[Dead heart of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix: a study based on multi-omics]

Dead heart is an important trait of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix. The purpose of this study was to clarify the scientific connotation of the dead heart using multi-omics. Metabolomics and transcriptomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were used to systematically compare the differences in chemical composition and gene expression among phloem, outer xylem and near-dead xylem of pith-decayed Scutella-riae Radix. The results revealed significant differences in the contents of flavonoid glycosides and aglycones among the three parts. Compared with phloem and outer xylem, near-dead xylem had markedly lowered content of flavonoid glycosides(including baicalin, norwogonin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, oroxylin A-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, and wogonoside) while markedly increased content of aglycones(including 3,5,7,2',6'-pentahydroxy dihydroflavone, baicalin, wogonin, and oroxylin A). The differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in KEGG pathways such as phenylpropanoid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, ABC transporter, and plant MAPK signal transduction pathway. This study systematically elucidated the material basis of the dead heart of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix with multiple growing years. Specifically, the content of flavonoid aglycones was significantly increased in the near-dead xylem, and the gene expression of metabolic pathways such as flavonoid glycoside hydrolysis, interxylary cork development and programmed apoptosis was significantly up-regulated. This study provided a theoretical basis for guiding the high-quality production of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix.

[Rapid detection of zearalenone in Coicis Semen based on ELISA]

Zearalenone(ZEN) is a toxic metabolite produced by Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum, F. tricinctum, and other fungi, with estrogenic characteristics. Exposure to or ingestion of ZEN during pregnancy can cause reproductive dysfunction, miscarriage, stillbirth, and malformation, and seriously endanger human life and health. The detection methods for ZEN in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition) are liquid chromatography(LC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS), and it is stipulated that ZEN should not exceed 500 μg in 1 000 g of Coicis Semen. Although these detection methods by instruments can achieve the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ZEN in Coicis Semen, their high detection cost and long periods hinder the rapid screening of a large number of samples in the field. In this study, the synthesized ZEN hapten was conjugated with bovine serum albumin(BSA) and ovalbumin(OVA) to obtain the complete ZEN antigen. By virtue of antibody preparation techniques, ZEN monoclonal antibody 4F6 was prepared, which showed 177.5%, 137.1%, and 109.7% cross-reactivity with ZEN structural analogs zearalanol, zearalenone, and α-zearalenol, respectively, and no cross-reactivity with other fungal toxins such as aflatoxin. Direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(dcELISA) based on ZEN monoclonal antibody 4F6 was developed for the determination of ZEN in Coicis Semen with an IC_(50) of 1.3 μg·L~(-1) and a detection range of 0.22-21.92 μg·L~(-1). The recoveries were 83.91%-105.3% and the RSD was 4.4%-8.0%. The established dcELISA method was used to determine the ZEN residuals in nine batches of Coicis Semen samples, and the results were validated by LC-MS. The correlation between the two detection methods was found to be 0.993 9, indicating that the established dcELISA could be used for the rapid qualitative and quantitative detection of ZEN residuals in Coicis Semen.

[Nature-effect transformation mechanism of mulberry leaves and silkworm droppings based on chemical composition analysis]

Starting with the relationship between mulberry leaves and silkworm droppings as food and metabolites, this study systematically compared the chemical components, screened out differential components, and quantitatively analyzed the main differential components based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and UPLC-Q-TRAP-MS combined with principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). Moreover, the in vitro enzymatic transformation of the representative differential components was studied. The results showed that(1) 95 components were identified from mulberry leaves and silkworm droppings, among which 27 components only exist in mulberry leaves and 8 components in silkworm droppings. The main differential components were flavonoid glycosides and chlorogenic acids.(2) Nineteen components with significant difference were quantitatively analyzed, and the components with significant differences and high content were neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and rutin.(3) The crude protease in the mid-gut of silkworm significantly metabolized neochlorogenic acid and chlorogenic acid, which may be an important reason for the efficacy change in mulberry leaves and silkworm droppings. This study lays a scientific foundation for the development, utilization, and quality control of mulberry leaves and silkworm droppings. It provides references for clarifying the possible material basis and mechanism of the pungent-cool and dispersing nature of mulberry leaves transforming into the pungent-warm and dampness-resolving nature of silkworm droppings, and offers a new idea for the study of nature-effect transformation mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Viola plants]

There are 500 species of Viola(Violaceae) worldwide, among which 111 species are widely distributed in China and have a long medicinal history and wide varieties. According to the authors' statistics, a total of 410 compounds have been isolated and identified from plants of this genus, including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, organic acids, nitrogenous compounds, sterols, saccharides and their derivatives, volatile oils and cyclotides. The medicinal materials from these plants boast anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-oxidant and anti-tumor activities. This study systematically reviewed the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Viola plants to provide a basis for further research and clinical application.

[Quality evaluation of Cnidii Fructus in commodity grade based on theory of "quality evaluation through morphological identification"]

From the perspective of market classification of Cnidii Fructus, this paper revealed the scientific connotation of evaluating the quality grade of Cnidii Fructus by its appearance traits. Thirty batches of Cnidii Fructus in different grades were selected as the research objects. The canonical correlation analysis and principal component analysis(PCA) were used to explore the measurement values of 15 appearance traits and intrinsic content indexes. The results of correlation analysis showed that except the aspect ratio, the 5 appearance trait indexes(length, width, 1 000-grain weight, broken grain weight proportion, and chroma) and 9 internal content indexes(the content of moisture, total ash, acid insoluble ash, osthole, imperatorin, 5-methoxy psoralen, isopimpinellin, xanthotoxin, and xanthotol) showed significant correlation to varying degrees. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the first typical variable U_1 composed of appearance traits and the first typical variable V_1 composed of internal content indexes(CR_1=0.963, P<0.01). The results of PCA showed that the classification results of appearance traits for 30 batches of Cnidii Fructus were consistent with the actual information of the samples. Under the same analysis conditions, 30 batches of Cnidii Fructus were reclassified by 9 groups of internal content indexes, and the analysis results were consistent. From the classification standard of the appearance traits of the system study, the statistical results of 6 appearance traits of Cnidii Fructus showed a correlation with grades. There was a good correlation between the appearance and the internal content of Cnidii Fructus, and the appearance quality effectively predicted the level of the internal content. There is a certain scientific basis for the quality classification of Cnidii Fructus by main appearance traits. Appearance classification can replace quality grading to realize the "quality evaluation through morphological identification" of Cnidii Fructus.

[Development of a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of vomitoxin (DON) in Coicis Semen]

Coicis Semen is a common bulk medicinal material used for both medicine and food, which has the effect of promoting diuresis, draining dampness, invigorating the spleen and checking diarrhea. It is derived from Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen of the family Poaceae, and is easily contaminated by fungi such as Fusarium graminearum and F. flavum due to climate reasons to produce vomitoxin. The guiding principles for determination of vomitoxin in Chinese medicinal materials in Chinese Pharmacopoeia are mainly HPLC and LC-MS, which have long detection period and are time-consuming and laborious, and thus cannot meet the requirements of on-site quality inspection of drugs. The complete antigen of vomitoxin-protein was obtained by chemical derivatization of vomitoxin. The monoclonal antibody against vomitoxin was prepared by classic monoclonal antibody preparation technology, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method for detection of vomitoxin in Coicis Semen was established through methodological investigation. The IC_(50) based on the ELISA for vomitoxin in Coicis Semen was 3.88 μg·L~(-1), and the average recoveries and the RSD were 77.32%-93.73% and 4.6%-9.7%, respectively. With the established ELISA method, the vomitoxin residue in 14 batches of Coicis Semen samples were determined and validated by LC-MS, and the correlation between the two assays was found to be 0.997 8, indicating that the established ELISA method could be used for quantitative determination of vomitoxin residue in Coicis Semen and could achieve the rapid quantitative determination of the vomitoxin residue.

