Recent advances in the chemical and biological studies of Aconitum pharmaceutical resources

Many herbal medicines have so far been utilized for the treatment of various ailments since the beginning of Chinese civilization. Aconitum is a botanical source for various pharmaceutically active components, which has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Increasing interest in Aconitum pharmaceutical resources has led to further discoveries of diterpenoid alkaloids, polysaccharides, fiavonoids and many other compounds in various Aconitum species, and to investigations on their chemotaxonomy, molecular phylogeny and pharmacology. In continuation with our studies on Aconitum pharmacophylogeny, here we review the phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, molecular biology and phylogeny of Aconitum and their relevance to therapeutic efficacy and toxicity. An exhaustive literature survey is used to summarize the global scientific effort in the phytochemical and biological studies of Aconitum. More diterpenoid alkaloids have been found in various Aconitum species, among which the aconitine type （type III） is predominant. The versatile bioactivities of alkaloids and extracts, as well as the bioactivities of polysaccharides and other ingredients, are summarized and discussed in this review. The morphology-based 11-series classification of section Aconitum, subgenus Aconitum, is not supported by chemotaxonomy and molecular phylogeny. Molecular phylogeny based on nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences divided the nine morphologically similar series into two clusters, which is bolstered by the chemotaxonomic data. It is essential to integrate the emerging technologies into Aconitum studies for both the sustainable utilization of Aconitum pharmaceutical resources and finding novel compounds with potential clinical utility and less toxicity. Systems biology and omics technologies will play an increasingly important role in booming pharmaceutical research involving bioactive compounds of Aconitum.

Recent Advance in Chemical and Biological Studies on Cimicifugeae Pharmaceutical Resources

Cimicifugeae is one of the rich sources for various active components and the health promoting and therapeutic values of the components have been corroborated by long-term use in folk medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.Increasing interest in Cimicifugeae pharmaceutical resources has led to the further discoveries of triterpenoid saponins, phenolic compounds, chromones, and many other compounds in various species of Cimicifugeae, and to the investigations on their chemotaxonomy, molecular phylogeny, and bioactivities. Based on our pharmacophylogenetic studies, the progress in phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, molecular biology, and phylogeny of Cimicifugeae had been summarized since 2007, especially Cimicifuga L. ex Wernisch. and Actaea L., and their relevance to therapeutic efficacy. An exhaustive literature survey is used to characterize the global scientific effort in the phytochemical and biological studies of Cimicifugeae. More triterpenoid saponins have been found in various species, among which the cimigenol type(type A) is predominant. The versatile bioactivities of saponins and extracts,as well as those of phenolics and other ingredients, were summarized and discussed. The morphology-based five-genus classification of Cimicifugeae is not supported by molecular phylogeny. Molecular phylogeny based on nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences tends to merge Cimicifuga Wernisch., Souliea Franch., and Actaea L. into a single genus. It is indispensable to integrate the emerging technologies into Cimicifugeae research for both the sustainable utilization of Cimicifugeae pharmaceutical resources and finding novel compounds with potential clinical utility and less adverse effects. Systems biology and omics technologies would play an increasingly important role in booming pharmaceutical research involving bioactive compounds of Cimicifugeae.

Pharmaceutical resource discovery from traditional medicinal plants:Pharmacophylogeny and pharmacophylogenomics

The worldwide botanical and medicinal culture diversity are astonishing and constitute a Pierian spring for innovative drug R&D.Here,the latest awareness and the perspectives of pharmacophylogeny and pharmacophylogenomics,as well as their expanding utility in botanical drug R&D,are systematically summarized and highlighted.Chemotaxonomy is based on the fact that closely related plants contain the same or similar chemical profiles.Correspondingly,it is better to combine morphological characters,DNA markers and chemical markers in the inference of medicinal plant phylogeny.Medicinal plants within the same phylogenetic groups may have the same or similar therapeutic effects,thus forming the core of pharmacophylogeny.Here we systematically review and comment on the versatile applications of pharmacophylogeny in(1)looking for domestic resources of imported drugs,(2)expanding medicinal plant resources,(3)quality control,identification and expansion of herbal medicines,(4)predicting the chemical constituents or active ingredients of herbal medicine and assisting in the identification and determination of chemical constituents,(5)the search for new drugs sorting out,and(6)summarizing and improving herbal medicine experiences,etc.Such studies should be enhanced within the context of deeper investigations of molecular biology and genomics of traditional medicinal plants,phytometabolites and metabolomics,and ethnomedicine-based pharmacological activity,thus enabling the sustainable conservation and utilization of traditional medicinal resources.

