Top-geoherbs of traditional Chinese medicine: common trait, quality characteristics and formation

Abstract

Top-geoherbs used in China are always featured with high qualities, and they grow in specified areas with specific environment. Recently, researches on top-geoherbs have attracted increasing attention in China and other countries. In order to have a thorough knowledge of top-geoherbs, this article reviews the concept, historical evolution, common trait and quality characteristics of top-geoherbs, and explains the forming mechanism including genetic mechanism and environmental mechanism. In addition, it introduces the influence of human factors on the quality of top-geoherbs. Finally, it proposes some problems that should be paid attention to in the researches on top-geoherbs.

Keywords

top-geoherbs / common trait / quality characteristics / formation / biological mechanism

References

[1] Hu SL. Geoherbs in China. Haerbin: Heilongjiang Science and Technology Press, 1989(in Chinese)

[2] Xie ZW. Discussion about geoherbs. J Tradit Chin Med (Zhong Yi Za Zhi) 1990; 40(10): 43–46 (in Chinese)

[3] Huang LQ, Zhang RX. Biological essential about geoherbs. Chin Pharm J (Zhongguo Yao Xue Za Zhi) 1997; 9(32): 563–566 (in Chinese)

[4] Huang LQ. Molecular pharmacognosy. Beijing:Peking University Medical Press, 2006 (in Chinese)

[5] Xiao XH. Probe into character variation of Chinese medicinal materials in ecological biology. Chin Tradit Herbal Drugs (Zhong Cao Yao) 1989; 20(8): 42–46 (in Chinese)

[6] Xiao XH, Chen SL. Discussion on system study of geoherbs. Sichuan J Res Chin Drugs Herbs (Sichuan Zhong Cao Yao Yan Jiu) 1991; 30–31(2–3): 15–21 (in Chinese)

[7] Xiao XH, Xia WJ, Chen SY. A review on the research of genulne traditional Chinese drugs. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 1995; 20(6): 323–325 (in Chinese)

[8] Gao WY, Qin EQ, Xiao XH, Yu HM, Gao GY, Chen SB, Zhao YJ, Yang SL. Analysis on genuineness of Angelica sinensis by RAPD. Chin Tradit Herbal Drugs (Zhong Cao Yao) 2001; 32(10): 926–929 (in Chinese)

[9] Huang LQ, Chen ML, Xiao PG. Biological basis and model hypothesis of geoherbsim of Chinese material medica. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2004; 29(6): 494–496, 610 (in Chinese)

[10] Huang LQ, Guo LP, Hua GD, Lv DM. Attributes of Chinese geoherbs and its study strategy. Chin J Inf Tradit Chin Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yi Yao Xin Xi Za Zhi) 2007; 14(2): 44–46 (in Chinese)

[11] Huang LQ, Guo LP. Secondary metabolites accumulating and geoherbs formation under environmental stress. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2007; 32(4): 277–280 (in Chinese)

[12] Huang LQ, Guo LP, Hu J, Shao AJ. Molecular mechanism and genetic basis of geoherbs. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2008; 33(20): 2303–2308 (in Chinese)

[13] Guo LP, Liu JY, Ji L, Huang LQ. The naphtha composing characteristics of geoherbs of Atractylodes lancea. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2002; 27(11): 814–819 (in Chinese)

[14] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Yan YN. The influences of inorganic elements in soil on the geolism of Atractylodes lancea. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2002; 27(4): 245–250 (in Chinese)

[15] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Yan H, Lv DM, Jiang YX. Habitat characteristics for the growth of Atractylodes lancea based on GIS. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2005; 30(8): 565–569 (in Chinese)

[16] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Hua GD. Geographical variation and geoherbsim of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. Res Pract Chin Med (Xian Dai Zhong Yao Yan Jiu Yu Shi Jian) 2006; 20(5): 3–6 (in Chinese)

[17] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Huck CW. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology and its application in geoherbs. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2009; 34(14): 1751–1757 (in Chinese)