[Investigation and analysis of imported medicinal materials at Chinese border ports]

Imported medicinal materials are an important part of Chinese medicinal resources. To be specific, about 10% of the around 600 commonly used Chinese medicinal materials are from abroad, and the introduction of foreign medicinal materials has promoted the development of Chinese medicine. Amid the advancement of reform and opening up and the "Belt and Road" Initiative, major headway has been made in the cross-border trade in China, bringing opportunities for the import of medicinal materials from border ports. However, for a long time, there is a lack of systematic investigation on the types of exotic medicinal materials at border ports. In the fourth national census of traditional Chinese medicine resources, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, together with several organizations, investigated the nearly 40 border ports, Chinese medicinal material markets, and border trade markets in 6 provinces/autonomous regions in China for the first time and recorded the types, sources, circulation, and the transaction characteristics of imported medicinal materials. Moreover, they invited experts to identify the origins of the collected 237 medicinal materials. In addition, the status quo and the problems of the medicinal materials were summarized. This study is expected to lay a basis for clarifying the market and origins of imported medicinal materials as well as the scientific research on and supervision of them.

[Research progress in chemical constituents, pharmacological activity, and quality markers of Bruceae Fructus]

Bruceae Fructus is a Chinese herbal medicine with the chemical constituents mainly including Brucea javanica oil, quassinoids, flavonoids, steroids, triterpenoids, and alkaloids. Modern research demonstrates that Bruceae Fructus has anti-tumor, anti-malaria, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering activities. This paper introduces the resource distribution, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of Bruceae Fructus. Further, according to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), this paper predicts the Q-markers of Bruceae Fructus from the specificity of chemical components, pharmaceutical activity, measurability of chemical constituents, compatibility, and clinical efficacy, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for establishing the quality standard of Bruceae Fructus.

[Relevant thoughts on development of traditional Chinese medicine industry in new era]

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC), the CPC and the government have highligh-ted the development of traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and issued a series of policies, such as the Plan for Protection and Deve-lopment of Chinese Medicinal Materials(2015-2020) forwarded by the General Office of the State Council in 2015, the Plan for Healthy Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2015-2020) released by the General Office of the State Council in the same year, the Healthy China 2030 Plan published by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2016, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Traditional Chinese Medicine which took effect on July 2017, On the Preservation and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine promulgated by CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2019, and Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period of China released by the General Office of the State Council in March 2022, to promote the development of the TCM industry, which have brought historical opportunities to the TCM industry. However, TCM industry faces various challenges in the development. In terms of drug development in TCM, the current studies mainly focused on the chemical research and technical requests, which neglected TCM characteristics and cased in conformity between new drug transformation of TCM and clinical practice. Therefore, a more considerable and profound authoritative guideline is needed, and innovative thought and research are necessary for academics and the industry. Through the investigation of the development TCM industry in recent years, this study summarized the policies on and trends of Chinese medicinal materials, new drug development in TCM, catalogue of national basic drugs, and national basic health insurance, and proposed suggestions for further development of TCM industry.

[Research advances in chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Dendrobium plants]

Dendrobii Caulis are commonly used tonic Chinese medicinal materials with a long history of application. As demonstrated by pharmacological results, the chemical constituents and the extracts of Dendrobii Caulis have anti-inflammatory, antibacte-rial, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects, and can also regulate immunity, lower blood pressure, and regulate blood sugar. The active ingredients contained are widely concerned by scholars. This paper comprehensively summarized the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Dendrobium plants reported so far. The chemical constituents isolated from Dendrobium plants are mainly alkaloids, sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, fluorenones, coumarins, bibenzyls, phenanthrenes, lignans, steroids, phenols, and polysaccharides. This paper is expected to provide a reference for further research, development, and utilization of Dendrobium plants.

Isolation, structural characterization and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Laminaria japonica: A review

Laminaria japonica is a familiar marine plant and is often used as food due to its abundant carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. As one of the main types of active substances in L. japonica, polysaccharides are widely used in the food and chemical industries and in medicine and healthcare due to their health benefits, such as immunoregulatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. However, there has been no systematic summary of the isolation, structural characterization and bioactivities of L. japonica polysaccharides (LJPs). Therefore, the present review includes a survey of extraction and purification methods for these bioactive molecules, along with a dissertation on the structural characterization of the carbohydrate components. Moreover, an overview of the most recent results related to LJP biological activities is provided. This review provides a useful reference for further research, production, and application of LJPs in functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Practical Protocol for Comprehensively Evaluating Sulfur-Fumigation of Baizhi Based on Metabolomics, Pharmacology, and Cytotoxicity

Sulfur Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi) is a common medicinal herb in Asian countries. A practical protocol combining metabolomics, pharmacology, and cytotoxicity was developed to comprehensively evaluate the influence of sulfur-fumigation on the quality of Baizhi. Furocoumarins could be transformed into sulfur-containing compounds during the sulfuring process, among which 1 and 3 were purified with relatively high abundance and identified as 3,4-dihydrobyakangelicin-4-sulfonic acid and (4R,12S)-3,4-dihydrooxypeucedanin hydrate-4-sulfonic acid (OXH-S), respectively. OXH-S was found to be an addition product of sulfite and oxypeucedanin hydrate (OXH-N). Then, the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of OXH-N, OXH-S, and water extracts of sulfured (extraction-S), and unsulfured Baizhi (extraction-N) were evaluated. OXH-S and extraction-S were less toxic than OXH-N and extraction-N, respectively. A comparison of OXH-N with OXH-S and extraction-N with extraction-S showed no significant differences in anti-inflammatory activity. These results suggest that sulfur fumigation can reduce toxicity and does not influence the anti-inflammatory activity of Baizhi, even after chemical composition changes. The proposed protocol based on marker screening, pharmacology, and safety evaluation provides a scientific basis for the standardization and regulation of sulfured Baizhi and other medical materials.

[Content and distribution of inorganic elements in Laminaria japonica based on ICP-MS and Micro-XRF]

In order to evaluate the composition and distribution characteristics of inorganic elements in Laminaria japonica, this study employed inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) to detect the inorganic elements and used high performance liquid chromatography tandem ICP-MS(HPLC-ICP-MS) to determine the content of different arsenic species in L. japonica from diffe-rent origins. Micro X-ray fluorescence(Micro-XRF) was used to determine micro-area distribution of inorganic elements in L. japonica. The results showed that the average content of Mn, Fe, Sr, and Al was high, and that of As and Cr exceeded the limits of the national food safety standard. According to the results of HPLC-ICP-MS, arsenobetaine(AsB) was the main species of As contained in L. japonica. The more toxic inorganic arsenic accounts for a small proportion, whereas its content was 1-4 times of the limit in the national food safety standard. The results of Micro-XRF showed that As, Pb, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ni were mainly distributed on the surface of L. japonica. Among them, As and Pb had a clear tendency to diffuse from the surface to the inside. The results of the study can provide a basis for the processing as well as the medicinal and edible safety evaluation of L. japonica.

[Advances in research on chemical composition of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora and P. kurroa and their biological activities]

At present, 141 compounds have been isolated from Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora and P. kurroa of the Scrophulariaceae plants, including 46 iridoid glycosides, 29 tetracyclic triterpenoids, 25 phenylpropanoids, and 11 phenylethanoid glycosides. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that they have liver-, heart-, brain-, kidney-, and nerve cells-protecting effects as well as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-asthma, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, and blood lipid-lowering activities. This article reviews the chemical components and pharmacological activities of P. scrophulariiflora and P. kurroa, aiming to provide a basis for the in-depth research, development, and utilization of the two plants.

