[Study on the chemical constituents in roots of Gentiana dahurica].

OBJECTIVE: To systematically study the chemical constituents in the roots of Gentiana dahurica. METHODS: Various column chromatographic techniques were used for isolation and purification. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data (UV, IR, MS, NMR) and identified by comparing with the authentic substance. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated and identified as: roburic acid (1), oleanolic acid (2), beta-sitosterol (3), daucosterol (4), gentiopicroside(5), swertiamarine (6), sweroside (7). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1, 2 and 4 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Changes of gentiopicroside synthesis during somatic embryogenesis in Gentiana macrophylla.

IN VITRO plant regeneration of Gentiana macrophylla Pall. and determination of gentiopicroside content during somatic embryogenesis are described in the present work. The highest percentage of embryogenic callus formation was observed in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). Calli were subcultured on MS medium containing 1.0 mg/L 2,4-D, 1.0 mg/L BA and 500 mg/L lactalbumin hydrolysate (LH) at intervals of 25 days. A higher frequency of somatic embryo maturation was achieved on MS medium containing B5 vitamins (MB) supplemented with different concentrations of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and BA than with a combination of NAA and kinetin (KT). Addition of AgNO(3) improved maturation of somatic embryos while thidiazuron (TDZ) promoted vitrification. The gentiopicroside contents of embryogenic calli and globular-, heart-, torpedo-, and cotyledon-shaped embryoids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Gentiopicroside was not detectable in embryogenic calli, but in all types of somatic embryos. The highest gentiopicroside content was observed in cotyledon-shaped embryoids, reaching more than 12 mg/g dry weight.

[Studies on the chemical constituents in root of Gentiana macrophylla from Shaanxi].

OBJECTIVE: To in vestigate the constituents in root of Gentiana macrophylla. METHOD: Various column chromatographic techniques were used for isolation and purification of the principles. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data (UV, IR, MS, 1H-, 13C-NMR etc.) and identified by comparing with standard substance. RESULT: Eight compounds were identified. Four compounds isolated from the chloroform fraction are: 5-carboxyl-3,4-dihydrogen-1H-2-benzopyran-1-one (1), erythrocentauric acid (2), roburic acid (3), oleanolic acid (4). Water fraction gave four known secoiridoid glucosides. They were: gentiopicroside (5), swertiamarine (6), sweroside (7), 6'-O-beta-D-glucosylgentiopicroside (8). CONCLUSION: 1 is a novel compound. It was named as erythrocentauric acid. 2 was isolated from genus Gentiana and 8 was isolated from G. macrophylla for the first time.

[Analysis of volatile constituents from Anemarrhena asphodeloides by GC-MS].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the volatile oil from the rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides. METHOD: The volatile oil was steam distillation. Chemical constituents were separated and analyzed by GC-MS. The relative content of each component was determined by area nomalization. RESULT: 24 volatile compounds were isolated and identified for the first time, representing 70.83% of the total oil. CONCLUSION: The main constituents of this oil were aldehydes (31.15%), terpene and their oxide (20.66%), alkyls (8.35%), Furan heterocyclic compounds (6.41%), non terpene alcohol (4.26%). There are 12 compounds with contents over 3%. Among them, borneol has the highest content (9.35%).