A Pharmacophylogenetic Study Of Medicinal Plants Of Gesneriaceae In China

Gesneriaceae, one group of Scrophulariales, can be divided into Cyrtandroideae and Gesnerioideae. There are 150 genera and 3700 species in all, and there are 54 genera and 463 species in China, which belong to Cyrtandroideae. Plants of this group are widely used for the treatment of traumatic injury, coughs and swelling sores in Southern China. In order to grasp accurately the source of Gesneriaceae in Chian, definite good functional results of medicinal plants of this group, thoroughly explore phylogenetic relationship of different plants, and select the priority species with fascinating prospects, on the basis of pharmacological investigation of plants of Gesneriaceae, the author has applied methods of plant taxonomy, chemotaxonomy, molecular pharmcognosy, and method so forth to make a microscopic representation, a thorough study on its ITS order, rbL gene order, trnH-psbA gene order, and distribution of phenylethanoid glycoside. This paper provides a theoretical basis to sustainable use and development of this kind of medicinal plants.The main results as following:1. This paper has made a review of research progress of Gesneriaceae, by means of consulting amount of documents and thoroughly research on plant taxonomy, pharmacognosy, molecular pharmcognosy, chemical constituents and pharmacology activity, this paper offers a theoretical basis to sustainable use and development of the kinds of medicinal plants.2. An investigation of medicinal plants of Gesneriaceae was carried out in Da Xin (in Guang Xi Province), Jingxi County, Napo, Weining and Xingyi (in Gui Zhou Province) and other regions, together with consulting abundance of records of original samples and documents, we have summarized the categories, distribution and therapy effectiveness of the medicinal plants of Gesneriaceae and offered some suggestion to solving corresponding problems. 3. By means of paraffin sections and hydration chlorine and chloral hydrate, we have made a research on transverse and powder characteristics of roots, rootstocks and leaves of 4 genera and 15 species medicinal plants which separately belong to Hemiboea, Chirita, Paraboea and Lysionotus, at the same time we have defined microscopic features of these 15 species and compiled a plant key to intergeneric transverse section and interspecies powder characteristics. Except Lysionotus pauciflorus, other 14 medicinal gesneriaceae are first studied on their microscopic features.4. We have studied the ITS order of 14 genera and 57 species of plants of gesneriaceae. Having applied soft wares of the DNAman,DNAstar and PAUP 4.0, we got the results that phylogenetic trees of plants of Gesneriaceae are almost the same according to intergeneric clustering and conventional taxonomy. That can prove that ITS order is appropriate for study on affinity of categories of Gesneriaceae. However, on account of distinction between intergeneric taxonomy and conventional taxonomy, the method of using ITS order to study affinity of intergeneric gesneriaceae still needs further study. Having used ITS order, we have studied affinity among the plants of Hemiboea, Chirita, Paraboea and Lysionotus. This research provides evidence for the guidance on proper using these medicinal plants.Studying on the rbcL gene order of 9 genera and 22 species of plants of Gesneriaceae by means of PCR, we have found that the similarity of intergeneric gesneriaceae and intergeneric order comes up to over 85% and the similarity intrageneric order reaches up to 99%. It indicates that the order of medicinal plants of gesneriaceae is too compact to make a further research on intergeneric and intrageneric phylogeny.Studying on trnH-psbA gene order of 14 genera and 30 species of plants and rbcL--trnH-psbA--ITS order of 21 samples of 9 genera and 20 species of gesneriaceae by means of PCR, we have found that the range of genetic variance of the two gene order are all wide. It indicates that we shoule do further research to identify them.There is a debate about the way to classify---a subfamily of Gesneriaceae. Some scholars believe that Didymocarpeae and Trichosporeae are two independent families. Some scholars suggest that Trichosporeae should be included into the category of Didymocarpeae. Through analyzing of ITS order, rbcL gene order, trnH-psbA order, rbcL--trnH-psbA--ITS order and phylogenetic tree of some medicinal plants of Trichosporeae and Didymocarpeae, the author support the idea of classifying Trichosporeae into the category of Didymocarpeae.5. By means of using 5 samples of phenylethanoid glycosides as reference compounds and qualitative research on 10 genera and 24 species of medicinal plants of Gesneriaceae by using the method of HPLC-UV, we have found that acteoside is widely distributing in this family. This result can be taken as one of the evidences to study intergeneric and intrageneric affinity.At the first time we applied the methods of microscopic identification, molecule genetics identification and plant chemotaxonomy to have a research on their characteristics and affinity of medicinal plants of Gesneriaceae in our country. Significant innovations of this paper is following:1. Initially elucidating the affinity of some plants of Hemiboea, Chirita, Paraboea, Lysionotus provides the guidance of sustainable use and development of this kind of medicinal plants.2. At the first time we have made a study on microscopic characteristics of 15 medicinal plants of Hemiboea, Chirita, Paraboea, Lysionotus.3. At the first time we have made a study on distribution of constituents of phenylethanoid glycoside of 24 species of medicinal plants of Gesneriaceae.