[Market survey of Caryophylli Flos specifications]

The present study aimed to regulate the market circulation of Caryophylli Flos and formulate standards for commodity specifications and grades of Caryophylli Flos. Market survey was carried out in four major medicinal material markets with 48 samples of Caryophylli Flos collected. The property, 100-seed weight, impurity percentage, moisture, and eugenol content in Caryophylli Flos of different specifications from different producing areas were determined and analyzed. The results showed that 27.1% of the samples surveyed on the markets did not meet the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). The 100-seed weight and the property are important factors for the classification of Caryophylli Flos specifications. There were significant differences in the property, 100-seed weight, impurity percentage, and eugenol content in Caryophylli Flos samples of different specifications from different producing areas, and also differences in the proportions of different specifications in Caryophylli Flos samples from different producing areas. The African-originated Xiaohong(medium grade) and Guangxi-originated Xiaohong(medium grade) accounted for 70% and 66.7% respectively, the Indonesian-originated Dahong(top grade) for 56.2%. In conclusion, there are many problems in the circulation of Caryophylli Flos at present, mainly including the loss of origin information, no standards for specifications, non-implementation of grade standards, excessive impurities, and no evidence for authenticity identification. According to the classification of Caryophylli Flos specifications in this study, the average eugenol content of Xiaohong is significantly higher than the Dahong by 4.74%.

[Research progress on chemical compositions and pharmacological action of Drynariae Rhizoma]

Drynariae Rhizoma is warm in nature and bitter in taste, mainly acting on liver and kidney systems. It is a common Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of fracture and bone injury. The chemical compositions of Drynariae Rhizoma mainly include flavonoids, triterpenoids, phenylpropanoids and lignans. At present, modern pharmacological and clinical studies have shown that Drynariae Rhizoma has the effects of anti osteoporosis, promoting fracture healing, kidney protection, anti-inflammatory, promoting tooth growth, preventing and treating aminoglycoside ototoxicity and lowering blood lipid. In addition, the toxicity evaluation experiment of Drynariae Rhizoma has also shown that it has no obvious toxic and side effects. Naringin is a kind of dihydroflavone in Drynariae Rhizoma. Many studies have shown that naringin and other total flavonoids play an important role in anti-osteoporosis, promoting fracture healing, anti-inflammation, promoting tooth growth and lowering blood lipid. In this study, the research progresses on chemical consti-tuents and pharmacological activities of Drynariae Rhizoma in recent years were reviewed, and some mechanisms of action were summarized, to provide references for the further research and development of Drynariae Rhizoma.

Research on Biomarkers of Different Growth Periods and Different Drying Processes of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka Based on Plant Metabolomics

Fruit of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka called as "Xiang yuan" in Chinese, which means fragrant and round. It was widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. This fruit has well-known health benefits such as antioxidant, radical scavenging, and anti-inflammatory. Naringin, deacetylnomilin, citric acid, limonin, and nomilin were the characteristic components of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka. Although the fruit of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka possessed many applications, there was a lack of research on the growth period and drying process. In this study, plant metabolomics was used to analyze the biomarkers of the growth period, and appearance indicators and metabolites abundance were combined for the analysis of change regularities of the growth period. The representative differential metabolites of naringin, citric acid, and limonin were screened out, and the abundance of these components was relatively highest in the middle of the growth period. Therefore, the fruit of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka should be harvested before it turned yellow completely, which could effectively ensure the content of potential active ingredients. In the comparison of different drying methods, citric acid and naringin were considered to be representative differential components, but limonoids were relatively stable and not easily affected by drying methods. Naringin was an index component that could not only be reflected the maturity but also related to different drying methods. Considering its physical and chemical properties and its position, naringin had the potential to be a biomarker of Citrus wilsonii Tanaka.

[Herbal textual research on Rubi Fructus]

Rubi Fructus is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. The origin of Rubi Fructus is the dried fruit of Rubus chingii, a plant of the family Rosaceae, according to the 2015 edition of Chinese pharmacopoeia. There are some differences in the plant origin of Rubi Fructus in ancient herbal literature, to trace back its sources, we conducted a textual research on its origin, producing areas, quality evaluation, processing and concocting, properties, tastes and efficacy etc. based on the records of ancient herbal literatures and combined with plant morphology and related investigation. RESULTS:: showed that the variety of Rubi Fructus was more complex among ancient herbal literature, including R. coreanus, R. hirsutus, R. corchorifolius, R. foliolosus and other mixed varieties. Most scholars believe that the R. chingii has not been recorded in ancient herbal literature, while R. chingii was recorded as early as the Ming Dynasty in Compendium of materia medica through our textual research. Ancient Chinese herbs recorded that Rubi Fructus was mostly produced in Hubei, Shandong, Shanxi and Jiangsu provinces, while R. chingii mainly produced in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and other provinces nowadays. Also, it was recorded that Rubi Fructus harvested in wheat field during May were the best. Besides, R. chingii with big, full, grain integrate, firm, yellow and green color, sour taste and impurity free possess the best quality in the contemporary. The ancient records of processing and concocting, properties, tastes and efficacy were basically the same as modern ones.These results provide the basis for the correct utilization and further development of Rubi Fructus.

[Herbal textual research on Chinese medicine "Fuzi"(Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata.)]

To ensure the use of aconite roots as much as possible in accordance with the traditional medication principles, this paper examines the species, origin and processing of the ancient aconite, attempting to provide a basis for the research and development of drugs in the perspective of "Jingdian Mingfang" (Chinese Classical Formulas). The study found that a species discovered after the Tang Dynasty, Aconitum carmichaelii Debx., became the mainstream of this species category. Following the Song Dynasty, this species became the main source of authentic aconite, called "Chuanwu". This species is also currently the source of aconite roots. From this situation, the dry daughter roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. should be considered in the research and development of "Jingdian Mingfang", and the cultivation products of Sichuan Jiangyou and Shanxi Hanzhong as well.

[Textual research principles and suggestions on function and indication of ancient classical formulas]

Indication and functions is an important key information in the research and development of the ancient classical formulas, which directly affects the clinical positioning of the compound formulas and their reasonable, effective and safe use after marke-ting. It is also the embodiment of the ultimate vitality of ancient classical formulas. Due to the particularity of ancient classical formulas, it is of great significance to accurately define and describe the functions and indications of classical formulas to exert their unqiue advantages. Based on the analysis of the provenances, classification of clinical indications, and functions of 100 prescriptions in the Catalogue of Ancient Classical Formulas(First Batch), this paper summarized the incompleteness, irregularity and inconsistency in the original text, the differences in terminology between ancient and modern times, and the evolution of the meanings of prescriptions in different dynasties. In addition, under the guidance of the general principle of textual researh on ancient classical formulas, which is to inherit the essence, make the past serve the present, link up the past and the present, and bulid consensus, this paper proposed the following ideas: respecting the original meanings and provenances of ancient classical formulas, taking full consideration of the development and evolution, serving the current clinical application and health needs, accurately linking up the ancient and modern terminologies, standardizing the expression of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) terminology, highlighting the characteristics of TCM, attaching importance to the textual research principles and suggestions of post-marketing evidence-based and clinical positioning research, so as to determine the the functions and indications of the ancient classical formulas in a scientific, standardized and reasonable way and better guide the clinical application of the classical formulas.

[Literature-based analysis of conversion of components in fermentation process of Sojae Semen Praeparatum]

Based on the systematic retrieval and the reported components of Sojae Semen Nigrum and Sojae Semen Praeparatum, this study conducted in-depth analysis of conversion of components in the fermentation process, and discussed types and possible mec-hanisms of conversion of chemical components, so as to provide the basis for studying technology, medicinal ingredients and quality standards. According to the analysis, there is a certain degree of conversion of nutrients(like protein, sugar, lipid), bioactive substances(like isoflavones, saponins, γ-aminobutyric acid) and other substances(like nucleosides, melanoids, biamines, etc) in the process of fermentation.

[Construction of model for multidimensional evaluation of value and risk of Chinese patent medicine]

It is the core of the development for Chinese patent medicine enterprises to cultivate large varieties of Chinese patent medicine, and the selection of potential "seed" products is the prerequisite for the cultivation strategy. By constructing the evaluation model from multiple dimensions of value and risk, we can conduct specialized evaluation of Chinese patent medicines to effectively, professionally and objectively select the "seed" products with large variety cultivation potential. In this paper, the establishment of a multidimensional evaluation system would be discussed from the aspects of drug naming and prescription composition, safety risk and supply guarantee of raw materials and medicinal materials, competition situation, access to policy catalogue, scientific and technological support, clinical evidence and recognition, systematical and standardized collection of information on product instructions, quality standards, policy catalogue, scientific and technological literature, market competition and clinical application of Chinese patent medicines. Through the objective evaluation index and the range of objective index, the multi-dimensional evaluation model on values and risks of Chinese patent medicine products was discussed. Based on this model, a batch of Chinese patent medicine products can be quickly and comprehensively analyzed, and quantitative comparison can be formed among different types and fields of products. According to the evaluation results of the model and the comprehensive evaluation of experts, high-quality "seed" products can be selec-ted, laying a solid foundation for the next step of large variety cultivation. With use of this model, we can further clarify the external competitive advantages and internal priority levels of each product, and provide support for enterprises to optimize product structure and improve product strategic layout.

Systematic review of the alkaloid constituents in several important medicinal plants of the Genus Corydalis

The genus Corydalis is a botanical source of various pharmaceutically active components. Its member species have been widely used in traditional medicine systems in Southeast Asia, especially in China for thousands of years. They have been administered to treat the common cold, hypertension, hepatitis, hemorrhage, edema, gastritis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. Analgesia is the most important effect of Corydalis products, which are relatively non-addictive and associated with low tolerance compared with other analgesics. Certain Corydalis species are rich in alkaloids, which have strong biological activity, and also contain coumarins, flavonoids, steroids, organic acids and other chemical components. These constituents have pharmacological efficacy against diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems. Numerous investigations have been performed on these plants and their components. Here, we systemically summarized the chemical constituents of important medicinal member species of Corydalis that have been reported since 1962. A total 381 alkaloids were enumerated, including 117 quaternary isoquinoline type, 60 Benzophenanthridine type, 37 aporphine type, 10 protopine type, 59 phthalide isoquinoline type, 52 simple isoquinoline-type, 25 lignin amides and 21 other alkaloids. Thus, we have provided a basis for further explorations into the pharmacologically active constituents of Corydalissp.(Papaveraceae) to develop medicines that exert strong effects, are relatively non-addictive, and result in few side effects.

[Textual research on medicinal blue herbs]

In this paper, through the collection and collation of ancient herbs, medical books and prescriptions, combined with modern literature, the historical changes of the name, origin, position, medicinal parts, collection, processing and processing of bluegrass were systematically combed and verified.It can be seen from the research that bluegrass was first used as medicine by the fruit, namely blueberry, which was originally Polygonum tinctorium. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, blueberry was rarely used, and it has been no longer used medicinally. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the medicinal parts extended to the stems and leaves, and most of them used juice as medicine.Since the Tang Dynasty, origin has been extended to Isatis indigotica, Baphicacanthus cusia, Indigofera tinctoria, Compositae plant Wulan, etc. In the Song Dynasty, the medicinal parts extended to the roots, and the "Banlangen" began to appear, and gradually became the main medicinal parts of blue medicinal materials, the main base of which was B. cusia. Since the Qing Dynasty, I. indigotica, a Cruciferae, has gradually become a genuine indigo root, while B. cusia has become a southern indigo root. It was the first mineral dye imported from abroad for thrush, and then used as medicine, also known as clam powder. Because it was found that it had the same effect with the extract of bluegrass, it was also named indigo naturalis in China, which has lasted till now. The main stream of Isatidis Folium in the past dynasties is the dry stem and leaf of Clerodendrum cyrtophylum. Since the Qing Dynasty, the stem and leaf of Isatis indigotica, P. tinctorium and other blue grasses have been gradually mixed as substitutes and gradually become the mainstream.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Euonymus alatus (celastraceae, Euonymus L.)

The complete mitochondrial genome of medicinal plant, Euonymus alatus, was sequenced for the first time. The genome sequence is 1,045,106 bp in length (GenBank accession number MW009108), with 44.98% GC contents. There are 72 genes in the genome, including 41 known protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and three ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). The phylogenetic trees of 28 species are constructed using the maximum-likelihood method. The information will provide references for phylogenetic research.

[Cloning and functional analysis of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid glycosyltransferases from Arnebia euchroma]

Caffeic acid and its oligomers are the main water-soluble active constituents of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) Arnebiae Radix. These compounds possess multiple biological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, cardiovascular protective, liver protective, anti-liver fibrosis, antiviral and anticancer activities. The phenylpropanoid pathway in plants is responsible for the biosynthesis of caffeic acid and its oligomers. Glycosylation can change phenylpropanoid solubility, stability and toxic potential, as well as influencing compartmentalization and biological activity. In view of the important role played by de-glycosylation in the regulation of phenylpropanoid homeostasis, the biosynthesis of caffeic acid and its oligomers are supposed to be under the control of relative UDP-glycosyltransferases(UGTs). Through the data mining of Arnebia euchroma transcriptome, we cloned 15 full-length putative UGT genes. After recombinant expression using the prokaryotic system, the crude enzyme solution of the putative UGTs was examined for the glycosylation activities towards caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid in vitro. AeUGT_01, AeUGT_02, AeUGT_03, AeUGT_04 and AeUGT_10 were able to glycosylate caffeic acid and/or rosmarinic acid resulting in different mono-and/or di-glycosylated products in the UPLC-MS analyses. The characterized UGTs were distantly related to each other and divided into different clades of the phylogenetic tree. Based on the observation that each characterized UGT exhibited substrate or catalytic similarity with the members in their own clade, we supposed the glycosylation abilities towards caffeic acid and/or rosmarinic acid were evolved independently in different clades. The identification of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid UGTs from A. euchroma could lead to deeper understanding of the caffeic acid oligomers biosynthesis and its regulation. Furthermore, these UGTs might be used for regiospecific glycosylation of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid to produce bioactive compounds for potential therapeutic applications.

