Studies On The Botanical Origins, Qualities And Pharmacological Actions Of Hypericum Produced In Sichuan Province

Investigations on the ancient herbal documents show that before the Tang and Song Dynasty,medicinal plants from Hypericum were used as "weeping forsythia capsule (lian qiao)". As the new development of their effects,they have become independent herbs that are not under the name of "weeping forsythia capsule (lian qiao)" anymore.Survey on the botanical resources in Sichuan province has been conducted. It is concluded that 22 species in 5 sections of Hypericum are for medicinal use. Their geographic distributions and medicinal values are described in this paper.Comparative studies on botanical,morphological and histological characteristics of Hypericum perforation Linn H. sampsonii Hance H.faberi R.Keller H. wightianum subsp.wightianum Wall.ex Wight et Am. H. wightianum subsp.axillare N.Robson H. japonicum Thunb.ex Murray H. patulum Thunb.ex Murray and H. forrestii N.Robson were conducted. For these 1 variety and 7 species in 4 sections,characteristics among different sections and species have been summarized for identification purposes.Systematic investigation on the secretary tissues of Hypericum was conducted. Based on the revealed relationship between the secretary structures and substances,the secretary tissues of Hypericum are classified into 2 main types:type I is the tissue that secretes and stores such dianthrone compounds as hypericin. This a group of secretary cells,forming into black glands. Type II is the tissue that secretes and stores essential oils. It consists of schizogenous secretary cavities or canals,forming into translucent glands. The distributions of various glands and their sizes and densities on leaves have also been observed. Combining with the data obtained from ultraviolet spectra,it has beenconcluded that hypericin does not exist in Sect Ascyreia and Sect Spachinm. Hypericin is only limited to Sect Hypericum and Sect Adenosepalum. This conclusion is typically significant in phytochemical classification and quality evaluation.In order to comprehensively evaluate the qualities of the herbs from Hypericum,TLC identification of the chief bioactive components,contents determination of hypericin,total flavones and hyperoside,contents determination of the essential oils and GS-MS analysis of their chemical components have been carried out. The contents of total hypericin and total flavones have been determined by spectrophotometry. The result shows that the content of total hypericin in Hypericum per for atum Linn> H. Faberi R.Kellen H. wightianum subsp.wightianum Wall.ex Wight et Arn. is 0.04041%,0.04028% and 0.02604% respectively. The content of total hypericin in Hypericum perforatum Linn varies according to different medicinal parts. The content in the leaf comes to the highest. The content of total flavones in H.forrestii N.Robson,H.japonicum Thunb.ex Murray and H. sampsonii Hance is 3.837%,3.643% and 1.063% respectively. Determined by the method of HPLC,the content of hyperoside in Hypericum perforatum Linn,H. forrestii N.Robson and H. sampsonii Hance is 1.257%,0.461% and 0.137% respectively. The sequence of the essential oil content is H. forrestii N.Robson,Hypericum perforatum Linn,H. wightianum subsp.wightianum Wall.ex Wight et Am.,H. patulum Thunb.ex Murray,H. wightianum subsp.axillare N.Robson,H. faberi R.Keller and H. japonicum Thunb.ex Murray. The contents of essential oils are related to the size and density of the translucent glands. Through the GS-MS analysis of the essential oils,117 chemical components were determined. The chemical components in essential oils from different species are significantly different from each other.Based on the morphological and phytochemical investigations,comparativestudies on the antidepressant action of the ethanol extracts of Hypericum perforatum Linn> H.faberi R.Keller and H. sampsonii Hance (Sect. Hypericum) were conducted. The forced swimming and mouse-tail suspension tests in mice show that the extracts from these 3 species have antidepressant actions. Comparative studies on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic act...