Studies On Plant Resources Intraspecific Variations Of Fructus Cnidii And Its Antiosteoporotic Effects

The geographical distribution of the medicinal plant Cnidium monnieri (Umbelliferaefamily) was investigated, their seeds from different regions were sown at the same place(Medicinal Botanical Garden, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University,Shanghai, China) to observe their growth condition and morphological character. Thecomputer imagine process, HPLC, isoenzymes analysis and RAPD analysis were adopted tostudy the variation from morphologic character to DNA of Cnidium monnieri from differentregions in China.The Cnidium monnieri from different regions, which were sown at the same place, keptits original morphological and growing character. This findings indicated that the Cnidiummonnieri from different regions developed the heritable differentiation.Through computer imagine process, it was found that the fruits of Cnidium monnierifrom different regions differed greatly in shape and size. According to the parameter ofcomputer imagine process, Cnidium monnieri could be divided into three groups. Type I,fruit smaller ((I) 1.600 ?1.850mm), grown in Zhaodong of Heilongjiang province andZhengding of Hebei province. Type II, fruit bigger (CI) 2.1 00-~---2.550mm), grown in Zhejiangand Jiangsu provinces. Type Jfl, fruit medium ((I) 1.850----2.lOOmm), grown in Shaanxi andShandong provinces.The results of HPLC qualitative analysis indicated that 17 different compounds existed inthe fruit of Cnidium morn,ieri, their kinds and contents in fruits varied distinctly fromdifferent regions. Fruits from Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces had fewer components, whilecontents of main components higher. Those from Shaanxi, Hebei and Liaoning provinces hadmore components, while the contents of main components lower. Those from Heilongjiangprovince had different components from the above two types. The quantitative analysis byHPLC showed that the contents of linear furocoumarins such as xanthotoxin, isopimpinellin,bergapten, imperatorin and simple couinarin osthole were different in fruits from differentregions. The contents of these coumarins in fruits from Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandongprovinces and Shanghai were higher; those from Shaanxi, Hebei and Liaoning provinces werelower, and those from Heilongjiang province had no these cournarins.3The isoenzyme analysis showed that the Cnidium monnieri from Jiangsu province sJurong, Xuzhou, and Dafeng and Shandong province' s Shanghe, which had more ostholeand linear furocoumarins, had similar peroxidase and cytochrome oxidase zymogram,classified into one group (Group I) by hierarchically cluster analysis. Those from Dali ofShaanxi, Zhengding of Hebei and Wafangdian of Liaoning had similar peroxidase andcytochrome oxidase zymogram, classified into one group (Group II) by hierarchicallycluster analysis; Those from Zhaodong of Heilongjiang province clustered together withgroup II at remoter genetic distance.RAPD analysis indicated that with the increasing of latitude, the genetic distancegradually increased from Jurong and Xuzhou of Jiangsu, Dali of Shaanxi, Zhengding ofHebei to Zhaodong of Heilongjiang, showing the tendency that the hereditary substance DNAvaried gradually with the change of geographical position.Based on the morphological and chemical character of Cnidium monnieri from differentregions, the Cnidium monnieri was divided into three types. I . Zhaodong type, fruitssmaller, containing angular-furanocoumarins as the main components, but no osthole, grownin Heilongjiang province. II. Jurong type, fruits bigger, containing osthole and linearfuranocouniarins, but no angular-fliranocoumarins, grown in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.HI. Dali type, fruits medium, containing osthole, linear-furanocoumarins, and angular-furanocoumarins grown in Shaanxi and Hebei provinces.Total couniarins...