[Variety evolution and herbal textual research on "Dihuang" in Chinese classical prescriptions]

Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang in Chinese) is a commonly used medicinal herb in a long history, raw Dihuang, dried Dihuang, processed Dihuang and other varieties have been recorded in the classical prescriptions of past dynasties. In order to clarify the origin and variety evolution of different processed products of Dihuang in Chinese classical prescriptions, ancient herbal books were examined in this paper. Both ancient and modern Dihuang is derived from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. in Scrophulariaceae, and R. chingii Li has been used as local medication. Dihuang has been cultivated since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the cultivation technique was mature in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Huaiqing Prefecture of Henan Province has been regarded as its genuine producing area. "Dried Dihuang" in Shennong Bencao Jing(, Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica) included raw Dihuang and processed Dihuang. Mingyi Bielu(, Alternative Records of Famous Physicians) has described "raw Dihuang" and "Dried Dihuang" separately, in which "raw Dihuang" should be fresh Dihuang in modern times. Bencao Tujing(, Illustration of Materia Medica) in the Song Dynasty has recorded "raw Dihuang" and "processed Dihuang" correspondingly. The "raw Dihuang" was similar to today's raw Dihuang. "Processed Dihuang" has been recorded in the prescriptions of the Qin and Han Dynasties, which was independently described in the Song Dynasty. The processing methods of processed Dihuang were various in the Ming Dynasty. Processed Dihuang mainly refers to the dried products after stewing with wine or steaming until dark, and the processing methods tend to be simplified in modern times. "Raw and dried Dihuang" and "dried and processed Dihuang" have been independently recorded first in ancient herbal books of the Ming Dynasty, which is the raw Dihuang and processed Dihuang, respectively. This paper has sorted out the varieties of Dihuang, providing a basis of herbology for the origin and processing of traditional Chinese medicinal materials of Dihuang.

[Discussion on high quality development and authentication system construction of Dao-di herbs based on blockchain]

Dao-di herbs are an important part of clinical medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. They are also precious wealth left to human beings from history, which contain deep traditional Chinese cultural connotations and play an important role in supporting and serving the Chinese medicine business. The relevant policy documents introduced by various national ministries and commissions have many contents and requirements related to the promotion of Dao-di herbs protection and industrial development. Due to the Dao-di herbs industry has a series of characteristics, such as a long chain, many involved links, long cycles, multiple production entities, multiple locations, and various types, the high-quality development of the industry has put forward higher requirements on the linkage between upstream and downstream, production entities, traceability of the whole process and information sharing. This article takes Dao-di herbs certification work as an application scenario and entry point, and discusses it from the perspective of block chain and information technology. It proposes the following work ideas: establish multi-party consensus from the macro-organizational management, business, and operational technical levels, and unblock channels for data and information, to achieve institutionalization of certification; establish certification-related standards and specifications to achieve certification standardization; build a certification hardware system to achieve certification networking; build a certification software system to develop functions for specific information content such as identity, origin, production, production process, quality, product and brand of authentic medicinal material production interactively, and realize certification programmatic; data security and sharing of related production activities to achieve socialization of certification. Make full use of modern technologies such as blockchain, the internet of things, big data and information technology, and through the joint participation of management, production, use and the public, the whole process information of Daodi herbs is integrated to form an interconnected information sharing application mode, thus, to serve and promote the high-quality development of Dao-di herbs industry.

[Study on degradation of silkworm excrement chemical components in vitro]

The purpose of this article is to study the degradation of chemical compositions after the silkworm excrement being expelled from the silkworm, and to determine its main metabolic compositions and their changing relationships. This research is based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology. Based on the systematic analysis of the main chemical compositions contained in silkworm excrement, the principal compositions analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) on commercial silkworm excrement and fresh silkworm excrement were analyzed for differences. The S-plot chart of OPLS-DA was used to select and identify the chemical compositions that contributed significantly to the difference. At the same time, the relative peak areas of the different compositions were extracted by Masslynx to obtain the relative content of different compositions in fresh silkworm excrement. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the chemical compositions between fresh silkworm excrement and commercial silkworm excrement. The difference compositions were mainly flavonoid glycosides and Diels-Alder type composition, and two types of compounds are degradated during the storage of silkworm sand. In this study, the chemical compositions of fresh silkworm excrement were systematically identified and analyzed for the first time by mass spectrometry, and it was found that some chemical compositions of silkworm excrement were degradated with time during storage.

[Textual research on "Gui" in Chinese classical prescriptions]

Through consulting the ancient herbs and medical books, combining with modern literature, this paper makes textual research on herbal medicine, and textual research on the name, origin, position and harvest and processing changes of the medicinal herbs in ancient classical prescriptions. According to research, Cinnamon medicinal materials were first listed in the Shennong's Herbal Classic, as the name of "Jungui" and "Mugui". Among them, Jungui has undergone the evolution of "Qungui-Jungui-Tonggui-Jungui". After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a half-volume fatty "Gui" was added, but the usage of the three was no different. The names of Cinnamomi Ramulus and Cinnamomi Cortex did not appear until the Tang Dynasty, and they were preferably thick-skinned and with no cork cambium, and they were mostly used in the name of "Guixin"; Since the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the medicinal parts of cassia have gradually separated. Cinnamomi Cortex is the trunk bark of sapling or branch bark, the twig is Cinnamomi Ramulus, and the tenderest twig is Liugui, Song Dynasty unified the name as "Guizhi"; After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Cinnamomi Cortex was used as the trunk bark, and Cinnamomi Ramulus was used as the tender twig; In modern times, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia stipulates that the Cinnamomi Ramulus is the young branch of C. cassia, which is Cinnamomum, and Cinnamomi Cortex was the dried trunk bark. From the plant morphology recorded in the previous herbals and the drawings, combined with the distribution of the origins described in the previous herbals, the mainstream plant used as a medicine in the past generations should be C. cassia, but there are other sect. Cinnamomum plants that are also used in medicine everywhere, such as C. chekiangensis, C. bejolghota, C. wilsonii, etc. Throughout the ages, different plant morphologies and medicinal traits have been used to distinguish different categories. The origins of the past dynasties are mostly present in Guangdong, Guangxi province and Vietnam, and are regarded as authentic. The methods for the harvest and processing of cinnamon medicinal materials are basically the same from ancient to modern times.

[Textual research on Bupleuri Radix in Chinese classical prescriptions]

Through consulting the herbs and medical books of past dynasties, combining with modern literature and field investigation, this paper made textual research on the name, origin, producing area, harvesting and processing of Bupleuri Radix used in the Catalogue of Ancient Classical Prescriptions(the first batch).From Han to the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the source of Bupleuri Radix was a mixture of Bupleurum and Peucedanum, it's hard to define the origin of authentic products.In Tang Dynasty, Caryophyllaceae had been used as Bupleuri Radix. In Song Dynasty, it was clear that the genuine production area of Bupleuri Radix was Yinzhou, its origin was B. corzonerifolium and B. yinchowense.After the Ming Dynasty, B. chinense gradually became the mainstream. It has been confirmed that there were differences in the efficacy between Stellaria dichotoma in Caryophyllaceae and Bupleurum in Umbelliferae, however, the use of S. dichotoma is still attributed to Bupleuri Radix. In the Qing Dynasty, S. dichotoma was distinguished from Bupleuri Radix as another medicine. Among the prescriptions containing Bupleuri Radix included in the Catalogue of Classical Prescriptions in Ancient China(the first batch), the mainstream of genuine Bupleuri Radix should be B. scorzonerifolium and B. chinense. It is suggested that the genuine base of Bupleuri Radix should be selected according to the current resources and industrial development of Bupleuri Radix, and it should conform to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

[Textual research on "Zhu" in Chinese classical prescriptions]

Through consulting the ancient herbs and medical books,combining with modern literature and field investigation,this paper makes textual research on herbal medicine,and makes textual research on the name,origin,position and changes of collection and processing of the medicinal herbs in Ancient Classical Prescriptions. " Zhu" wasn't distinguished before the Northern and Southern Dynasties,but the efficacy of the techniques recorded in the documents at that time was similar to that of today's Atractylodis Rhizoma.Tao Hongjing put forward the theory of " red and white" in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. " Cangzhu" and " Baizhu" gradually differentiated,but there was no clear distinction between them. Since Song and Yuan Dynasties, " Baizhu" has been respected and classified in the literature. In Ming Dynasty, " Baizhu" was cultivated and differentiated into different quality specifications according to its growth pattern and origin. Maoshan is the genuine production area of " Cangzhu". The quality of wild " Baizhu" produced in Yuqian city is the best. In modern times,the origins of " Cangzhu" and " Baizhu" were defined according to plant taxonomy. " Zhu" before Song Dynasty was close to Atractylodes lancea, " Baishu" had been respected since the Song Dynasty. So when Song people revised the previous literature,they unified " Zhu" into " Baizhu" and used it for later generations. Its safety and effectiveness have been confirmed,and the wild resources of modern atractylodes are scarce. Therefore,it is suggested that when classical famous prescriptions are developed,the prescription recorded as " Baizhu" does not need to be changed in its origin,that is,A. macrocephala at present or can choose the appropriate basis according to the principle of local righteousness.Textual research shows that the origin of " Cangzhu" in the classical prescription should be A. lancea.

[Herbal textual research on Chinese medicine "Manjingzi"(Viticis Fructus)]

To clarify the change and development of original plants of " Manjingzi"( Viticis Fructus),a traditional Chinese medicine,we investigated Vitex species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts. The study concluded that the Vitex trifolia and V. trifolia var.simplicifolia included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia( 2015 edition) are only two sources of ancient medicinal Viticis Fructus. There are many sources of vines used in ancient times,which are not fixed and unified. The early use of Viticis Fructus is likely to be the V. quinate var. quinata,V. negundo var. cannabifolia and V. negundo var. negundo. From the Tang Dynasty,the use of V. trifolia var. simplicifolia has been appeared. Until Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty,the V. trifolia has been used as a source of medicine for the Viticis Fructus,but even so,the source of medicinal plants of Viticis Fructus has not been unified. We suggested V. trifolia var. simplicifolia be used as mainly species for " Manjingzi" due to its widely used in ancient China.

[Textual research on Chinese herbaceous peony in Chinese classical prescriptions]

In this paper,the name,origin,producing area,harvesting and processing changes of Paeonia lactiflora used in classical prescriptions were studied by textual research of herbal medicine and field investigation. Chinese herbaceous peony wasn' t distinguished before the Northern and Southern Dynasties; Tao Hongjing proposed that there were two kinds of P. lactiflora in the Northern and Southern Dynasties,but they were not clearly defined; since the Song and Yuan Dynasties,the method of distinguishing P. lactiflora by flower color and root color was proposed. In the Ming Dynasty,people put forward the criteria similar to modern ones,that is,to divide red peony and white peony by means of harvesting and processing,and to continue for future generations. Since modern times,different growth patterns and processing methods have been used to classify red peony and white peony. Paeoniae Radix Alba has gradually formed three major cultivation genuine producing areas: Hangzhou,Sichuan and Bozhou,while Paeoniae Radix Rubra in modern times has praised the wild medicinal materials produced in Inner Mongolia,Toronto and other places. According to textual research,Paeoniae Radix Alba was highly praised in Song Dynasty. When people in Song Dynasty revised the previous literature,they changed " Shaoyao" into " Baishao" and continued to use Paeoniae Radix Alba for future generations. Therefore,the origin of P. lactiflora in classical prescriptions before the Song Dynasty should be determined by the combination of prescription function and prescription meaning evolution; After the Song Dynasty,the origins of " Red Paeonia Root" and " White Paeonia Root" in prescriptions are basically the same as those in today's prescriptions,which should be recorded in ancient prescriptions. For the medicinal flavor of " Paeonia Root" recorded in prescriptions after the Song Dynasty,the origins can be determined by functional domination and the evolution of prescriptions.

[Textual research on classical prescription of Acorus tatarinowii]

Based on the prescription books of herbs and medical books of all dynasties,this article makes a textual research on the name,origin,position,quality,collection,processing and concocting of Acorus tatarinowii used in the classical prescription,and clarifies the relationship between ancient and modern,so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of the classical famous prescription.According to research,A. tatarinowii has many aliases and is often remembered as " Chang pu" when use as medicine; It has a wide distribution of resources in our country,all over the country have produced and mostly wild,its producing areas there is a trend of migration to the southeast; It is recorded in the ancient books of Chinese herbs that most of its medicinal parts are roots,and to root thin,solid quality,dense,aromatic smell,full taste,chewing less slag of high quality; It is harvested in February,May,August and December,and dried in the shade after harvesting; Its concocting methods are more than 20 species have been recorded; Before the Tang Dynasty,the basis of the medicinal A. tatarinowii was relatively chaotic,through textual research,it is concluded that A. tatarinowii should be the mainstream in all dynasties,and that its quality is superior to that of other species in the same genus.It is recommended to be used in " Kaixin san" and " rehmannia drink".

[Herbal textual research on triditional Chinese medicine "Baihe"( Lilii Bulbus)]

To clarify the species and preparation of " Baihe"( Lilii Bulbus),a traditional Chinese medicine,we investigated the relative ancient Chinese literature on this medicine. The study concluded that Lilium brownii var. viridulum is the authentic lily for medical use. In the Ben Cao Yan Yi and some medical books in the Ming and Qing Dynasties,L. lancifolium( Juandan) was also mistakenly used as genuine lily,but most doctors believe that this variety should not be used for medicinal purposes; L. pumilum( Shandan)began to be used as a medicine from Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao,but mainly for surgery,the effect is also different from L. brownii var. viridulum. We suggested Shandan be used as the species for another medicine as " Hong Bai He( red lily) " due to its red flower. All above three species recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia are not corresponded to the condition of ancient doctors' uses. Therefore,as for developing of traditional classical formula,L. brownii var. viridulum should be chosen and used as Baihe. The birth places for Baihe include Gansu,Hubei,Anhui and Shandong province. The drug preparations of Baihe include crude medicine,roasting and steaming,which preparation should be chosen depends on the formula which contains Baihe.

[Research progress on chemical constituents and bioactivities of Lepidium meyenii]

Maca( Lepidium meyenii) known as the " national treasure of Peru" and " South American ginseng",is annual or biennial herbs of the genus Lepidium in Cruciferae. It mainly contains proteins,amino acids,polysaccharides,alkaloids( including:macamides,imidazoles,hydroxypyridines,carbazoles,organic amines and so on),glucosinolates,macaenes,thioethylurea,sterols and other chemical constituents. In recent years,more and more studies have found that it could treat osteoporosis and improve prostatehyperplasia,and possessed anti-cancer,female climacteric syndrome,rheumatism,antioxidant and other pharmacological effects. In this paper,the chemical constituents and bioactivity of Maca were reviewed,which could provide the basis for the further development and utilization of Maca.