Research progress in the phytochemistry and biology of Ilex pharmaceutical resources

Ilex is a botanical source for various health-promoting and pharmaceutically active compounds that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and food for thousands of years.Increasing interest in Ilex pharmaceutical and food resources has led to additional discoveries of terpenoids,saponins,polyphenols(especially flavonoids),glycosides,and many other compounds in various Ilex species,and to investigation of their chemotaxonomy,molecular phylogeny and pharmacol-ogy.In continuation of our studies on Ilex pharmacology and phylogeny,we review the phytochemistry,chemotaxonomy,molecular biology and phylogeny of Ilex species and their relevance to health-promotion and therapeutic efficacy.The similarity and dissimilarity between Ilex paraguariensis,the source plant of mate tea,and the source plants of large-leaved K udingcha(e.g.,Ilex kudingcha and Ilex latifolia)are discussed.It is essential to utilize emerging technologies in non-Camellia tea studies to promote the sustainable utilization of Ilex resources and the identification and development of novel compounds with potential health and clinical utility.Systems biology and "-omics"technologies will play an increasingly important role in pharmaceutical and food research on the bioactive compounds of Ilex species.

Scale Breeding and Reproduction Technique of Ficus tikoua Bur.Container Seedlings

Based on the principle of asexual reproduction,a kind of scale breeding and reproduction technique of Ficus tikoua Bur.container seedlings was explored by using the characteristics of strong adaptability to the environment and fast growth and reproduction.Using non-woven bag as a breeding container for seedlings,the scale breeding and reproduction technique of F.tikoua container seedlings was summarized through the important links of seedling bed construction,seedling collection,soil configuration,container selection,cutting cultivation,field management,and disease and pest control.This technique can achieve differential,massive and sustainable efficient breeding and reproduction of F.tikoua seedlings in a short time.

Plant pharmacophylogeny:past,present and future

The concept of“pharmacophylogeny”was proposed by Peigen Xiao in the 1980s based on long-term studies of Chinese researchers since ancient times and especially the 1950s.The complicated relationships and connectivity between kinship of medicinal plants,their chemical profiles and therapeutic utilities are consistent goals of pharmacophylogeny studies,which benefit innovative drug R&D.In the present work,we reviewed the origin and a brief history of research in this field,as well as the status quo and recent progress of pharmacophylogeny.The concept“pharmacophylogenomics”is put forward to represent the expanding utility of pharmacophylogeny in botanical drug R&D.Pharmacophylogeny and pharmacophylogenomics are the synthesis of multiple disciplines,such as chemotaxonomy,plant morphology,plant biochemistry/molecular biology and omics,etc.Medicinal plants within the same phylogenetic groups may have the same or similar therapeutic compounds/effects,thus forming the core of pharmacophylogeny,which is the scientific law summed up from practice and applied to practice after refining and sublimation.In the past,pharmacophylogeny plays a big role in looking for alternative resources of imported drugs in China.At present,it continues to play an active role in expanding medicinal plant resources,quality control/identification of herbal medicines,as well as predicting the chemical constituents or active ingredients of herbal medicine and the identification and determination of chemical constituents.In the ongoing future,it will play a bigger role in the search for new drugs,sorting out,summarizing,and improving herbal medicine experiences,thus boosting the sustainable conservation and utilization of traditional/natural medicinal resources.