medicines Published in Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs in 2010: Annual Highlights and Comments / 中草药·英文版

As a series of and continuous publication,the papers published on Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs in 2010 were selectively and briefly highlighted to reflect the new progress on modern research of Chinese herbal medicines.Within 617 articles,chemical constituents (127),pharmaceutics and technology (149),pharmacological studies and clinical observation,and medicinal materials are still major categories.Some comments have also been personally provided.

Characteristics of germplasm resources in Coix from xishuangbanna / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the genetic diversity among wild germplasm resources of Coix that distributed at altitude of 550-1550 m in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province by comparing the morphological variation, biological and economical factors.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The field plot experiments were conducted to observation the germination rate, growth period. While the milled rice rate, content of protein, crude fat and ethanol extract of 9 wild Coix germplasm resources were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The germination rate of 9 germplasm was from 22% to 81%, and the growth period was among 139-156 d, which belongs to the medium-late mature type. The germination rate, growth stage, plant height, leaf length and width, tiller number, ramification number, seed number per stem of 9 Coix germplasm were significantly different (P < 0.05), respectively. The range of seed total protein contents were from 15.63% 25.74%, crude fat contents were from 5.05%-7.14%, and the contents of alcohol extract, which showed antitumor activity, were from 5.85%-7.27%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The fact of quite different in plant morphological, biological and quality characters of 9 germplasm suggested that the genetic diversity in the wild populations of Coix distributed throughout the regions of Xishuangbanna is relatively abundant.</p>

Chemical constituents from seeds of Paeonia suffruticosa / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents from seeds of Paeonia sufruticosa.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Various chromatographic techniques were used to isolate and purify the constituents, their physico-chemical properties and spectral data were employed to elucidate their structures.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as: paeoniflorin (1), oxypaeoniflorin (2), 6'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylalbiflorin (3), 8-debenzoylpaeoniflorin (4), 8-debenzoylpaeonidanin (5), 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylpaeonisuf-frone (6), 1-O-beta-D-ethyl-mannopyranoside (7), sucrose (8), luteolin (9), apigenin (10), benzoic acid (11) and 1-0-beta-D-(4-hydroxybenzoyl) glucose (12).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>compounds 2, 4-6 were isolated from this plant for the first time, compounds 7 and 12 were isolated from the family of Paeoniaceae for the first time.</p>