[Textual research of "Huangbo" in classical prescriptions]

"Huangbo" is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in clinic,which is mainly divided into " Chuanhuangbo" and " Guanhuangbo" in the market today. It's better to use thick and dark stem bark as medicine. This study combed the germplasms of " Huangbo" in Chinese herbal medicines and ancient medical books,which showed that the name,origin and processing of " Huangbo" had undergone evolution and changes since the ancient times. The results showed that " Huangbo" was first known as " Bomu" from " Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic". There was an attached name " Tanhuan" and the alias " Huangbo" besides " Bomu" in herbal books in Tang and Song Dynasty. Before Tang Dynasty, " Bomu" was mainly originated from stems or roots of Berberis species in Berberiaceae,and then it was mainly derived from the dry bark of Phellodendron chinense in Rutaceae since Song Dynasty. In Ming Dynasty,some herbal books recorded it name as " Huangbo",whose origin and medicinal parts remained unchanged,taking Sichuan as the best producing area. During the Republic of China era,the name " Huangbo" has evolved to " Huangbo",and the variety differentiation of " Chuanhuangbo", " Guanhuangbo" and " Yanghuangbo" appeared,in which " Guanhuangbo" was mainly derived from Ph. amurense Rupr.. In modern times,although species differentiation still exists in " Huangbo",the market is still dominated by " Chuanhuangbo".

[Research on grade standard and quality evaluation of Pinelliae Rhizoma for merchandise specification]

The study aims at investigating the grade standard and the quality characteristic of Pinelliae Rhizoma for commodity specification, which provides the reference for its grade standard formulation. 42 Pinelliae Rhizoma simples were collected from 5 medicinal materials markets and 2 producing areas. Based on the previous herbalogical study and market investigation, we combined with the data analysis to select the grading indicators using SPSS software for descriptive statistical analysis, analysis of variance, K-cluster analysis and correlation analysis. According to the actual production condition, we developed the grading standards of Pinelliae Rhizoma. Moreover, we compared the internal indicators(water, total ash, leachate and guanosine) of Pinelliae Rhizoma at various grade levels, and analyzed the correlation between appearance traits and internal indicators. The herbalogical study and market research found that the Pinelliae Rhizoma was better in large, solid and white. The results from descriptive and variance analysis showed that the appearance of Pinelliae Rhizoma was significantly different in weight per grain and grain number of 500 g. Referring to the 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the production practice, we use the length, weight per grain and grain number of 500 g as the classification index of Pinelliae Rhizoma. The results from correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between the appearance of Pinelliae Rhizoma and the intrinsic quality index. In addition, we found there was no significant difference in the content of the intrinsic index except for the total ash and the extract. The current study established the classification index of the product specification and grade standard of Pinelliae Rhizoma with length, weight per grain and grain number of 500 g as the index, which can provide the basis for the classification of the product specification and grade of Pinelliae Rhizoma market.

[Study on commodity specification and grade standard and quality evaluation of Galla Chinensis]

This paper is aimed to study the commodity specification and grade standard of Galla Chinensis,for standardizing market order and guide the market circulation,and provide a basis for standardization of Galla Chinensis. With 33 samples of Galla Chinensis from market as the object of the research,the herbal textual research and market research were carried out. Then the grading indicator were selected by the descriptive statistics,principal component analysis and cluster analysis,combining with production practice,the commodity specification and grade standard of Galla Chinensis were set out. The data of moisture,ash,gallic acid as the internal index were used to analyze the relationship between the quality difference between grades and the appearance characters and the intrinsic composition. Herbal textual research and market research found that the high quality of Galla Chinensis characterized with large,complete,wall thick,grayish brown characteristics,and Galla Chinensis could be divided into gallnuts and horned gall. Through principal component analysis and cluster analysis,combining actual production and herbal record,screening,the length,diameter,single weight,the number of 500 g were determined as 4 grading indicators,the commodity specification was divided into two: gallnuts and horned gall,the grades was divided into two: selected goods and mixed goods. The result of correlation analysis showed there was no significant correlation between the internal index and the appearance characters of Galla Chinensis. The result of multiple comparison showed that the ash content of the selected goods was smaller than that of the mixed goods,but it did not reach significant. The content of gallic acid of the selected goods and the mixed goods of gallnuts were higher than selected goods of horned gall,and higher than mixed goods of horned galls. Using the length,diameter,single weight,the number of 500 g as the appearance characters index. Combining with the herbal textual research and market research,we have divided two specifications and two grades for the commodity specification and grade standard of Galla Chinensis,which can provide a basis for industry standards and national standards.

[Textual research on origin and genuine of Lilii Bulbus]

Lilii Bulbus, which comes from many medicinal plants，is a frequently-used traditional Chinese medicine，the records in previous herbal literatures of it's origin and quality were inconstant. To trace back it's sources, we conducted a systematical study on it's origin and quality by textual research and investigation in this paper,The result showed that the origins of Lilii Bulbus are mainly source from white-flowers, red-yellow-flowers and red-flowers of Lilium， L. brownii var. viridulum, which were believed authentic or good quality in all previous herbal literatures,and L. pumilum and L. concolor which belong to white-flowers,and L. lancifolium which belong to red-yellow-flowers were believed low-quality and unfit for medicinal uses, or they were listed below and often have different effect with L. brownii var. viridulum. Among them, only L. concolor does not belong to Lilii Bulbus according to Chinese Pharmacopeia (2015 edition), The mainstream varieties of Lilii Bulbus became L. lancifolium now according to our practical investigation, which were very different from previous herbal literatures. Although chemical and pharmacological studies provided a reference for L. lancifolium，we should respect the actual records of the previous herbal literatures，the research of material foundation of efficacy should be more sufficient，and provide science evidence for clinical application of different species of Lilii Bulbus.

[Study on commodity specification and grade standard and quality evaluation of Dipsaci Radix]

Through the records of herbal and market investigations,the samples collected from different market and origin were analyzed,and the appearance character indexes were determined in order to revise the commodity specification and grade standard of Dipsaci Radix combined with production practice. This is also to analyze association of the appearance with quality different of intrinsic components. The investigation results indicated the root's long and thick was better,and atrovirens of fracture surface,there are most of the market is dominated by the ungraded goods. Through principal component analysis,variance analysis and cluster analysis,combining with the feasibility of actual operation and herbal record,the length,middle diameter and phloem color were filtrated and the specification was divided into 2 ranks: the selection and ungraded goods,and the grade was divided into 2 ranks for the selection goods: big,small selected goods. Moreover,there were no significant correlation between the appearance and the intrinsic quality index of Dipsaci Radix,the content of extractum were significantly positive correlation with the moisture,but had extremely negative correlation with the total ash. Multiple comparisons indicated that the content of the moisture,extractum and asperosaponin VI of the selected goods were higher than the ungraded goods,while the total ash content were lower,and they hasn't significant difference. The commodity specification and grade standard of Dipsaci Radix as a basis provide commodity specification and grade standard of communities and standardizing market trade order.

Development of a colloidal gold-based lateral flow dipstick immunoassay for rapid detection of chlorogenic acid and luteoloside in Flos Lonicerae Japonicae

Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (FLJ), known as golden-and-silver honeysuckle, is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine with pharmacological activities and edibleness in China. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and luteoloside are the quality control markers of FLJ regulated by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition). For rapid evaluation of the quality of FLJ, dipsticks for CGA and luteoloside detection were developed. The detection limit of the dipsticks for CGA and luteoloside, defined as the lowest concentration of the target analyte between which the test line was invisible, were 100 ng/mL and 200 ng/mL, respectively. The dipsticks were used for determination of CGA and luteoloside contents in FLJ, and the results were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The developed dipsticks, with their simplicity of use, lack of dependence on instruments and environmental friendliness, could be used to evaluate the quality of FLJ within 10 min.