[18] Zhou HT, Hu SL, Guo BL, Feng XF, Yan YN, Li JS. A study on genetic variation between wild and cultivated populations of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Acta Pharm Sin (Yao Xue Xue Bao) 2002; 37(5): 383–388 (in Chinese)

[19] Zhou YJ, Zhu PL, Liu Q, Chen CH, Zhou SL. Genetic relationships among Fructus Aurantii cultivars revealed by ISSR. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2005; 30(18): 1416–1419 (in Chinese)

[20] Han JP, Chen SL, Zhang WS, Wang YY. Molecular ecology of Gardenia jasminoides authenticity. Chin J Appl Ecol (Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao) 2006; 17(12): 2385–2388 (in Chinese)

[21] Chen DX, Li LY, Peng R, Qu XY. Genetic diversity of Coptis chinensis germplasm based on ISSR analysis. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2006; 31(23): 1937–1940(in Chinese)

[22] Nie SQ, Li LF, Yang Q, Jin YH, Yuan GD, Li ML, Song HY, Feng XF, Hu SL. Comparative study on primary pharmacological effects of Atracylodes lancea Rhizoma from five productive places in China. Chin J Inf Tradit Chin Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yi Yao Xin Xi Za Zhi) 2001; 8(2): 27–29 (in Chinese)

[23] Chen X, Li WS, Xia WJ, Luo HM, Liu XQ. A comparative study on the chemical components of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. collected from Zhongjiang of Sichuan and from other habitats. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 1997; 22(9): 522–524, 574(in Chinese)

[24] Fan JA, Yi SP, Zhang AJ, Zhao PP, Luo ZY, Xiao XH, Li ZJ. Restricting effects of geologic background system on genuine grude drugs in Sichuan. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 1996; 21(1): 12–14(in Chinese)

[25] Hu SL. Illustration of the Chinese herbs in the place of the genuine.Jinan: Shandong Science and Technology Press, 1998 (in Chinese)

[26] Yuan QJ, Zhang ZY, Hu J, Guo LP, Shao AJ, Huang LQ. Impacts of recent cultivation on genetic diversity pattern of a medicinal plant, Scutellaria baicalensis (Lamiaceae). BMC Genet 2010; 11(1): 29

[27] Gao W, Hillwig ML, Huang LQ, Cui G, Wang X, Kong J, Yang B, Peters RJ. A functional genomics approach to tanshinone biosynthesis provides stereochemical insights. Org Lett 2009; 11(22): 5170–5173

[28] Huang LQ, Xiao PG, Guo LP, Gao WY. Molecular pharmacognosy. Sci China Life Sci 2010; 53(6): 643–652

[29] Guo LP, Huang LQ. Ecological research on resources of Chinese herbal medicine. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2004; 29(7): 615–618(in Chinese)

[30] Liu YP, Luo JP, Feng YF, Guo XL, Cao H. DNA profiling of Pogostemon cablin chemotypes differing in essential oil composition. Acta Pharm Sin (Yao Xue Xue Bao) 2002; 37(4): 304–308(in Chinese)

[31] Ouyang Z, Yang L, Su SL, Feng X, Wang M. Fingerprint of volatile oil of Atractylodes lancea by GC-MS. Acta Pharm Sin (Yao Xue Xue Bao) 2007; 42(9): 968–972(in Chinese)

[32] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Jiang YX. RAPD Analysis on Genetic Structure of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. Chin Pharm J (Zhongguo Yao Xue Za Zhi) 2006; 41(3): 178–181 (in Chinese)

[33] Ajikumar PK, Xiao WH, Tyo KEJ, Wang Y, Simeon F, Leonard E, Mucha O, Phon TH, Pfeifer B, Stephanopoulos G. Isoprenoid pathway optimization for taxol precursor overproduction in Escherichia coli. Science 2010; 330(6000): 70–74

