Study On The Distribution Of Principal Medicinal Compositions In Amur Corktree

Amur corktree (Phellodendron amurense Rupr.) is a deciduous broadleaf tree of Family Rutaceae, distributed as the associated species in the broad-leaved or Pine forests, and its phloem is a kind of cherish Chinese traditional medicine. As the requirement of Chinese traditional medicine and modem pharmaceuticals, the wild resource of Amur corktree was destroyed badly Amur corktree was listed as a secondary national protection plants in China. In this paper the distribution in organs, and seasonal and age variations of principal medicinal compositions, 3 alkaloids, berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine in mature trees in secondary forest and cultivated saplings of Amur corktree were studied, some fundamental data for conservation and utilization of Amur corktree were given. The main results are as follows:(1) A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the determination of alkaloids content in Amur corktree was established. Alkaloids was ultrasonically extracted with 63 % alcohol at 41 °C for 64 min, and determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The alkaloids were separated on a KYA HIQ sil C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5μm), using acetonitrile-water solution. (3.4 g KH₂PO₄ and 1.7 g SDS in 1000 mL H₂O) 1:1 as the mobile phase at flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and detected at 345 nm.(2) Berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine contents were different in different parts of mature trees of Amur corktree in secondary forest. Berberine content was the highest in the root phloem (3.7 %), 7 times as that in the trunk phloem and 10 times as that in the branch phloem respectively; palmatine content was higher in the trunk (0.34 %) and branch (0.33 %) phloem, and lower in the root phloem(0.17 %); jatrorrhizine content was the highest in the phloem of root (0.11 %), and that in the trunk and branch phloem were very low(0.02 %⁰.05 %).(3) The alkaloid contents had no significant difference among the different orientations in the trunk phloem of Amur corktree in mature trees in the secondary forest, whereas they decreased as the trunk position from the base to apex, and turned stable up to 1.5 m high from the ground.(4) Amur corktree samples from 5 to 75 years were collected in the secondary forest, berberine content in the phloem was the highest in the trees at age 16²5, and the following was at age of 5¹5 years, and declined to a stable level of 0.4 % at tree age over 25 years. Palmatine content had no correlation with tree age. Jatrorrhizine content was very low and had a increasing tendency with tree age increasing.(5) Alkaloid contents of Amur corktree changed in a small scale with the season changing in the secondary forest. The fluctuated range of berberine and palmatine contents was about 0.2 %, and that of jatrorrhizine content was about 0.02 %.(6) The alkaloid contents were highest in root and stem base phloem of Amur corktree saplings, and lower in leaves, xylem and periderm. As those in mature tree trunk phloem insecondary forest, the contents decreased with the stem position increasing from the base to the apex in cultivated Amur corktree saplings.(7) The alkaloid contents increased with the tree age increasing from 1 to 3 years in phloem of Amur corktree saplings , and those were higher in the elder parts than young parts. The contents of berberine and jatrorrhizine were higher in roots than in stems, but the content of palmatine was higher in stems than in roots.(8) In root phloem of Amur corktee saplings, berberine and jatrorrhizine contents were highest in July, however, in stem phloem, it was highest in June. Palmatine content was fluctuant in root and stem phloem.