Chemical profiling in Moutan Cortex after sulfuring and desulfuring processes reveals further insights into the quality control of TCMs by nontargeted metabolomic analysis

As a traditional processing method, sulfuring has been used in the processing of many traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Desulfuring, which has emerged in recent years, is a new method applied to sulfured herbs so they can comply with regulations regarding residual SO₂. Due to the chemical transformations and the residual SO₂ in the herbs, both sulfuring and desulfuring have negative effects on the safety and therapeutic effects of TCMs, and Moutan Cortex is one of the TCMs most susceptible to these effects. Here, a new strategy was developed to differentiate normal, sulfured and desulfured Moutan Cortex, and the transformations of compounds in sulfuring and desulfuring processes were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MSE) method based on metabolomic analysis. Our findings were as follows: (1) a total of 119 compounds were identified or tentatively identified, including 9 compounds that are being reported for the first time as natural products; (2) 15 sulfocompounds were generated during the sulfuring process; (3) these sulfocompounds could not be converted back into their corresponding glycosides by the desulfuring process, and the desulfuring decreased the residual SO₂,while also removing some soluble compounds in the sulfured Moutan Cortex; and (4) 28 compounds were screened and tentatively identified as markers for distinguishing normal, sulfured and desulfured Moutan Cortex. Our findings provide a new practical strategy for evaluating how sulfuring and desulfuring affect the quality of TCMs.

[Research progress on quality evaluation of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(Danshen)]

Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen) is one of the commonly used bulk medicinal materials in China. It is widely used in clinical practice, and has many pharmacological effects, such as antithrombotic，antibacterial，anti-inflammatory，anti-oxidative and immunomodulatory activities. The quality of Danshen determines the quality of the curative effect. The current wild resources of Danshen gradually decrease, the cultivation area is widely distributed, among them, Shandong, Sichuan, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan and other provinces have large acreage for Danshen. However, germplasm, origin, cultivation, harvest, process and other factors have a certain impact on the active ingredients of Danshen, which lead to the quality of Danshen good and bad mixed. This paper is based on the systematic analysis of literature on quality evaluation of Danshen. To provide a new idea for the further research on the quality of Danshen, we summarized the main factors affecting the quality of Salvia miltiorrhiza that of germplasm, origin, cultivation, harvest, process, storage, product specifications and so on.

[Research actuality and quality-influencing factor of Epimedii Folium]

Epimedii Folium has a long history in China as a common traditional Chinese medicine. Key factors of Epimedii Folium quality were summarized based on ancient literatures, Chinese Pharmacopoeias and modern research in different period of history. The main reason for unqualified Epimedii Folium is unstable icariin. Therefore, it's suggested that: the precondition of the quality control of epimedium is to find the proper quality marker. It's suggested that the medicinal parts should be reverted to "dry whole plant overground" to solve Epimedium resource shortage problem. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the standardized cultivation, so as to ensure germplasm, production area, and producing method to guarantee the quality of Epimedium Folium. In the drying method, it is recommended to change "dry in the sun or shade" to "dry", namely dry in the sun, shade or drier, in order to provide a new method to improve the quality control and quality standard of Epimedii Folium.

[Study on formation and changes of Dao-di herbs production origin of Gastrodia elata]

Gastrodia elata has been used in China for more than 2 000 years and it is a kind of valuable traditional Chinese medicine. The originrecords of G. elata were Mount Tai of Shandong and and Mount Song of Henan, which began in Wupu Bencao of Wei Jin Dynasties, and Tai'an and its surrounding areas had been the Do-di herbs production areas. But from the beginning of the Republic of China, G. elata origin has undergone major changes, Do-di herbs production areas moved westward to the southwest.In this paper,through literature research and field visits, we studied the formation and changes of Do-di herbs production areas of G. elata. The cultivation history and current main producing area of G. elata was also introduced. On this basis, we profoundly summarized the reasons of Do-di herbs production areas formation and changes from the nature, society, transportation, humanities and germplasm resources.Combining the ancient herbal medicine and the characteristics of modern producing areas, the planting strength of G. elata could be strengthened in the hope of providing reference for the quality evaluation and cultivation of G. elata.

A practical protocol for comprehensive evaluation of sulfur-fumigation of Gastrodia Rhizoma using metabolome and health risk assessment analysis

Gastrodia Rhizoma is one of the most heavily sulfur-fumigated edible and medical herbs in the marketplace. We developed a practical protocol using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight-MS^E (UPLC/QTOF-MS^E)-based metabolome and health risk assessment model to identify characteristic sulfur-fumigated markers, dissect chemical transformation mechanisms, and control the quality of sulfur-fumigated Gastrodia Rhizoma. Two sulfur-containing p-hydroxybenzyl products, one sulfur-containing disaccharide, one glycolipid, and two phospholipids were selected and identified as markers based on multivariate statistical analysis. In particular, the sulfur-containing markers p-hydroxybenzyl hydrogen sulfite and trace p-mercaptobenzyl hydrogen sulfate were positively correlated with the active major phenolics. Moreover, a practical index the time of the minimum content was useful for evaluating the extent of the sulfur-fumigation under different weight ratios of the sulfur to herbal materials (1:20, 1:40, and 1:80). Ultimately, the 1:40 ratio within 1h of sulfur-fumigation was considered as safe and efficient for herb quality preservation under the maximum residue limit of 750mg/kg. This study shows that the practical protocol-based discriminated markers and practical limits can be applied to quality assurance of sulfur-fumigation and non-fumigation Gastrodia Rhizoma and other edible or medical materials.

[Exploration and thoughts about zoological origin and macroscopical identification of Chinese material medica "Haima" in China Pharmacopoeia]

"Haima" (Hippocampus) has a long history in China as an important traditional animal medicine, but many closely-related members of the Hippocampus genus are also used as Haima in particular regions. To investigate the real origin of "Haima", a herbalogical studies, particularly inpictures and photographs of the ancient literature are corroborated with seahorse specimens in museum, we confirm Chinese material medica "Haima" in China Pharmacopoeia is origin from H. kelloggi, 1901, H.spinosissimus, 1913, H. kuda, 1852, H. trimaculatus, 1814, or H. mohnikei, 1853. The so-called "Ci Haima" is H. spinosissimus, instead of H. histrix, 1856. The paper also suggests to revise of "macroscopical identification" item and add identification methods of "Haima" in China Pharmacopoeia, which may improve quality controls tandards of "Haima".

[Historical evolution and change of differentiation on dried ginger, fresh ginger and baked ginger]

Ginger is commonly used as dietetic Chinese herbs, medicinal ginger mainly divided into dried ginger, fresh ginger and baked ginger. In this article, by sorting and studying literature of Chinese materia medica, textual criticism the historical evolution and change of differentiation on dried ginger, fresh ginger and baked ginger. Results indicate that, as the changes of the dynasty, dried ginger, fresh ginger and baked ginger gradually differentiation in producing area and processing method. Dried ginger beginning in Shennong Bencao Jing（Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica）, Mingyi Bielu（Records of Famous Physicians） respectively included fresh ginger and dried ginger for the first time. Dried ginger and fresh ginger differentiation in producing area. Between the period of Shennong Bencao Jing（Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica）and Bencao Gangmu（Compendium of Materia Medica）, dried ginger was made from fresh ginger by water, peeled and sunlight; After Bencao Gangmu（Compendium of Materia Medica）, most herbalists support the view of Li Shizhen, thought that dried ginger was made by mother ginger. Baked ginger appeared in Han Dynasty. Depei Bencao（De Pei Materia Medica） in Qing Dynasty listed the baked ginger separately as a herb medicine ingredient, thought that baked ginger was made by dried ginger. As the changes of the dynasty, genuine producing areas of ginger were changed, but mainly concentrated in Yangtze river basin. Sichuan Qianwei is the main authentic region of modern medicinal ginger, in accordance with all previous dynasties materia medica. Since the Ming Dynasty, a lot of herbalists thought that good quality of dried ginger is meat thick full, color white and texture solid.