[34] Ro DK, Paradise EM, Ouellet M, Fisher KJ, Newman KL, Ndungu JM, Ho KA, Eachus RA, Ham TS, Kirby J, Chang MCY, Withers ST, Shiba Y, Sarpong R, Keasling JD. Production of the antimalarial drug precursor artemisinic acid in engineered yeast. Nature 2006; 440(7086): 940–943

[35] Zhang L, Ding R, Chai Y, Bonfill M, Moyano E, Oksman-Caldentey KM, Xu T, Pi Y, Wang Z, Zhang H, Kai G, Liao Z, Sun X, Tang K. Engineering tropane biosynthetic pathway in Hyoscyamus niger hairy root cultures. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004; 101(17): 6786–6791

[36] Cui GH, Huang LQ, Tang XJ, Qiu DY, Wang XY, Fu GF. Functional genomics studies of Salvia miltiorrhiza I—establish cDNA microarray of S. miltiorrhiza. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2007; 32(12): 1137–1141 (in Chinese)

[37] Cui GH, Huang LQ, Qiu DY, Yuan Y, Fu GF. Functional genomics studies of Salvia miltiorrhiza II—gene expression profiling of different stage of hairy root. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2007; 32(13): 1267–1272(in Chinese)

[38] Cui GH, Wang XY, Feng H, Zhao JX, Huang LQ. Molecular cloning and SNP analysis of a acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase gene (SmAACT) from Salvia miltimorrhiza. Acta Pharmacol Sin (Yao Xue Xue Bao) 2010; 45(6): 785–790 (in Chinese)

[39] Wang XY, Cui GH, Huang LQ, Gao W, Yuan Y. A full length cDNA of 4-(cytidine 5°-diphospho)-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol kinase cloning and analysis of introduced gene expression in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Acta Pharm Sin (Yao Xue Xue Bao) 2008; 43(12): 1251–1257(in Chinese)

[40] Zhang L, Dai ZB, Cui GH, Cheng YY, Qi XQ, Gao ZX. Cloning and characterization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene of Salvia miltiorrhia. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2009; 34(21): 2704–2708 (in Chinese)

[41] Yang YF, Hou S, Cui GH, Chen SL, Wei JH, Huang LQ. Characterization of reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR analysis in various tissues of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Mol Biol Rep 2010; 37(1): 507–513

[42] Dai ZB, Cui GH, Zhou SF, Zhang XN, Huang LQ. Cloning and characterization of a novel 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza involved in diterpenoid tanshinone accumulation. J Plant Physiol 2011; 168(2): 148–157

[43] Liu DF. Biometrical genetics.<BibVersion>2nd Ed</BibVersion>. Beijing: Science press, 1988 (in Chinese)

[44] Guo LP, Huang LQ, Jiang YX. L iu XL, Pan YZ, Lv DM, Zhang Q. Key influencing factors on essential oil components of Atractylodes lancea and study on its division of climate adaptability. China J Chin Mater Med (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) 2007; 32(10): 888–893(in Chinese)

[45] Ye DJ, Zhang SZ. Science of processing Chinese materia medica.Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 1999 (in Chinese)

[46] Zhou J, Guo LP, Huang LQ, Zhang YQ. Studies on status and changes of naphtha components of processed Atractylodes lancea based on geoherbs standardization. Chin Pharm J (Zhongguo Yao Xue Za Zhi) 2009; 44(8): 567–570 (in Chinese)

[47] Zhang N. Scale issues in ecology: concepts of scale and scale analysis. Acta Ecol Sin (Sheng Tai Xue Bao) 2006; 26(7): 2340–2355 (in Chinese)

[48] Yang J. Infraspecific variation in plant and the exploring methods. J Wuhan Bot Res (Wuhan Zhi Wu Xue Yan Jiu) 1991; 9(2): 185–195 (in Chinese)

[49] Shi QS. The progress of major genes research of livestock and poultry. J Hunan Agric Univ (Hunan Nong Ye Da Xue Xue Bao) 1999; 25(1): 81–86 (in Chinese)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg